Stop complaining about players’ NBA All-Star votes

We have our 10 NBA All-Stars starters for 2018, led by LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who will be captains and pick teams.

There were no big surprises, though some of the voting was funny. Joel Embiid beat out Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis for the third starting frontcourt spot and then got asked if he’d now be pursuing Rihanna on live national television. (No, he says.)

DeMarcus Cousins grabbed the loose ball fifth starter spot in the West over LaMarcus Aldridge, Draymond Green (who nearly won almost completely on the strength of fan support), and Karl-Anthony Towns.

As happened last year, some media members clutched their pearls in critiquing odd player votes. It’s clear that at least a few players don’t take the vote too seriously; you have some guys voting for themselves, their teammates, or their friends.

But here’s the thing: The player vote where it matters — at the top — matches the media vote rather closely! It’s provided an awesome insight into who players value more than the media when we’re splitting hairs, and that makes those players, where there’s a real discrepancy, worth investigating.

For instance, players had Porzingis over Embiid, the opposite of what the media had. That’s interesting! Does Embiid’s schtick rub enough people the wrong way? Do players think availability and minutes are more important than the media does?

With the exception of the West guards, the media and player top-fours were the same, just in slightly different order. For example, in the West frontcourt, the players went Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, LaMarcus Aldridge whereas the media went Durant, Davis, Aldridge, Cousins. Cousins stomped Aldridge in fan vote and got the third starting spot. The player vote was slightly different from the media vote, but it didn’t actually impact who started because it was so similar.

Stripping the player vote out actually wouldn’t change any All-Star starter. But it was interesting and a little odd in one race: West guard. Players had Curry, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook one, two, three; media had Harden-Curry-Westbrook.

Curry and Harden will start. But players had Damian Lillard and Devin Booker in a tie for fourth ahead of Jimmy Butler; neither Lillard nor Booker appears to have received a single media vote, and Butler came in fourth. That’s interesting: Players are more positive on Booker and Lillard’s All-Star credentials than those of Butler. It didn’t affect the outcome, just as the single suspicious player vote for Luke Kennard didn’t. But it’s interesting to see.

So instead of getting the vapors over the Kennard votes, maybe we can acknowledge that the players are voting similarly to how the media votes and investigate attitudes where there are real differences of opinion.

PHI 89, BOS 80
ORL 103, CLE 104
MIN 98, HOU 116
IND 86, POR 100

Both the Cavaliers and Sixers almost blew leads bigger than 20. If Cleveland had lost to Orlando ... Welcome to Strugglesville, Ohio!

HOWEVER ... is this ... is this a no-look, behind-the-back, nutmeg bounce pass from LeBron???

It turns out everything we thought we knew about the Rockets’ invasion of the Clippers’ locker room was wrong. Except that dudes wanted to fight Austin Rivers — that was true. I’m struggling to come to terms with the fact that Clint Capela wasn’t a confused decoy.

Some candid honesty from Austin Rivers about his reputation in the league.

How the Spurs survive injuries: everyone is ready, always.

David Aldridge sat down with Michele Roberts and Adam Silver to talk about the fraying referee/player relationship.

Andrew Sharp on the global boom for the NBA.

Superb Ben Cohen piece on the Warriors’ best play...and who they stole it from.

What teams might be thinking three weeks out of the trade deadline.

Lillard has abandoned his strict vegan diet because he was losing too much weight.

Don’t neglect the fact that the ABC showcase games begin this weekend! Thunder-Cavaliers on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, and Warriors-Rockets at 8:30 p.m. ET. Nothing on Sunday this week due to football.

Be excellent to each other.