Tracy McGrady is certainly an All-Star caliber player. So is Yao Ming — especially considering the lack of outstanding centers in the Western Conference.
Still, neither one should have been picked to be starters for the annual All-Star Game — which will be played two weeks from today.
Why should Houston, with just 17 wins — fewest in the West— have two-fifths of the All-Star starters? Both Yao and McGrady have been hobbled by injuries this season and have missed a considerable number of games, 21 and 13, respectively.
Beyond that, the All-Star starters — named earlier this week as determined by fan voting — weren't too shabby. Starting alongside Yao and McGrady in the West will be San Antonio's Tim Duncan at power forward, with a backcourt of Phoenix Sun Steve Nash and the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. Certainly there are no arguments against any of those players.
The Eastern Conference starters, meanwhile, are Philly's Allan Iverson and Miami's Dwayne Wade at guard, Cleveland's LeBron James and Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal at forward and Miami's Shaquille O'Neal at center. The only questionable starter there, really, is Shaq, who is having a bit of a down year by his standards and has missed 18 games with injury. The Pacers' O'Neal, meanwhile, will have to be replaced since he is currently injured.
Detroit's Flip Saunders earned the right to coach the East because his team had the best record in the league to this point. Dallas' Avery Johnson will coach the West, since his team had the best record in the conference.
The reserves for the All-Star Game will be chosen by the league's coaches. Each one must select seven players from his own conference (but they can't be from the coach's own team). Of the seven players on the coaches' ballots, two must be guards, two forwards and one center with two from any position.
While I haven't been asked by Jerry Sloan or anyone else for advice on this matter, here are my choices to round out the All-Star teams:
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Guards — Ray Allen, Sonics; Tony Parker, Spurs.
Allen, a five-time All-Star, is averaging a career-high 25.0 points, and his shooting percentage is his personal best in the past five years. Parker just continues to get better, too. He's averaging a career-high 19.4 points and 5.7 assists and is second in the association in field goal percentage, making 54.8 percent of his shots. Plus, Parker is dating the hottest of the Desperate Housewives, and that should count for something.
Forwards — Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks; Elton Brand, Clippers
This is where the Western Conference is loaded. Several forwards who are having outstanding seasons will be left out. But Nowitzki is the best player on the conference's best team during the first half. He should not only be an All-Star but should warrant serious MVP consideration. Brand has gotten in better shape and is the main reason the usually lowly Clips are 10 games over .500. He's averaging 25 points, 10.4 boards and 2.6 blocks per game.
Center — Mehmet Okur, Jazz
This is a tough one too, but for opposite reasons. There simply aren't that many quality centers in the conference. Okur is having an outstanding year and is officially listed on the All-Star ballot as a center, but we all know he plays mostly forward. But if we are listing tall forwards as centers, wouldn't Pau Gasol or Kevin Garnett be picked ahead of Okur? Still, we'll throw a bone to the only member of the Jazz who has played in every game this season.
Wildcards — Forward/center Pau Gasol, Grizzlies; forward Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
Both are having career years for their playoff-bound (if the playoffs started today) teams. Gasol is shooting 50 percent from the field while averaging just under 20 points per game with 8.4 boards per game. Anthony, one of the young, marketable stars in the association, is eighth in scoring at 25.4 per game.
Just missed the cut — This list doesn't include eight-time All-Star and former league MVP Kevin Garnett, despite the fact he's again having a fine season. He'll probably be voted in by the coaches, however, even if they have to cheat to vote him in as a center. Others just missing out are Phoenix forward Shawn Marion, rookie point guard Chris Paul of the Hornets and Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Guards — Chauncey Billups, Pistons; Michael Redd, Bucks
Billups should be starting in place of Iverson. He's the choice here for MVP at this point of the season. The veteran is putting up career-best numbers while leading the Pistons to rare heights in the NBA. Redd is averaging 25.3 points and is one of the best shooters in the league.
Forwards —Chis Bosh, Raptors; Vince Carter, Nets
Bosh is an up-and-coming star, while Carter is a former star who has regained his place among the NBA's elite. Both deserve to be All-Stars this season. Bosh is averaging 22.7 points and 9.1 boards while playing in the relative obscurity of Toronto. Former Raptor Carter is 13th in the league with a 24.1 scoring average.
Center — Ben Wallace, Pistons
Wallace, by virtue of his playing in every game this year, should be starting over O'Neal at center. He is a rebounding machine, averaging 12.4 per game. He is also a strong defensive player and a big reason the Pistons are the best team in the league.
Wildcards — Richard "Rip" Hamilton, Pistons; Paul Pierce, Celtics; Dwight Howard, Magic
The Pistons are so far ahead of every other team in the league that they deserve three players on the All-Star team. Hamilton gets the wildcard nod over either Tayshaun Prince or Rasheed Wallace. The Detroit shooting guard is averaging a team-high 21.8 points. Pierce, meanwhile, is scoring an average of 25.3 points and has been one of the few bright spots for the Celtics. Howard, meanwhile, is my extra choice to take the place of Jermaine O'Neal who is injured. The youngster is averaging a league-best 12.7 rebounds to go along with 15.2 points.
Just missed the cut — What would an All-Star game be without Jason Kidd? We may just have to find out, as the seven-time All-Star is on the bubble. Gilbert Arenas of the Wizards is averaging an All-Star-like 28.1 points per game and may be snubbed too. Others who may be deserving but could miss the cut include Cleveland center Zydrunas Illgauskas and a fourth Piston, Rasheed Wallace.
So there you have it, one person's opinion. The actual reserves will be announced Thursday.
E-mail: lojo@desnews.com