What the NBA All Star Teams SHOULD Look Like

Fan voting is stupid. Always has been and always will be across the board in all sports (although the East starters are spot on this year). Teams promote ballot-stuffing, and you wind up with ridiculous things like Yao Ming being named a starter despite playing about two more minutes in the NBA this year than I have.

But the coaches aren't much better; always deferring to veterans and players on winning teams.

Without further ado, here is what your 2010-11 All-Star rosters SHOULD look like based on what we've thus far.

East

Starters

Derrick Rose: Right now, he gets my MVP vote just ahead of Lebron, so it goes without saying he should be starting.

Dwayne Wade: Another easy selection; after some cohesion issues with Lebron early on, Wade has been stellar; an extremely good defender.

Lebron James: Despite what I think of him as a person (sham) or how I feel about his competitive spirit (weak), there is no arguing that Lebron is a freak of nature on the court and he is on the very short list of greatest basketball players alive. His all-around game continues to astound.

Amare Stoudemire: I admit, I thought he would be a major bust in NY. I thought that signing not being followed up by the signing of Lebron would make the Knicks look foolish. But Amare has shined in Mike D'Antoni's system once again and New York is finally relevant for the first time in a decade.

Dwight Howard: Easy choice here, but it does bother me that his offensive game hasn't improved on bit from this same stage three years ago.

Reserves (in order I would choose them)

Rajon Rondo: Has surpassed Chris Paul in my eyes as the best "non-scoring" PG in the league. Great floor general, rebounder, and defender. Gives the aging Celtics a youthful swagger. A fantastic player and easy AS choice.

Paul Pierce: Just keeps ticking...has turned himself into an excellent defender, and still ranks as one of the best shooters and closers in the game.

Josh Smith: Having a better year than his teammate Joe Johnson (who made the team). Smith probably continues to shoot the ball too often, but he is an athletic freak and possibly the best rebounding non-big man in the game. Having arguably his best year and deserves an AS nod.

Stephen Jackson: No one plays Lebron better one on one and that's because Jackson may very well be the best on-ball defender in the NBA. He is a gritty player who is effective on both ends of the floor. Overlooked playing for the "blah" Bobcats.

Al Horford: Quiet, consistent, effective. Not exactly my defintion of an "all star," but the pickings are a bit slim at this point in the East, and Horford is a fine choice to come off the bench.

Ray Allen: I rolled my eyes when I saw he made the real team, but after checking the numbers, it would be hard to NOT put him in. Still not sure I've ever seen a better pure shooter...Allen delivers daggers for the best team in the East and deserves yet another trip to the AS game.

Elton Brand: This spot came down between Brand and Chris Bosh. Despite scoring numbers below Bosh, I chose Brand because he is virtually the only thing the Sixers have inside and he is helping keep them alive in the playoff race. He takes a beating on most nights because no one else is there to absorb any blows, yet he is putting up nice numbers for a surprisingly competitive team.

Who is starting for my team that isn't starting for the real AS team?: No one

Who made my AS team that didn't make the real AS team?: Josh Smith, Stephen Jackson, and Elton Brand.

Who did I cut from the real AS team?: Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, and Kevin Garnett.

West

Starters

Russell Westbrook: Overshadowed by Kevin Durant, Westbrook has emerged as the best and most complete PG in the West and will rival Derrick Rose for years to come. Incredibly fast, aggresive, and a great rebounder for his position.

Kobe Bryant: Over the past year or so, Kobe has finally begun to show some signs of age; however, he is still a force in the league and remains the best clutch player until someone else clearly emerges.

Dirk Nowitzki: It seems as if Dirk should be slowing down, but if anything, he seems to have improved this season. In many ways, Dirk has saved the Maverick franchise.

Kevin Durant: Go ahead and write his name down in this spot for the next 7-8 years.

Kevin Love: Not only does he deserve a spot on the team, he deserves to start. This was an absurb all-star snub. Love is scoring almost 22 points per game while putting up rebounding numbers we haven't seen in years. His offensive rebounding prowess in particular is astonishing. On top of everything else, he is also extremely effecient. This isn't a cute choice, it's an easy one.

Reserves

Carmelo Anthony: I'd take Dirk over Carmelo this year, but Melo is still an explosive scorer, that makes Denver a potentially dangerous team. Having said that, in his career, Melo has made it out of the first round...once. Any team looking to deal for Melo should be wary of making him the "man."

Deron Williams: As long as Williams is running the show, the Jazz will remain highly competitive. I think the final verdict on Williams vs. Chris Paul is in....and the winner is DWill.

Manu Ginobili: I believe Mannu has put together a pretty compelling argument for the Hall of Fame. Healthy again, he is the one cog that stands out in the otherwise nondescript way the Spurs go about their business.

Zach Randolph: Check the numbers...having a brilliant year scoring and on the boards. One of the best power forwards in the game, who has a bit of a throwback style with excellent mid-range scoring ability. He also seems to have shaken his rep as being petulant and uncoachable. Grizzlies are closing in on the 8 seed and it's due in large part to Randolph's fantastic season.

Blake Griffin: I'd put him on this team just for his highlights, but he's also managed to become a legitimate player beyond making Sportscenter's Top 10 every night. He has a long way to go before he join the elite club, but the sky is the limit for this beast.

Tony Parker: Tough call between Parker and Paul, but I went with Parker because he is a much more capable scorer and probably an equal defender. The Spurs record is also hard to overlook.

Tyson Chandler: This one might get ripped, because he only averages 10 PPG, but anyone who has followed the Mavs can tell you what a difference he has made for that team. Tireless worker, rebounder, and dominant defender.

Who is starting for my team that isn't starting for the real AS team?: Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook.

Who made my AS team that didn't make the real AS team?: Kevin Love, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, and Tyson Chandler.

Who did I cut from the real AS team?: Yao Ming, Tim Duncan, Chris Paul, and Pau Gasol.