The Magic and Cavs couldn't have picked a better time to play each other for the first time this season than last night. As if a game between a pair of teams with two of the top four records in the NBA wasn't enough, there was also the individual matchup between Orlando's Jameer Nelson and Cleveland's Mo Williams, two point guards vying for one spot on the Eastern All-Star bench. The All-Star reserves were officially announced shortly before tip-off, and despite Williams' initial attempts to congratulate Nelson, Williams clearly felt the coaches got the vote wrong.
From Joel Brigham of HOOPSWORLD:
"Congratulations to him," Williams said with a smile. "He deserves it, but there's only a certain amount of players that can play."First of all, it's a little premature to start thumping your chest about being the "best team in the world" -- "the team that momentarily has a better record than the Celtics" would have been more accurate, and even that no longer applies after the Magic wiped the floor with Cleveland last night.
Teammate Ben Wallace interjected this comment with, "You deserved it more," than asked for Mo to "Tell it like it is," not shelter his feelings behind a mask of political correctness just because there was media present.
"You want me to tell you like it is?" Williams chuckled. "Then I'll tell it like it is. It's a tragedy. How many players get into the game, and how many players did the Magic get in? They've got three players, and we've got the best record. Not just in the Eastern Conference, but in the whole league... Best team in the world, and we got one player."
I mentioned this last night but it bears repeating: Williams is putting up almost the exact same numbers he did his last two seasons in Milwaukee. And I don't mean "vaguely similar numbers," I mean the exact same. The biggest difference? Last year he averaged two more assists per game and shot just a smidgen better. He's been injury prone in the past and has yet to miss a game this year, but does he really deserve an All-Star nod simply for staying healthy?
What about the argument that the Cavs deserve more than one All-Star simply for being an elite team? Doesn't LeBron James deserve the chance to bring along the man who's helped this team take the next step? There's a good chance he will -- but it won't be Williams. Bear with me ...
The Cavs were paper tigers last year. They won 45 games but actually finished the season allowing more points than they scored. This year? They've tightened up on both ends of the court, posting a +10.3 differential that's tied with the Celtics for the best in the league. Did the arrival of a shoot-first point guard result in a 10-point swing?
Hardly. Instead, Mike Brown was pressured to unload offensive game-planning to an assistant coach who actually knew what he was doing. For all of LeBron's gaudy stats, Cleveland's offense used to be completely stagnant. These days, they're one of the better scoring teams in the conference. You can credit assistant John Kuester for that, not Williams. And if the Cavs enter All-Star weekend with more wins than the Magic, Kuester, along with Brown and the rest of the Cavs' coaching staff, will be able to join LeBron in Phoenix.
Yes, I'm sure Williams feels left out, but can he honestly look at himself in the mirror and say he's one of the top 14 players in the league? Is he better than Deron Williams? Williams won a gold medal and was All-NBA Second Team last year and still hasn't made an All-Star game. Is he better than Steve Nash? Nash is a two-time MVP who's still putting up pretty good numbers and got snubbed despite the fact that the game is being played in his own arena.
There are deserving players who don't make the team every year. His numbers are similar to Nelson's across the board -- except not quite as good. If his best argument is "but Orlando got three and we only got one!", he has no argument at all.
Play better and you won't be on the bubble in the first place.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
and did you also here that the NBA officials have made off the rcord comments if they don't make calls for the cavs, Lebron could be forced to leave Cleveland like Stern wants him too... Congress outta investigate crooked NBA refs betting on games involving the cavs.... the league is dirty and everyone knows it.....Dan Gilbert its time you and Lebron address Mr. Stern in a meeting and ask why the mafiua type silence on crooked officating.
is this a joke??? excpet for one outstanding performance, williams has not been all taht amazing...
Whoa..hold on here 1 damn second. The addition of Mo IS directly responsible for Clevelands offensive output this year.Do you seriously think the Cavs would be where they are with the same backcourt as last year?That is completely assinine,no matter who is doing the gameplanning.Is Mo saying he is "1 of the top 14 players in the league"? NO - Is he comparing himself to Western Conference Guards Deron Williams and Nash? NO - Why would he?He plays in the Eastern Conference.Mo may not have All Star worthy stats,but without him,the Cavs would be no better than last year.This article is hogwash.
Furthermore..Saying Orlando "wiped the floor" with Cleveland,while failing to mention that Orlando was playing on their home floor,while the Cavs were playing without their starting Center AND their starting Shooting Guard is preposterous.Who are you trying to convince?
kinkboy1121, you are out of your mind. Everybody knows what? Only you and all the other idiotic conspiracy theorists know it. Besides, LeBron gets a lot of calls going his way every night so I really don't know what the heck you are talking about. Grow up a pair.
and did you also here that the NBA officials have made off the rcord comments if they don't make calls for the cavs, Lebron could be forced to leave Cleveland like Stern wants him too
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and that's the most moronic, idiotic, senseless thing I've ever heard. No offense, but how do you come up with those theories? Especially considering LeBron gets lots of calls going his way all the times?!?!
Although Mo Williams is playing well this year he is not any more deserving than Jameer Nelson. Jameer is averaging 17 pts to Mo's 17.2, Jameer averages more rebounds, assists, steals, has a better FG%, 3PT% and he does in in less minutes per game. Mo Williams should be upset that he didn't make it, but to bring the Magics three all stars into it was just immature and not a good arguement. The Cavs have LeBron who is more deserving than anyone in the East to be an All-Star and he is a super star player while the Magic have three good players that work together and all play well to make them a good team. Mo Williams should be upset but he has no arguement in saying that he deserved in over the people who made it.
BMurph...That is a much better assessment of the situation than anything Matt Watson tried to conjur up.Maybe Matt should turn the keys over to someone who is a little more objective,realistic and factual in their writing,instead of berating a deserving player,his coach and his entire team based on ...well...nothing.