Tag: Gutsy

As complaints about All-Star snubs go, Mark Cuban’s “NBA gonna NBA” wasn’t as pointed as Devin Booker’s charge that it’s “an entertainment, drama, political league,” but it’s pithier. Probably doesn’t rise to the level of a fine. And not because Cuban, first in league history in fines, is just a minority owner these days.

You can still get busted even if you’re not calling the shots anymore, though it probably takes all the fun out of it.

Anyway, Cuban was at least half right when he tweeted it was “JUST INSANE” that neither Luka Doncic nor Kyrie Irving made the All-Star team, shutting out the Mavs in the process.

Related:Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving misses out on All-Star nod despite career-year in efficiency

The facts are that Luka doesn’t really have a complaint coming. He’s only played 22 games because of a bad calf, and it’s questionable whether he’ll be back before the game on Valentine’s Day weekend.

Then again, if he was just going to stroll through his All-Star appearance as usual, maybe he’s good to go now.

But Kyrie getting stiffed as an All-Star? Who counted the coaches’ votes?

The Nets?

Kyrie’s old team might be justified holding a grudge after seeing how he’s played since the deadline deal two years ago. Not only did he help the Mavs to the NBA Finals last season, he’s been a model citizen since forcing his way out of Brooklyn. Makes it all the worse for the Nets considering how the trade worked out on their side.

Brooklyn got Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, two second-round picks and a first in 2029. The Nets may yet make something out of all the seconds they’ve accumulated in deals involving those principals. As it stands, all they’ve got is D’Angelo Russell.

D-Lo is a nice player, but he’s no Hall of Famer.

Explains what Kyrie meant when asked about the deal after scoring 25 points in the Mavs’ 106-98 win over Oklahoma City a couple weeks ago.

“Best trade in the business, baby,” he told reporters. “We won that trade.

“I was bad goods.”

Some of us may have implied the latter point two years ago, and for good reason. Kyrie’s reputation had taken a major hit on and off the court. But, in the culture created and nurtured by Nico Harrison and Jason Kidd, he’s not only played at an All-Star level, he’s been the Mavs’ unquestioned leader.

Despite a bulging disk in his back, Kyrie has held the Mavs together not only in Luka’s absence but those created by injuries to at least half the rotation.

You’d think a guy who’s keeping the reigning Western Conference champs afloat with exceptional numbers would get the benefit of the doubt with coaches.

Not so much, it turns out.

Before we go any further, here’s how it works: Once fans, media and players vote on two backcourt players and three frontcourt, with fans counting 50% and the players and media splitting the other half, head coaches pick seven reserves.

In the West, they went with Anthony Edwards and James Harden, the only guards, and Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr., Victor Wembanyama, Alpheren Sengun and Jalen Williams. Because it’s hard divvying up so many great players among so few spots, coaches give added weight to players from good teams.

Which is why the deeper West has just two teams with multiple representatives (Oklahoma City and the Lakers) while 75% of the East’s roster comes from Cleveland, Boston, Milwaukee and the Knicks.

Team record explains why the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball, who led all players in the fan vote, didn’t make the team even though he’s the league’s fourth-leading scorer. Domantas Sabonis (21.0 points, 14.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists) got hosed again because he plays for the Kings. Same with South Garland’s Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia, Trae Young in Atlanta and Booker in Phoenix.

Young’s defensive rating as a turnstile doesn’t help, either.

No arguments here with most of the choices in the West. But there was still a way to include Kyrie.

For one thing, Harden’s numbers (21.7 points, 8.4 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 35.3% on 3s, 4.6 turnovers, 3.9 win shares) aren’t as good overall as Irving’s (24.2 points, 4.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 41.9% on 3s, 2.3 turnovers, 4.1 win shares) going into Friday’s game. The difference in the coaches’ minds, apparently, is that the Clippers’ record is better, so Harden gets the nod.

Not a good enough reason, but a better one than giving the Thunder a second rep.

Williams is a good player, but OKC has a lot of good players. Once Chet Holmgren returns, it’ll have its second-best one. This should tell you where the coaches got it wrong in picking the reserves.

Giving OKC’s third-best player its second spot on the All-Star team while denying the Mavs and their second-best player seems like bad math.

Especially considering the Mavs are 3-1 against the Thunder this season.

For the record: This isn’t the first time the Mavs whiffed as All-Stars. Happened all the time in the ‘80s, ‘90s and last decade. First, Dirk Nowitzki almost singlehandedly changed the perception of the Mavs for the better, then Luka picked up where he left off. Time for everyone to realize the Mavs aren’t a one-horse team anymore.

Twitter/X: @KSherringtonDMN

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