Anthony snubbed when All-Star reserves announced
NEW YORK -- One bad night may have overshadowed all the good Carmelo Anthony has done this season.
The NBA's leading scorer was not among the seven reserves announced Thursday night for the Western Conference team that will play in the NBA All-Star Game.
| |
Player, Pos. | Team |
Gilbert Arenas, G* | Washington |
Chauncey Billups, G | Detroit |
Chris Bosh, F* | Toronto |
Caron Butler, F | Washington |
Vince Carter, G | New Jersey |
Richard Hamilton, G | Detroit |
Dwight Howard, F | Orlando |
LeBron James, F* | Cleveland |
Jason Kidd, G | New Jersey |
Jermaine O'Neal, F | Indiana |
Shaquille O'Neal, C* | Miami |
Dwyane Wade, G* | Miami |
Player | Team |
x-Carlos Boozer, F | Utah |
Kobe Bryant, G* | LA Lakers |
Tim Duncan, F* | San Antonio |
Kevin Garnett, F* | Minnesota |
Allen Iverson, G | Denver |
Shawn Marion, F | Phoenix |
Tracy McGrady, F* | Houston |
x-Yao Ming, C* | Houston |
Steve Nash, G | Phoenix |
Dirk Nowitzki, F | Dallas |
Tony Parker, G | San Antonio |
Amare Stoudemire, F | Phoenix |
* -- Starters. x -- Injured. |
Denver teammate Allen Iverson was chosen, extending his streak of All-Star appearances to eight. He started the last seven games while playing for Philadelphia. Anthony, who is averaging 31.3 points but missed 15 games while suspended for his role in the brawl at Madison Square Garden, was the most obvious omission.
Earlier Thursday, Anthony said he hoped his suspension wouldn't prevent him from earning his first All-Star spot.
"I hope no one holds that over my head over anything," he said. "Things happen. One incident like that is held over one person's head, life ain't fair.
"I did my punishment. I could've easily kept my name out there by appealing it and doing other stuff about it, but I just did my 15 games suspension and hopefully put that behind us."
Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion were all chosen from the Phoenix Suns, the league's highest scoring team. Suns coach Mike D'Antoni will lead the West.
"It will be great to be able to go with our coaches and teammates," said Nash, the two-time NBA MVP. "It will be great to have them there and have them be recognized, too."
Stoudemire, averaging 18.6 points and 8.9 rebounds, made it after sitting out most of last season because of knee surgery.
"It was a goal of mine," he said. "I told you guys that before the season started, back in training camp, that I was planning on making it. So I was really striving for it.
"The past two years have been tough for me and it's definitely paid off. There may be people who doubt you but you can never doubt yourself."
Dirk Nowitzki was the only player picked from the Dallas Mavericks, who have the league's best record. The Mavericks had been hoping Josh Howard would be selected as well.
"I think Dallas having the best record and only one guy, I thought that was surprising," D'Antoni said.
Detroit and New Jersey had multiple reserves picked for the Feb. 18 game. Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, who both made their first appearances last season, are going back, and Jason Kidd and Vince Carter will represent the Nets in the game at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center.
"I'm happy that Rip made it, too, because he's having a career year," Billups said. "If I only made it, a piece of me would've been disappointed. I've always felt like we're a package deal."
Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal and first-timers Dwight Howard of Orlando and Caron Butler of Washington round out the East reserves.
The seven reserves were voted on by the head coaches in their respective conferences. Coaches couldn't vote for their own players, and had to select two forwards, two guards, a center and two players regardless of their position.
The remainder of the West reserves were San Antonio guard Tony Parker and Utah forward Carlos Boozer.
The starters were announced last Thursday. LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas were picked in the East. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant were voted in by fans to start for the West.
Anthony still has a chance to play in Las Vegas. NBA commissioner David Stern will choose a replacement for Yao, who is recovering from a broken bone under his knee, and Boozer also could be unavailable because of a hairline fracture in his left leg.
He's expected to miss a few weeks, but said Thursday he hopes to return in time for All-Star weekend. He doesn't know when he would need to resume running for that to happen.
"Hopefully if everything works out, it will be right on time," he said. "I'll put it like that."
Anthony and Josh Howard are the most likely choices, but could face competition for those spots from Seattle's Ray Allen, Portland's Zach Randolph, the Clippers' Elton Brand and another Denver player, Marcus Camby.
Stern said he expected to make his decision in the next few days, and that when doing so he wouldn't consider the suspension he gave Anthony for the punch the Denver star hit the Knicks' Mardy Collins with on Dec. 16.
D'Antoni will lead the West squad, since Dallas' Avery Johnson is ineligible after coaching last season. The same three Suns were chosen as reserves to the 2005 game.
"I'm sure they'll be out there at some time but I haven't thought about it," D'Antoni said. "I'm thinking about San Antonio and Utah and everyone else in between."
Washington's Eddie Jordan clinched the East's coaching spot on Thursday night when Cleveland lost to Miami. That ensured the Wizards will have the East's best winning percentage through games of Feb. 4.
Butler's career year has been key to Washington's success. The forward is averaging 20.6 points and 8.0 rebounds, both career highs.
"Coach Jordan gave me more and more freedom and I really thought I had a chance," Butler said. "I dedicated my time last summer and look what came out of it. I couldn't be happier with this, but I know there is still work to be done."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
SPONSORED HEADLINES
MORE NBA HEADLINES
- Kobe could miss season opener with foot injury
- 76ers' Bynum still out, is long shot for opener
- Knicks' Chandler injures knee, to undergo MRI
- Clippers' Hill (knee) to miss at least two weeks
MOST SENT STORIES ON ESPN.COM
Share the news about your favorite sports and teams! Learn more »
Learn more- Social Sharing ON ▼
- ON OFF ▼
- Remind me every time I add an event to my Activity
- My Activity ▼
- Recently shared to your timeline:
Share ESPN with your friends
Your friend shared this story on Facebook. Share ESPN with your friends to see everything they're reading and watching, and then share the latest news about the sports and teams you care about most!
NBA ALL-STAR GAME
• Hollinger scorecard
SPECIAL SECTION
• NBA All-Star Game Index
ON THE COURT
• Kobe leads West All-Star romp
• Kobe takes second MVP trophy
• Abbott: That's entertainment?
• Green, Kapono, Wade win
• Abbott: Howard wows crowd
• Sheridan: Barkley beats Bavetta
• Williams: D-League stars
• Sophs teach rooks record lesson
COLUMNS
• Helyar: Is Vegas an NBA town?
• Bucher: All-Quasar Team
• Scoop: All-Star weekend preview
• Simmons: Best All-Star game
• Stein: Superstar soundbites
• Hollinger: Best rooks | Sophs
BLOGS
• Hollinger: Live from the mix zone
• Sheridan: Weekend wrap up
• Simmons: Off to Vegas
• Hollinger: Media Day highlights
• Sheridan: No new rules
• Sheridan: Bet on Bavetta
• Sheridan: Stern's gamble?
• Stein: Leather sticks around
• Stein: Raise Rim? No dunk you
MOTION
• All-Star Saturday Night
• Sophomores run over rookies
• Wheelchair All-Star Game
• Reggie Bush: Ankle is ok
• Celebs show their skills
• Join ESPN Magazine in Vegas
• Hall of Fame names finalists
ESPN RADIO
• Dwight Howard
• LeBron James
• Steve Nash
• Dwyane Wade
• Chris Bosh
• T-Mac and Yao
• Dirk Nowitzki
• Tony Parker
• Kevin Garnett
• Carmelo Anthony
• Richard Hamilton
• Gilbert Arenas
• Jason Kidd
- Paine: Measuring talent by division
- Palmer: Kobe-Nash class best draft ever?
- Thorpe: Redefining perimeter players| post
- Coon: Most overpaid/underpaid
- Draft Engine: Custom fantasy advice