What's in an All-Star?

NBA All-Star weekend will take place in New York City over the weekend of Feb. 13-15. The various competitions and events are meant to be a celebration of the best players from each conference at the halfway point of the season, but all too often the game has featured big names instead of the best players. The obvious example that comes to the top of our minds is Kobe Bryant, who was voted to play in his 17^th All-Star game, although surgery on his torn right rotator cuff will keep him out the rest of this season. How did Kobe get voted to start the All-Star game over the likes of James Harden, Chris Paul, Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson? These players, quite simply, have been more efficient than Kobe this season and deserve to be starting over him. In fact, all four of these players rank in the top twenty in player efficiency rating this season. The answer is that Kobe is a fan-favorite and will continue to be voted in by fans for the rest of his time in the NBA, however long that may be.

The All-Star reserves were announced last week on TNT. There are a couple storylines that jump out at me right as I read the list of All-Star reserves. Although the Hawks have not lost a game since Game 7 last May against Indiana -- not really, but they did string together 19 straight wins recently -- no players finished among the Eastern Conference leaders in fan voting. Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer will be the coach of the Eastern All-Stars after leading his team to a 38-8 record thus far.

Left off the roster was none other than Kevin Love, who was a starter last season for the Western Conference, but his production has dropped with his move to Cleveland from 26.1 points per game last season to 16.9 thus far this year. Washington center Marcin Gortat finished fourth in fan voting but did not make the team, and Miami’s Chris Bosh made his tenth consecutive All-Star team. His play has improved this season with the departure of Lebron James as well, as he is averaging 21.3 points per game, which is his highest rate since the 2009-10 season as a member of the Toronto Raptors. More All-Star snubs are Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic and Detroit’s Greg Monroe, who have both averaged a double-double so far.

Joining Teague in the East backcourt are Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler. But what about Kyle Korver and DeMar DeRozan? Even I am not sure about the right criteria for All-Star selections. It is clear that the fans will vote for whom they would like to see one-on-one and make the most highlight dunks. That is understandable, but does that discredit what it means to be an All-Star? I am running out of room to write, and I have yet to discuss the Western Conference at all. I only ask that we think about what it means to be an All-Star and whether All-Star weekend has merely transformed into a meaningless weekend off in the middle of the season.