UPDATE: Mo Williams, as some of us feared, was passed over yet again in favor of Ray Allen by commissioner David Stern.  J.V. wrote this article before learning of Williams’s snub and Allen’s selection.

On Monday February 3^rd, in a game against the Dallas Mavericks, Jameer Nelson clinched his shoulder and ran directly into the Orlando Magic’s locker room. Nelson collided with Erick Dampier in the 3^rd quarter, and a MRI later revealed Nelson had torn his labrum. What is your labrum? The shoulder labrum is the cartilage surrounding the shoulder joint; the labrum stabilizes the shoulder joint. The status of Nelson is still uncertain. Nelson could make one of two choices about the rest of this season: he can elect to rehabilitate and try come back in several weeks; if he makes this decision, he risks the chance of dislocating his shoulder and doing more damage. No matter how much rehabilitation is endured without surgery, the shoulder becomes very susceptible to another dislocation. The other option Nelson can make involves selecting surgery and ending his season. This could prove to be devastating to the Magic’s season as they have no back up that can produce near Nelson’s ability.

Jameer Nelson was recently voted an All-Star reserve; the Orlando Magic is sending three all-stars to Phoenix…I repeat THREE All-Stars to Phoenix. Well, not anymore. This recent injury to Nelson will most certainly open an All-Star spot and there a few players with a chip on their SHOULDER (no PUN intended) from being passed over the first time around. Boston coach Doc Rivers believes that his Celtics have four legitimate All-Stars on his squad. Only two Celtics made the All-Star roster, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Doc Rivers believes that Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo are worthy of All-Stardom as well. Ray Allen is an All-Star shooter and has been selected to the team before; last year, Allen made the team due to injury. I believe Allen is one of two real possibilities to replace Nelson. I have a problem with Rivers believing Rondo deserves an All-Star spot. Rondo gets a good assist number at 8.1 per game, 5 rebounds game and 11.8 pts. However, with the talent that Boston has, Rondo better get those assist numbers. Rondo has to be the worst free throw shooting point guard in the game; he shoots a mere 63% from the line…for a point guard, that’s embarrassing. Plus, his jumper is seriously lacking. If you keep Rondo out of the lane (which is not easy), he is not going to effectively score. Stop being greedy Rivers! Obviously the rest of the league did not agree.

The other serious contender for the open All-Star spot has to be Mo Williams. The Cavs feel they have been done a disservice by only receiving one All-Star. Cleveland has been at the top of the league the whole season and the organization has only added one player this year, Mo Williams. The Cavs team including LeBron James has been very vocal about their displeasure with Mo being snubbed. Mo has put up almost identical numbers to Jameer Nelson. He is so important to the Cavs because he takes a lot of pressure off LeBron. Not to mention, the Cavs were without 2 starters for a number of games and are still tied for the second best record in the league. Mo is averaging 17.3 points per game, 4.3 assists, and shooting almost 40% from the land of three and 94% from the free throw line (3^rd in the league).There are a few other players that have an argument about being snubbed in the East, but they will probably not be going to Phoenix. Those players include: Vince Carter, David Lee, and Andre Iguodala.

The final Eastern Conference All-Star spot will be chosen by NBA Commissioner David Stern. So, Stern has a decision to make, and it is my belief that it will be between Ray Allen and Mo Williams. I picture Stern looking at this situation from a ‘what have you done lately?’ perspective. If Ray Allen and Mo Williams had a chance to state their case, I believe it would go a little something like this.

Ray Allen meets with David Stern

Ray- Hello big Dave, first let me start off by giving you an autographed copy of “He Got Game”.

Stern- Thank you Ray. I will put this next to my autographed copy of The Perfect Score from Darius Miles. Now, why should you be in the All-Star game over Mo Williams?

Ray – Did you not hear me? AUTOGRAPHED COPY, HE GOT GAME! Come on Davey, Denzel Washington!

Stern – I realize that, but do you have any basketball reasons as to why you should make the All-Star team?

Ray- That movie was all about basketball, but if you insist…just recently, I dropped a 3-ball game winner on the Sixers in Philly. My team is 41-9; I am averaging a little over 18 points a game and shooting 41% from downtown. Now, give me a ticket to Phoenix.

Stern – Oh Ray Ray, you know that there is nothing to worry about; I picked you last year, right?

Ray- Yeah, but this year I think Cleveland really deserves a second All-Star. That’s why I brought the DVD!

Stern- Don’t worry Ray…you had me at “hello big Dave”. Besides, it’s just Cleveland. Who really cares?…I know I don’t.

Mo Williams meets with David Stern

Mo- David, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you and state my case for the All-Star team.

Stern- No problem, Mo. Now, why do you think you deserve to be apart of this All-Star team?

Mo- Well, I think if we are being honest, Cleveland has been disrespected. The Spurs, Lakers, Magic, Celtics all have 2 All-Stars. Even Phoenix has 2 All-Stars. Cleveland has one. We have had one of the top records all season and have battled with starting lineup injuries through it all. We are 23-0 at the Q, and my numbers are pretty similar to the injured All-Star Jameer Nelson.

Stern- You are also 3^rd in the league in free throw percentage, right?

Mo- Yes sir, just slightly ahead of Ray Allen. I was not going to talk about my individual stats. However, I also scored 43 points in a game a couple weeks ago. I am averaging just over 17 points a game and shooting around 40% from 3 point range.

Stern- Sounds like you are having a good season. However, I am having a hard time not picking Ray Allen. It just makes more sense to pick another Celtic. I might even pick Rondo over you, but I’ll let you know which one I choose sooner or later. Thanks for stopping in, Mo.

I think that is close to how it would go down. Mo Williams deserves this All-Star spot. Maybe he did not deserve it more than Jameer Nelson but certainly more than Rashard Lewis. With that being said, Ray Allen has a legitimate argument, but I think the argument for Cleveland to have another All-Star is greater than any other. How can you rationalize all the other top teams with 2 All-Stars and Cleveland which has been in the top three teams all year having one? I don’t know; I guess it is just a Cleveland thing. I would rather get too little respect than too much.

Burn On!

-J.V.