Hoops

Andrew Bogut, good chance of first All-Star team?

Tickle, I've noticed Bogut's defensive improvement too. He's improved a lot this year under Skiles. His positioning is pretty good these days and I think this has been helped by him being injury free and well-conditioned.

I think the Bucks have improved to about the 7th best defensive team in the NBA and Bogut is the biggest factor in that. Whenever he goes out, the Bucks really hurt.

'82 Games' has some good stats on this actually. This season, when Bogut is on court for the Bucks, they actually give up 10.8 points less per 100 possessions. That compares with KG's 7.3 less pts per 100 possessions. Also, when Bogut is on the floor, teams shoot 4% worse on FG's than when he's not.

He's doing a better job of challenging shots at the right time and timing his blocks better too, as well as doing a good job in taking charges as you said.

So I reckon there is a case for saying Bogut is one of the better guys at defending the rim these days. He won't get up and make powerful, spectacular blocks on guys like Stoudemire, but he is doing all the little things that add up over the course of a game.

Good to see and it bodes well for the Worlds this year!

Mr Black, I wouldn't say NBA fans are idiots because KG made the starting lineup. Idiotic is Iverson and McGrady making it! KG still has a pretty good game, though if it was purely on performance, I think Bosh deserves the nod as the starter at PF this year. But thats democracy for you!

Dirk was pretty unlucky, but tough to argue with Duncan and Carmelo at the forward spots. Both are having very good years too.

One guy we've overlooked is the other AI - he's thereabouts and is another one who could knock out Bogut or perhaps Pierce. Josh Smith is having a good year too, though he remains frustratingly short of the brilliant player many people have thought he could be!

Karman will make it in the west

I think you've got that pretty well right. Although I think Bogut deserves to make his first appearance, I think it likely he will miss out in favour of Rose. Most coaches are pretty high on him and his team has a slightly better record.

I think Pierce is still a good chance to land a spot too. Up until his knee infection he was playing very well and he is still putting up good numbers now, though he's not been playing with much enthusiasm recently (his entire team seems disinterested). I'd probably put him in ahead of Jamison, who is putting up good numbers on a poor team.

I feel like Kaman deserves to be there, but Duncan, Stoudemire, Boozer and Randolph are all deserving too and all have better records than the Clippers. So its tough luck for him but I think he might miss out, unless Roy pulls out due to injury maybe?