NBA All-Star Game: Which East Guards Should Be Starting?

The Eastern Conference starters have been announced for the NBA All-Star Game and Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo were named as the starting guards.  While both players are deserving of an All-Star selection, they are both being outplayed by two other players.

The All-Star selection process changed this year. There is no longer a difference between guards.  There also is no center position in the voting.  Basically the voting is now for either frontcourt or backcourt players.

Rondo and Wade should be on the team.  In the Eastern Conference, Wade is second among guards in scoring and Rondo leads in assists.  On the down side though, they both tend to be strong in only one area.  Rondo averages 11.1 assists but only scores 13.4 points.  Wade scores 20.5 points but only doles out 4.5 assists, seventeenth in the conference.

Jrue Holiday and Kyrie Irving deserve the starting spots in the game.  The stats comparisons show that both of these players have had a better all-around season.  The below charts show their stats and ranking in the Eastern Conference.

As can be easily seen, Holiday is the best combination of scoring and assists. Wade is a slightly better scorer but Holiday has him doubled in assists.  Rondo has two more assists per game but scores 5.6 points less.

Of the four players, Holiday is the most deserving to start the game.  He is the only player to rank in the top three in both of these categories. The battle is really for the second starting spot.

Rondo is really only an assists guy.  While he does lead this group in double-doubles on the season, his scoring average of 13.4 just is not enough to jump Wade or Irving for the second starting spot.

Irving outshines Wade for the second starting spot.  He has more assists, points, steals and has a better three-point shooting percentage.    Wade only leads in rebounds and field goal percentage.

Looking at each player’s total numbers –points, rebounds, assists and steals– makes the disparity even more obvious.  Rondo and Wade, while having good seasons, are well behind Holiday and Irving.

Holiday and Irving should both make the team as reserves but they both should have been starters.  Yet again though, fan voting came down to the most recognizable names and teams getting voted in.

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