Thank you, David Stern. Today, Stern put to bed the notion that a player could average over 20 points and 15 rebounds a game and not be an NBA All Star when he selected Kevin Love as his replacement for the injured Yao Ming.
Stern's decision to add Love to the NBA All Star game was the only logical one, especially for a guy who knows basketball like Stern. Barring injury, Kevin Love will be remembered with great rebounders like Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, and maybe even Elvin Hayes. He doesn't rely on athletic ability to grab boards. He finds another player, blocks him out with one arm and grabs the board with the other. His positioning is always so good, and he knows the angles so well, and he just flat out wants to grab every rebound. His 15.5 boards a game is in the all-time great range for anybody not named Wilt or Russell, and earlier this season, he had the first 30 point, 30 rebound game in 30 years.
In addition to his rebounding skills, the guy also shoots in the 40s(%) from three point range. There's been a lot of question if Love should be an All Star based on his team's dismal record, but now that's just a talking point. I just have a hard time believing people who know basketball think Aldridge should have got the nod over K Love. Aldridge has been excellent as well, especially since Roy has gone down, but Kevin Love has played at historic levels at times this season.
