by Bethlehem ShoalsFiled under: 76ers, Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, NBA All-Star Game
We asked on Tuesday if Kobe Bryant's injuries might keep him out of the All-Star Game; he's now missed three games in a row, and when asked yesterday if Kobe should miss Sunday's important exhibition game, Phil Jackson answered that the star guard should "do what's right for him."Well, the uncertainty is over. According to Marc Stein's Twitter, (and since confirmed by AP) the Mamba will be replaced by Jason Kidd. Kidd's a handy selection, since he gives the Mavs another representative in the festivities (to go with Dirk Nowitzki) and doesn't run the risk of getting waylaid by bad weather. Whether Kidd will take Kobe's place in the starting line-up remains to be seen; with George Karl coaching, there's a good chance Chauncey Billups might get the nod.
But wait, there's more All-Star news. Allen Iverson, the controversial starter who is nursing a knee injury, will bow out. Nike has announced that David Lee will take his place on the East roster. However, the question remains of who will start in AI's place.
The options are Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, and Joe Johnson. With Dwyane Wade at one guard, you could go in either direction -- with a distributor like Rondo or Rose, or a scorer like Johnson. Then again, Johnson's more than capable of handling the ball himself. But Rose ended up with the most votes of the three, and pairing him with Wade will provide just the kind of fireworks this event encourages.
Rose's availability is a question mark right now. He suffered a bruised right hip in Wednesday's game against Orlando and left the game. An MRI and X-rays proved negative and he will be examined again on Saturday in Dallas, where Rose is slated to defend his Skills Challenge title.