azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Mike Tulumello, Tribune
Shawn Marion is known as the shy, retiring sort, about as outspoken in the media as leaves falling in a remote forest.
Except when he’s asked about his potential status as an All-Star. Then his voice reverberates more like a high-speed chain saw.
"You shouldn’t even be asking if I should be an All-Star," the Suns forward said. "I think that’s an insult."
The subject seldom has been on his mind as much as it is now, as the vote of Western Conference coaches for reserve All-Stars is scheduled to be announced today.
Teammates Amaré Stoudemire and Steve Nash are viewed as locks for two of the seven reserve spots. The question is whether Marion can barge through the door as well.
"Why should I be on the edge?" Marion said of his All-Star status. "I do my job day in and day out. I’m the only small forward in the league doing what I’m doing."
Marion is most often cast as an undersized power forward, doing battle with players considerably taller and heavier. That’s why Suns coach Mike D’Antoni agreed that Marion shouldn’t be considered a marginal All-Star pick for all he’s done.
But he also pointed out that a couple of deserving players won’t make it. Even so, "He deserves it," D’Antoni said.
Said Stoudemire, "He’s averaging 19 (points) and 11 (rebounds). He deserves to be on the team."
"I think Shawn deserves it, unquestionably," said Nash. "I think it will be all three."
It’s not a lock, though, if you add up the spots available and the tremendous competition. There have been more All-Star-caliber players among Western Conference forwards than any position in either conference.
Even with Karl Malone no longer in the All-Star picture, the list is formidable: Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett seem to have nearly permanent status as the starters, and Dirk Nowitzki — an MVP candidate — is sure to be one of the reserves.
Assuming that coaches list Stoudemire as a center in a conference that doesn’t have many high-caliber players at that spot, Marion figures to be battling with such established stars as Chris Webber, Rashard Lewis and Elton Brand for one of perhaps two spots, as either a forward or a wild card pick.
"I don’t think people see everything I do," Marion said recently. "There’s kind of a bias, to a certain extent. All people see is numbers. They don’t see all the things some guys do for their teams.
"I’ll tell you what though, the Suns know what I do on the floor because I got paid for it. That speaks for itself."
The All-Star designation clearly is important to him.
"Of course it means something to me. It’s a personal achievement and I should have made it every year since my second year, but it’s not always like that.
"If you’re not the ‘marquee’ name that everybody wants to see, they may overlook you, whereas if you are that guy, they’re going to keep talking about you even if you’re having a bad year."
Certainly, the numbers are there.
Marion is averaging 19.5 points and 10.8 rebounds. His board work is a career high and ranks him No. 6 in the league, ahead of Shaquille O’Neal, among others.
He also ranks No. 4 in steals at 2.12.
In fact, he’s one of just three players to rank in the top 30 in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, minutes and double-doubles. The others are Garnett and Nowitzki.
This would be his second All-Star appearance; he made it two years ago.
Of course, even if he’s not named immediately, he could get a spot if somebody, perhaps Kobe Bryant, bows out because of injury problems.
The biggest factor working against Marion would seem to be his status as the "third Sun."
Will coaches give the Suns a third spot instead of, perhaps, giving Seattle — widely regarded as the league’s most surprising team — a second player in Lewis? (Ray Allen is a lock.)
Or perhaps the question should be reversed: Will Marion be penalized for playing his role so well alongside two teammates who have received MVP mention?
The answer will come today.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=36046
Shawn Marion is known as the shy, retiring sort, about as outspoken in the media as leaves falling in a remote forest.
Except when he’s asked about his potential status as an All-Star. Then his voice reverberates more like a high-speed chain saw.
"You shouldn’t even be asking if I should be an All-Star," the Suns forward said. "I think that’s an insult."
The subject seldom has been on his mind as much as it is now, as the vote of Western Conference coaches for reserve All-Stars is scheduled to be announced today.
Teammates Amaré Stoudemire and Steve Nash are viewed as locks for two of the seven reserve spots. The question is whether Marion can barge through the door as well.
"Why should I be on the edge?" Marion said of his All-Star status. "I do my job day in and day out. I’m the only small forward in the league doing what I’m doing."
Marion is most often cast as an undersized power forward, doing battle with players considerably taller and heavier. That’s why Suns coach Mike D’Antoni agreed that Marion shouldn’t be considered a marginal All-Star pick for all he’s done.
But he also pointed out that a couple of deserving players won’t make it. Even so, "He deserves it," D’Antoni said.
Said Stoudemire, "He’s averaging 19 (points) and 11 (rebounds). He deserves to be on the team."
"I think Shawn deserves it, unquestionably," said Nash. "I think it will be all three."
It’s not a lock, though, if you add up the spots available and the tremendous competition. There have been more All-Star-caliber players among Western Conference forwards than any position in either conference.
Even with Karl Malone no longer in the All-Star picture, the list is formidable: Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett seem to have nearly permanent status as the starters, and Dirk Nowitzki — an MVP candidate — is sure to be one of the reserves.
Assuming that coaches list Stoudemire as a center in a conference that doesn’t have many high-caliber players at that spot, Marion figures to be battling with such established stars as Chris Webber, Rashard Lewis and Elton Brand for one of perhaps two spots, as either a forward or a wild card pick.
"I don’t think people see everything I do," Marion said recently. "There’s kind of a bias, to a certain extent. All people see is numbers. They don’t see all the things some guys do for their teams.
"I’ll tell you what though, the Suns know what I do on the floor because I got paid for it. That speaks for itself."
The All-Star designation clearly is important to him.
"Of course it means something to me. It’s a personal achievement and I should have made it every year since my second year, but it’s not always like that.
"If you’re not the ‘marquee’ name that everybody wants to see, they may overlook you, whereas if you are that guy, they’re going to keep talking about you even if you’re having a bad year."
Certainly, the numbers are there.
Marion is averaging 19.5 points and 10.8 rebounds. His board work is a career high and ranks him No. 6 in the league, ahead of Shaquille O’Neal, among others.
He also ranks No. 4 in steals at 2.12.
In fact, he’s one of just three players to rank in the top 30 in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, minutes and double-doubles. The others are Garnett and Nowitzki.
This would be his second All-Star appearance; he made it two years ago.
Of course, even if he’s not named immediately, he could get a spot if somebody, perhaps Kobe Bryant, bows out because of injury problems.
The biggest factor working against Marion would seem to be his status as the "third Sun."
Will coaches give the Suns a third spot instead of, perhaps, giving Seattle — widely regarded as the league’s most surprising team — a second player in Lewis? (Ray Allen is a lock.)
Or perhaps the question should be reversed: Will Marion be penalized for playing his role so well alongside two teammates who have received MVP mention?
The answer will come today.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=36046
