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New Orleans Hornets forward David West has been selected as a Western Conference reserve for the All-Star Game.
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, meanwhile, has been passed over by West coaches.
Guard Chauncey Billups is the Nuggets' sole representative, having led his hometown team to a 30-16 record after arriving in Denver from Detroit in a trade for Allen Iverson barely one week into the season.
"Not taking anything away from the 12 players who made the All-Star team, as each is deserving, but if you're telling me that Carmelo Anthony is not one of the top 12 players in the Western Conference, then I say you need to have your head examined," Nuggets vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman said Thursday night. "He has sacrificed his scoring this season for the betterment of this team, which shows by how much more complete and well-rounded of a team we are this year.
"We are very proud of Chauncey, of course. His election to the West squad was a no-brainer, as we thought Melo's was going to be. Melo scores the basketball easier than any player on this planet, hands down, and has matured and grown as a player every year he's been in the league. He is an All-Star, period."
West's somewhat unexpected addition to the West squad -- he's averaging 20 points a game for the Hornets but is taking in nearly two rebounds less than last season at a nightly average of 7.1 compared to 8.9 in 2007-08 -- which was announced Thursday on TNT with the rest of the reserves in each conference.
Anthony's candidacy was apparently impacted by the broken bone in his right hand that sidelined him for Denver's past 10 games and numbers that have dipped slightly to 21.1 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. Nuggets coach George Karl has said repeatedly that Anthony is doing less statistically but more overall for the Nuggets, who lead the Northwest Division and rank as one of the league's most improved teams.
Anthony, 24, was an All-Star in each of the past two seasons but has yet to be voted in by the coaches in his six-season career, earning one bid as an injury-replacement selection by NBA commissioner David Stern and getting voted in as a starter by the fans last season.
"I was definitely excited. My next question right directly after that was, 'Did Melo make it?' Of course I'm disappointed in that," Billups said. "The only reason why is because of the injury. It's just an unfortunate situation."
The other West reserves are include Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, the Lakers' Pau Gasol, San Antonio's Tony Parker, Portland's Brandon Roy and Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal.
The Orlando Magic made out best in the East, with Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis picked as reserves by the conference's coaches alongside starter Dwight Howard. It's the first time Orlando has had three All-Stars.
"I was just anxious to find out," Nelson said. "I honestly don't get that way. But me hearing everywhere, 'You're an All-Star, you should be an All-Star, you're having an All-Star year.' So you just want to see if people will give you the respect that other people think you deserve."
The other East reserves include Eastern Conference Boston's Paul Pierce, Toronto's Chris Bosh, Atlanta's Joe Johnson, Indiana's Danny Granger and New Jersey's Devin Harris.
For the second year in a row, only two of the Boston Celtics' Big Three made the initial roster: Pierce was voted in Thursday with starter Kevin Garnett, while Ray Allen was left out.
Allen was passed over despite averaging 18.0 points and helping Boston to a 38-9 record. The eight-time All-Star was skipped over last year, too, but was later added by commissioner David Stern as an injury replacement for Caron Butler.
Other notable exclusions include Vince Carter of the Nets, Rajon Rondo of the Celtics, Hedo Turkoglu of the Magic and Mo Williams of the Cavs in the East and Steve Nash of the Suns, Deron Williams of the Jazz and Al Jefferson of the Wolves in the West.
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, meanwhile, has been passed over by West coaches.
Guard Chauncey Billups is the Nuggets' sole representative, having led his hometown team to a 30-16 record after arriving in Denver from Detroit in a trade for Allen Iverson barely one week into the season.
"Not taking anything away from the 12 players who made the All-Star team, as each is deserving, but if you're telling me that Carmelo Anthony is not one of the top 12 players in the Western Conference, then I say you need to have your head examined," Nuggets vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman said Thursday night. "He has sacrificed his scoring this season for the betterment of this team, which shows by how much more complete and well-rounded of a team we are this year.
"We are very proud of Chauncey, of course. His election to the West squad was a no-brainer, as we thought Melo's was going to be. Melo scores the basketball easier than any player on this planet, hands down, and has matured and grown as a player every year he's been in the league. He is an All-Star, period."
West's somewhat unexpected addition to the West squad -- he's averaging 20 points a game for the Hornets but is taking in nearly two rebounds less than last season at a nightly average of 7.1 compared to 8.9 in 2007-08 -- which was announced Thursday on TNT with the rest of the reserves in each conference.
Anthony's candidacy was apparently impacted by the broken bone in his right hand that sidelined him for Denver's past 10 games and numbers that have dipped slightly to 21.1 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. Nuggets coach George Karl has said repeatedly that Anthony is doing less statistically but more overall for the Nuggets, who lead the Northwest Division and rank as one of the league's most improved teams.
Anthony, 24, was an All-Star in each of the past two seasons but has yet to be voted in by the coaches in his six-season career, earning one bid as an injury-replacement selection by NBA commissioner David Stern and getting voted in as a starter by the fans last season.
"I was definitely excited. My next question right directly after that was, 'Did Melo make it?' Of course I'm disappointed in that," Billups said. "The only reason why is because of the injury. It's just an unfortunate situation."
The other West reserves are include Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, the Lakers' Pau Gasol, San Antonio's Tony Parker, Portland's Brandon Roy and Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal.
The Orlando Magic made out best in the East, with Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis picked as reserves by the conference's coaches alongside starter Dwight Howard. It's the first time Orlando has had three All-Stars.
"I was just anxious to find out," Nelson said. "I honestly don't get that way. But me hearing everywhere, 'You're an All-Star, you should be an All-Star, you're having an All-Star year.' So you just want to see if people will give you the respect that other people think you deserve."
The other East reserves include Eastern Conference Boston's Paul Pierce, Toronto's Chris Bosh, Atlanta's Joe Johnson, Indiana's Danny Granger and New Jersey's Devin Harris.
For the second year in a row, only two of the Boston Celtics' Big Three made the initial roster: Pierce was voted in Thursday with starter Kevin Garnett, while Ray Allen was left out.
Allen was passed over despite averaging 18.0 points and helping Boston to a 38-9 record. The eight-time All-Star was skipped over last year, too, but was later added by commissioner David Stern as an injury replacement for Caron Butler.
Other notable exclusions include Vince Carter of the Nets, Rajon Rondo of the Celtics, Hedo Turkoglu of the Magic and Mo Williams of the Cavs in the East and Steve Nash of the Suns, Deron Williams of the Jazz and Al Jefferson of the Wolves in the West.
