The league announced its All-NBA teams today, and two of our boys made the final cut. Kobe Bryant joined some people you've never heard of on the first team, and Pau Gasol made the third team. Josh Powell didn't make any of the teams but is probably a nice guy who never takes the last Gino's pizza roll. Powell could not be reached for comment.
Probably. If I'd tried to reach him. Which I haven't. But I might later if nothing's on TV. Any of you guys Facebook friends with him? Please have him drop ya boy a text.
This is Kobe's fifth straight year on the first team and Pau's second straight on the third. Although All-NBA doesn't receive 1/20th the media coverage or fan attention of the All-Star Game selections, it's a way more important honor. Why, you hypothetically ask? Let us count the ways.
- Only 15 players are named All-NBA, whereas 24 make the ASG.
- The voters consider an entire season's work, rather than just the first half.
- There's no idiot-fan voting, just idiot-sportswriter voting.
- Nobody sneaks onto the All-NBA team because someone else got injured.
- The year-end award isn't tainted by association with the Dunk Contest.
So congratulations to Kobe and Pau. They'll presumably do something to celebrate tonight, but I hope they don't get too buck-wild in Salt Lake City.
In other news, Lakers may soon run the state of Nebraska.