Where's the Love?

Yesterday the NBA announced the reserves for this season's NBA All-Star Game.  While players such as Blake Griffin and Kevin Garnett have been planning their trip to Los Angeles for weeks, one player, Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love, was nearly forced to make vacation plans.  Amazingly, despite having one of the more impressive resumes in the NBA, Love was not chosen by league coaches to represent the Western Conference this season...at least right away.  Fortunately for Love, he was selected today as an injury replacement for Rockets center Yao Ming.  Yet the initial snub still leaves me wondering, by what standards can Love not be considered an All-Star?

Yes, he plays for a Minnesota team that is just 11-37, and is lacking significant talent around him, but that hardly negates what he has done on the court this season.  Averaging 21.4 PPG and 15.5 RPG, Love is on pace to be the first 20-15 player since Mosas Malone in the 1982-83 season.  He leads the league in double-doubles and is just 3 shy of Kevin Garnett's NBA record 37 in a row.  He's shooting .563 from the field and is 6th in the league in PER.  For comparison, Mavericks PF Dirk Nowitzki is averaging 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds per game and is 8th in PER while Amar'e Stoudemire is putting up 26.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest.  Thats not to say that Love is just as naturally talented and athletic as those players, he's not, but his combination of hard work, natural ability and 'never quit' attitude gave him stats superior to those players.

In my opinion, lots of things can get you into the All-Star Game.  As mentioned earlier, Love could break a record currently held by a future Hall of Famer.  He's putting up over 20 a game and is easily the leagues best rebounder.  Regardless of what team you are on, those stats don't lie.  Kevin Love is an all star.