It's not like you would expect Steve Nash to rail about being snubbed for the 2011 NBA All-Star Team despite putting up numbers comparable to his two MVP seasons and having what arguably should be considered his best performance as a Phoenix Sun. To steal a line overheard from another media member at last night's game, if you Nash and Russell Westbrook switched places, imagine how much better the Thunder would be and how much worse the Suns would be.
↵When asked about the decision of the Western Conference coaches who didn't vote him in as an All-Star reserve, Nash would only give the kind of answer you would expect from the classy Canadian.
↵"I thought the guys that made it, deserved it. I know people looked at my numbers and thought that I could easily be an All-Star this year, but other guys deserve it, as well. They've had great years and I'm happy for them," he said.
↵Steve certainly feels that the extra rest would be nice, but also gave a just a hint that the snub might have hit a nerve.
↵"I guess you take the honor and go and enjoy it," Nash said when asked how he would feel about being asked to go as injury replacement.
↵That certainly doesn't sound like a guy who doesn't care about being left off or doesn't think he deserves the honor.
↵In comparison, third-year player Kevin Love -- who is putting up ridiculous numbers for the 11-win Minnesota Timberwolves -- didn't react nearly as well when his name was initially left off the list of All-Star reserves.
↵"I've been better," Love said immediately following the announcement, "but I wasn't very surprised ... I truly and firmly believe in my heart that, solely on play alone, I should have been in there."
↵Fortunately for the young stud who's having the finest half-season of his short career, Love was quickly added to the All-Star roster by Commissioner David Stern as a replacement for Yao Ming. Congratulations, Kevin.