NBA All-Star 2008 Ballot

Jan. 21, 2008 -- The starters for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game will be officially announced on Thursday. Here are the players that the one-man Race to the MVP committee feels should be packing their bags and heading to New Orleans next month.

Eastern Conference
Guard - Ray Allen, Celtics: Of course I thought about putting the Heat's Dwyane Wade in this spot, but the sweet-shooting Allen gets the nod based on the success of the front-running Celtics.

Guard - Jason Kidd, Nets: Mr. Triple-Double is enjoying one of the best seasons of his Hall of Fame career.

Forward - Kevin Garnett, Celtics: It doesn't matter if he is in the Western Conference or Eastern Conference, KG belongs on the court when the ball is tipped. The preseason favorite to win the MVP is averaging almost 20 points and 10 rebounds and is the heart and soul for the best club in the league.

Forward - LeBron James, Cavaliers: Pencil him into this spot for the next 10 years. He rebounds like a power forward, passes like a point guard and has emerged this season as the best scorer in the game.

Center - Dwight Howard, Magic: He has been named Player of the Month each month of the season so far and at times has been almost unguardable.
Western Conference
Guard - Chris Paul, Hornets: A case can be made for Deron Williams, Brandon Roy, Tony Parker, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash and Baron Davis, but Paul is having a better season statistically than all of them. Plus the game is being played in his arena.

Guard - Kobe Bryant, Lakers: The All-Star Game is an exhibition and Bryant is the league's biggest star.

Forward - Tim Duncan, Spurs: No All-Star Game would be complete without Mr. Double-Double in the lineup, although you could argue that Carlos Boozer or Carmelo Anthony have played well enough to earn a starting position.

Forward - Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks: The reigning MVP has snapped out of an early-season funk and is playing as well as anyone in the league.

Center - Amare Stoudemire, Suns: Sorry Yao Ming and Marcus Camby, Stoudemire has been the most dominant big in the West this season.

source : NBA.com