Snubbed: Did Kyrie’s 55-point outing cost Lillard an All-Star spot? We discuss

Damian Lillard is getting the ass-end of the NBA’s stacked point guard situation.

With all the All-Star snubbery going around, we decided to chat-it-up about Damian Lillard, the unfair Western Conference and making the All-Star Game ballot more exclusive.

THOMAS: The NBA All-Star rosters have been announced, and Portland Trail Blazers assassin Damian Lillard didn’t make the notoriously challenging West team despite bullying his way into Top Point Guard In The League and Baddest Shooter On The Planet conversations. The NBA’s All-Star Game is possibly the hardest in sports to reach, but this seems like a pretty huge snub. Does Lillard have a legitimate beef here for not making the initial roster?

TYREE: My homeboy and I were just saying that Kyrie Irving dropping 55 on Dame cost him his All-Star spot hahaha. I’m actually pissed at him for that because I’ve spent all this year talking about how Kyrie isn’t on his level as a leader and competitor. Just when I think I’m about to get some more fuel for my fire, the dude shoots 4-19 (Lillard, Batum and Matthews a combined 11-37 ), and lets Kyrie commit felonious scoring acts against his team.

“Enjoy your week off, son.” — Kyrie Irving

THOMAS: Yeah, Lillard can have big games (see that duel with Westbrook where both dropped 40) and then go missing, like in that horrendous 4-for-19 showing against Irving and the Cavs you mention. But his defense is definitely better this year, at least compared to last year’s did-homeless-Patrick-Beverley-just-go-right-by-me edition. Part of me wants to chalk it up to him being a young PG… but don’t forget that Lillard was a four-year college kid. Not exactly a youngster.

TYREE: Yeah, son did all four years. I’m being bitter, though. There’s no question that Lillard is an All-Star player. Even if Kyrie scythed him up. I just … I dunno. The Western Conference just isn’t right. The only way to give all the elite point guards in the west fair representation would be to add an all-point guard, 3-on-3 game. That actually would be kinda dope.

THOMAS: The West Coast is definitely the Best Coast when it comes to guard talent. Chris Paul, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson (37 points a quarter?! Get outta here), Russell Westbrook (ugh), Tony Parker (when he’s not broken), etc. Maybe Lillard just isn’t ready for consistent All-Star nominations yet. A lot of people were blowing up social media after the snub, saying that Lillard was “going to go off” after being left off the team. Dame himself said he felt “disrespected.” But doesn’t needing to feel disrespected to take your game to the next level beg the question of “why don’t you just play like this all the time?” Blazers fans shoulda been rooting for the snub, just so they could get “Pissed Off Dame.”

TYREE: I think you know a thing or two about disrespect, son! hahaha. But really though. Tons of greats use disrespect to their advantage: Kobe, Jordan, etc. I think it’s a shame that he got shafted out of both Team USA  (for a shell of Derrick Rose) and the All-Star game this year. But oh well. He’ll only be better because of it.

Tim Duncan? Showing emotion?

THOMAS: Fair point on the disrespect edge. I guess Dame just needs to take that Clutch Rebound step.

Another name initially missing was DeMarcus Cousins, who’s having a statistically excellent season on a statistically terrible team. In his place is my man crush Tim Duncan, who despite being born in the Cretaceous Period is still somehow putting up almost 18 and 12 per 36 minutes. Cousins was added Saturday to replace Kobe Bryant, who had surgery this week on his right rotator cuff and is done for the season.

TYREE: Honestly, I would say that I’d prefer Lillard over Timmy D, but I refuse to stoop to such levels of disrespect. As the great Jalen Rose would say: “GEEAUUX SPAURS, GEEAUUX!!!”

I was thinking the other day: What if there was a rule that said, “all players on a team under .500 or not currently in playoff contention are ineligible for the All-Star Game?” That would mean no Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kobe, Carmelo, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade. REAL winners like Lillard, Conley, Kyle Korver, and Dirk Nowitzki would be ushered in.

… On second though, I don’t really like this rule. How the fuck am I supposed to sneak Vuci Mane in the game with that policy?

THOMAS: Bwahahaha that would never happen. Suddenly we’d have dudes from team-orientated squads dominating the All-Star Game and a tear would open in the space-time continuum. Ball-hogging stars no longer the face of the NBA? INCONCEIVABLE! Though you bring up a good point: I think Durant shouldn’t have been in it this year, even if he is a superstar. He’s played exactly 21 games.

Does Kevin Durant deserve to be in the All-Star Game this year?

TYREE: Yeah man, the Durant debate is interesting. I really go back and forth on it. Part of me says he should’ve never been eligible in the first place. Another part says there’s no way you keep Kevin Durant out of a game with the best players in the world. Considering how stacked the West is, and how many players deserve to be on that team, I definitely agree it’s not fair. But it’s also not fair that a 6-f00t-10, 7-foot human can handle the ball and shoot that well…

Back to my new rule, though. Think about how much more meaningful the first half of the season would if elite players knew winning was essential to their All-Star eligibility. Think about the message sent to players and front offices: No wins? Your franchise doesn’t deserve to be represented in the league’s showcase of its brightest talents. Not only would it add meaning to the idea of being an All-Star, but it would eliminate some of the subjectivity and human error out of the game. But, you know, maybe human error is what makes the NBA All-Star Weekend so beautiful.

I just gagged.