The reserves for the All Star Game were announced this evening before the game. Predictably, Paul Pierce made the team and Ray Allen was left off the roster. The talk in the locker room was regarding the selection of Joe Johnson and Pierce had the following comments:
I thought Ray should have been there also based on record and what we're doing team-wise. He's very important to what we're doing.
Paul went on to say that he felt Ray should have been chosen over Joe Johnson based on the assertion that record should play a signifcant part in determining the selections.
I think you should be at least .500 team or better. I mean, no knock on Joe Johnson, he's definitely an All-Star. He's definitely put up numbers and he's definitely a great talent in the NBA, but I think it has a lot to do with what you do as a team also.
Paul's support of his teammate is certainly admirable and exactly what you would expect from him under the circumstances, but it is an interesting take given the years he spent on what, in his words, were "mediocre" teams and still managed to attain the accoloades.
Doc Rivers also sounded off with his thoughts:
I am dissapointed that Ray didn't make the team because I thought he sacrificed the most for our team and I thought coaches should see that and everyone should see that.
Ray does deserve his due credit for the sacrifices he has made and for being the consumate veteran teammate, but his being left off the roster does not come as a surprise to this writer.