October 13, 2012; Atlantic City, NJ, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (11) at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

In the year 2013, it should be a clear understanding among true NBA fans that the voting system for the NBA All-Star game is completely flawed. Sure, a couple of inappropriate choices slide in under the radar every season, but that doesn’t mean that the coaches have to screw it up to.

Which is the likely scenario this season with the Nets’ Deron Williams and Sixers’ Jrue Holiday. The higher-ups are likely to send Deron Williams to Houston over Holiday because of his past performance,  name recognition and exciting style of play (comparable and arguable). The fact remains that Williams is having his worst season in years, and almost his whole career.

Of course, where the debate gets sticky is the ”team success” factor. While the Nets are currently riding a 7-game win streak and sit at 23-15 (slightly out of 2nd place in the East), the Sixers have fallen apart and at 16-23, are not currently a playoff team. Does that all rest on each one of these players individually? Certainly not. One could always toss in the counter argument that Williams has a much better team around him (true) and the Nets should be this good. You can call the Sixers  a bad team, but without Holiday, they would be an ever bigger mess. When we go down the ”value to their team” avenue, Brooklyn has enough to stay afloat while Philly would be lottery bound. That’s at least true for this particular season.

Besides, are we not rewarding outstanding individual behavior with the All-Star labeling? In 10 years, nobody will remember that the Nets were a mid-tier Eastern Conference playoff team and the Sixers missed the playoffs. We will however, see the “X”-time All-Star on each player’s career resume. Personally, I want to be able to see that Jrue Holiday made at least ONE All-Star team, while Deron Williams will have more than a few under his belt.

When we look at numbers (because sometimes that’s the bottom line), Holiday has been better, with less talent around him, and far more consistent:

Deron Williams
37 GP, 16.8 pts, 7.7 asts, 3.2 rebs, 1.0 stls, 40.6 FG%, 32.0 3PT%, 85.7FT%

Jrue Holiday:
35 GP, 19.0 pts, 8.8 asts, 4.2 rebs, 1.37 stls, 45.8 FG%, 37.5 3PT%, 78.3 FT%

Even though Williams has the undoubtedly more talented nucleus around him, Holiday has been superior (and some significantly) in every major category except free throw percentage and he does average more turnovers per game. If you used the anonymous “Player A-B” comparison approach, you’d have to agree that Holiday has been an All-Star caliber player.

The coaches need to do the right thing with their votes and get Holiday in the game. Even Deron Williams agrees.

Apr. 4, 2011; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers small forward Nicolas Batum (88) dunks the ball on New Jersey Nets guard MarShon Brooks (9) and forward Jordan Williams (20) during the fourth quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. The Blazers won the game 101-88. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE

Over the next fifty days you can find my rankings of the Top 50 players currently in the NBA right here at Saving the Skyhook. This might seem like it’s a whole lot to read, and admittedly it is, but you can space it out, enjoy the content, and get yourself fired up for the upcoming NBA season in the process. Tomorrow when I reveal #50, the fifty day countdown to the NBA season begins. By the time you reach #1 (I wonder who it is), it will be October 30^th and you won’t have any more waiting to do.

I know it is my opinion, but still it wouldn’t be fair to you if you didn’t know what logic went into my decisions for the upcoming Top 50 NBA Players list. Think of it like the Declaration of Independence. That written document legitimized our Founding Fathers beliefs that the 13 colonies should be an independent country of their own, completely separate from Great Britain. I wasn’t there, but when King George III received the Declaration, I imagine this was his reaction: “I don’t like this, but I totally feel where these patriots are coming from. I appreciate them explaining this to me in a written format. I’m thirsty, I want some tea… Someone get me some tea damn it!!!” Something like that. Think of this as my Declaration of Independence, that way you don’t think I am disrespectfully forcing my rankings upon you. Feel free to enjoy some tea while reading my criteria and looking at the players who didn’t quite make the cut for the top 50.

1. Individual Statistics/Accolades
What was the players’ averages in the major statistical categories (NOTE: Any career best or playoff career best notices are for players with at least 5 NBA seasons or 3 playoff appearances)? Have they won any individual awards?

2. Status
What is their role on their team? How significant is that role? How well do they fit their role?

3. Team Success
Regular season/Post season records. Are they having an impact on their team’s win/loss record?

4. Under Pressure
How good are they in the clutch? Do they play better in big games or tend to disappear?

5. Reputation
How good of a teammate is the player? Do players like playing with him or is he despised? Does he do little things that make the team better or is he out for himself? Is he known as a hard worker and leader, or someone who doesn’t always give a crap?

6. How Do They Stand Out?
Do they have memorable any games? Is there something memorable about their game that defines them?

These are the fifteen toughest omissions from the top 50 list (In alphabetical order). You’d probably think that since I do watch so much basketball, making this list would be easy. It’s quite the contrary. The league is incredibly deep right now, so it was really hard to leave some of these guys out. At one point, all of these fifteen players were seriously considered for my top 50, but I ultimately decided to drop them.

Tony Allen
One of the league’s premier defensive players. Two years ago he took on the challenge of guarding Kevin Durant in the West Semi’s, and last season he spent time guarding Chris Paul in the 1st round. No, the Grizzlies didn’t advance past either round. But it says something that he gets the assignment on a 6’10 scoring machine, AND a maestro at the point guard position.

Ryan Anderson
Halfway through the season Ryan Anderson looked like an absolute shoo-in to make the top 50. He was knocking down 3’s like it was his job and grabbing offensive rebounds at a higher rate than even Dwight Howard was. Maybe the 2012 Most Improved Player should make the list regardless, but Anderson stunk so badly in the playoffs that I couldn’t get that disgusting taste out of my mouth when it came time to putting the list together. It became clear that in a roundabout way, Dwight Howard’s effect on teammates is similar to that of Steve Nash (we’ll get there shortly). Anderson benefited greatly from the attention that Dwight Howard drew, and his numbers in the postseason displayed that—16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 44% FG in the regular season; 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 34% FG in the playoffs.

Nicolas Batum
Would it be terrible if I said that I momentarily put Nicolas Batum into the top 50 after he punched Juan Carlos Navarro right in the nards in the quarterfinals of the Olympics? No? I’m clear? Okay good, because I definitely did. Just to be clear, he would have permanently locked up a spot if he punched Rudy Fernandez instead of Navarro. It was without question the most badass a Frenchman has ever looked, even if it was a bit of a cheap shot. That wasn’t the only reason why Batum was considered for the list. He was Portland’s most reliable player not named LaMarcus Aldridge, and he would’ve fit seamlessly (and been able to produce), in this year’s OKC/Miami NBA Finals based on the fact that he is 6’8, incredibly athletic and can knock down an open 3 pointer. A 4 year, $46 million contract may have been a bit excessive, but in this era of the NBA a player like Batum might be a necessity.

Andrew Bogut
Once upon a time the big Aussie Andrew Bogut was one of the best center’s in the league. He had a developing offensive game and was one of the better interior defenders in the league. He even earned 3^rd Team All-NBA honors in the 2009-10 season. Just as quickly as he was making the Bucks relevant and building a resume that would secure his spot atop the list of best Australian born players ever, Bogut also secured his name to the list of the worst sports injury videos you could find on YouTube when he dislocated his right elbow, broke his right hand and sprained his right wrist after slipping off the rim on a dunk attempt. Hey, maybe it’s a good thing I’m only 6’1 and can’t dunk. Since then, Bogut’s offensive repertoire has been mainly limited to lefty hooks, since, well, his right arm was basically shattered. He played in only 12 games last year, and was traded to Golden State. If (apparently a big if) he and Stephen Curry, both recovering from Ankle issues, can remain healthy, the Warriors could potentially sneak into the playoff race in the West.

Mike Conley
A young point guard who along with fellow “tough cut” Tony Allen gives the Grizzlies one of the better defensive backcourts in the league. I like Conley a lot. He’s shown improvement in each of his 5 seasons as an overall player and seemingly plays better in the postseason than in the regular season. I’d want to go to war with Mike Conley.

Anthony Davis
I wanted to put Davis in the top 50. I really wanted to. I still want to. Without an NBA body of work, I didn’t think it was fair to. Let me say this: next year when I’m still crazy enough to spend my whole summer working in this list, I’m confident that Davis will make the cut.

Tyreke Evans
A perfect example of a player with great offensive skill… and not much else. Statistically, Tyreke Evans has gotten worse every season he’s been in the NBA, and that wouldn’t be a problem if he was figuring out how to become a better player. But I honestly don’t think he has. It seems like Evans still hasn’t quite figured out how to have an impact on a game aside from scoring. Maybe it’s the team, or maybe it’s just his style, but I can’t put a player in the top 50 if his calling card is being a scorer and he only scores 16.5 points per game.

Kenneth Faried
How can’t you love The Manimal? First off, his nickname is The Manimal. How damn cool is that? Half man, half animal? Yeah, sign this guy up for the Manimal bandwagon. Second, his play warrants the nickname. This guy busts his ass night in and night out, and everyone got to see that in the playoffs this year when Faried upped his regular season averages– 22 minutes, 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds per game increased to 27 minutes, 10.4 points, 10.0 rebounds per game—against the biggest front line in the playoffs. Faried was the 3^rd best rookie in the NBA last year. Maybe he’ll never be a franchise guy like Kyrie Irving or a showman like Ricky Rubio, but Faried will keep busting his ass and making his team better.

Paul George
Of all players on the toughest cuts list, George, along with Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday (coming up in two shakes of a lamb’s tail) have the highest ceilings going forward. When Danny Granger is out of Indiana, don’t expect the Pacers to drop off too much. George will be well capable of being the man in place of Granger.

Marcin Gortat
The Polish Hammer posted career bests in points (15.4), rebounds (10.0) and blocks (1.5) last season for Phoenix. This upcoming season Gortat won’t have the luxury of playing with Steve Nash, who’s made more careers over the last decade than American Idol has. It will be interesting to see if A) Gortat can continue to put up double-doubles every night without Nash, and B) If Goran Dragic can give a reasonable Steve Nash impression.

Jrue Holiday
Most likely primed for big things with the arrival of All-Star center Andrew Bynum. I would be very surprised if Holiday didn’t make the leap into the top 50 this season.

Ersan Ilyasova
The 2012 Award for Best Player That Casual Fans Haven’t Even Come Remotely Close To Hearing Of goes to Ilyasova. Ilyasova started out the season slow, but in the 33 games after Valentine’s Day Ilyasova averaged 16.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and posted 16 double-doubles including two 30-10 games, and a very Dwight Howard-esque 29-25 game against New Jersey. Ilyasova has an off chance of supplanting Luol Deng as the starting small forward on the All-Foreign Team by the end of the 2012-13 season. Maybe then people will start to notice him.

Brandon Jennings
Anyone else think the Bucks might be a playoff team this year? Jennings, Ilyasova, and Ellis (coming up in the next few days) are a nice little nucleus to experiment with for a year as long as Jennings and Ellis don’t maim eachother looking for shots.

Lamar Odom
Now that Kanye West’s future ex-brother-in-law is back playing in LA (this time with the Clippers), maybe he’ll be the Lamar Odom of old again. It was just two years ago that Odom was coming off a season where he was either the 3^rd or 4^th best player on both the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers and the USA Basketball team at the FIBA World Championships.  

Amar’e Stoudemire
Probably my toughest cut, especially because he worked with Hakeem Olajuwon this offseason and that means a lot to an Olajuwon fan like myself. Maybe it shouldn’t have been so difficult. I think at this point, the name Amar’e Stoudemire is greater than the player. In fact, I think you might have been able to make that argument for Amar’e his whole career. Remember that Amare has always been a poor defender, a subpar rebounder (only averaged 9-plus rebounds 3 times in ten seasons) and had Steve Nash as a point guard for the bulk of his career. Factor in his chronic knee problems (robbing him of his explosiveness, the key to his success in the past), and his apparent inability to play effectively with Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e just isn’t top 50 anymore. Sorry Corey Edwards. I had to do it.

Dec 16, 2010; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts to a call on the floor during the first half against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: With Rajon Rondo on the bench compared to when he’s on the floor, Boston’s offensive efficiency drops from 101.5 to 94.4.
• Take: Rondo is unquestionably the straw that stirs the drink for Boston’s at-best mediocre offense, and when he’s on the bench the Celtics’ 94.4 offensive rating would rank only above the lowly Bobcats over the full regular season.  Of course, there’s a major difference between Rondo taking a breather and not being available to play at all.  The Celtics, no doubt, will look much different offensively tonight than they have all season long without the services of Rondo and Ray Allen.  Paul Pierce will handle much of the playmaking and ballhandling duties, a task he’s been up to in the past without Boston’s mercurial leading man by his side – he averages 4.3 more assists per 36 minutes when playing as a de-facto point guard.  But Pierce needs to act as a scorer for the Celtics first and foremost, which is why it will be interesting to see how Doc Rivers doles out minutes to Avery Bradley and Keyon Dooling.  Each is obviously more of a combo guard, but the latter appears more comfortable than the young Bradley initiating sets and getting a team into its offense.  Regardless, it will take extra big individual nights from Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and an ancillary piece or two for Boston to come away with an unlikely win and even this series at 1-1.

Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls (8:00ET on TNT): Bulls lead series 1-0

Apr 28, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Philadelphia 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday (11) is defended by Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (1) during the third quarter in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the United Center. The Bulls won 103-91. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: Jrue Holiday’s scoring average per 36 minutes against Chicago with Derrick Rose on the court is 17.0.  When Rose is inactive or on the bench, that number jumps to 24.0 points per 36 minutes.
• Take: Team-wise, the advanced statistics paint a much Rose-ier (pun!) picture for Chicago in this series without the reigning MVP than public perception would indicate.  The Bulls actually outscored the Sixers in the regular season by 2.7 points per 48 minutes when Rose was not playing; conversely, Philly was +3.9 against Chicago with Rose on the floor.  That sample size needs to be taken with a grain of salt, obviously, but in terms of getting out of the first round all is clearly not lost for the East’s top seed.  But what does Rose’s absence mean for Philly? The Sixers fared far better in efficiency on both ends of the floor with Rose playing, but – offensively, at least – none of that had to do with Holiday. The young point guard becomes ultra-aggressive matched up against CJ Watson or John Lucas III, and rightfully so; he’s a got a significant size, strength, and athleticism advantage over each Chicago reserve.  Holiday struggled his way to 16 points on 7-18 shooting Saturday matched up with Rose, so considering that performance and the regular season’s results look for him to have a big night.  Whether he helps lead Philly to a win against the Rose-less Bulls, though, is a different story.

Rose in a regular season game

The lights came on and the stage was set as Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls mounted the floor in preparation for their first round Game 1 match-up with a very deep and defensive-minded Sixers squad. The Bulls came into the event with high expectations and championship hopes. Meanwhile, the Sixers are still in relief mode as they held onto their No. 8 seed as the season closed with the Milwaukee Bucks just nipping at their heels.

This year’s compressed schedule had most definitely taken a large toll on the Bulls’ superstar guard, D-Rose. Rose missed 27 games this season due to a slew of injuries that included his back and groin.

But Derrick was healthy by Saturday afternoon and the Bulls felt big things were coming.

When the game started, the Bulls quickly jumped out to a commanding lead, and the game felt as though it was leaning their way the whole time. As the game carried on, Chicago continued to impress, beating out Philly in every team statistical available with the exception of steals and turnovers.  Although the Sixers didn’t look bad, they just didn’t play up to the Bulls’ lofty level.

With 1:10 left in the game, Chicago winning, and players tired, Bulls head honcho Tom Thibodeau kept their star, Derrick Rose, in the game  – some are saying because he was one rebound and one assist away from a triple-double. On one of the game’s final possessions, Rose knifed through Philadelphia’s defense and went for a jump-stop to shoot a lay-up or kick-out pass for Carlos Boozer (remember, the Bulls were leading by 12 points at this point).

On Rose’s takeoff/landing, his left knee buckled in mid-air. Rose was left lying on the floor for the next couple seconds as Philly took the ball to the other side of the floor. With gasps coming from all over the United Center, people could see the grimacing look on Rose’s face. They knew it wasn’t good. A TV crew was able to pick up Rose saying, “I heard something pop” to a member of the team medical staff.

Rose was carried off the floor. Another bad sign. But the Bulls were able to close the game with a 103-91 win over Philadelphia to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Within a few hours, Rose was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee. Given that information, Derrick cannot play at all for the rest of the playoffs, will require surgery and will most likely not be ready for the Olympics right around the corner. Even bigger than that, Rose might not even be ready to suit up for the Bulls next season until late November.

So what does his absence mean for the series going further?

Well… a lot.

Even Magic Johnson says they have no chance at a championship. (Although I strongly agree.)

Jrue Holiday

This is obviously good news for Philadelphia as they will be able to use their point guard, Jrue Holiday, to a big advantage. Holiday is a 6’4″, 180 pound, long and athletic guard who is a good defender. His length will be able to suffocate backups John Lucas and C.J. Watson.

Statistically, Chicago takes big step back without Rose. The reigning MVP averaged 21.8 points per game this season despite being nagged by injuries. Yes, Watson and Lucas played well when Rose was out during the regular season. But, the playoffs are a whole other animal.

Neither of them are ready for the challenges that guards face in the playoffs. The Bulls went 18-9 without Derrick in the line-up. That, to me, is hardly a championship caliber record.

You know how they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure? Well, this is the perfect example. Rose’s situation is a tragedy for the Bulls. For the Sixers? Not so much – it’s an unquestionably good turn of fortune.

Expect a big game out of Holiday as he will be guarded by smaller players like Lucas and Watson. Rose’s strength obviously bothered Holiday in Game 1. Holiday shot 7-18 overall and 1-4 from three, so most of his shots are occurring closer to the basket. With smaller defenders, it will be easier for him to get to the rim and create for himself and others.  When Holiday is on his game, he’s got All-Star potential and he’ll need to play like it for the Sixers.

Another factor is Louis Williams, Philadelphia’s 6’2” leading scorer. He shot below 20 percent from the field and will take advantage  – much like Holiday – of the smaller defenders and get his game going from the inside-out.

All-Star wing Andre Iguodala wasn’t himself either, shooting 3 for 11 from the field. He shot over 45% during the regular season and play as a de-facto point guard at times and is the Sixers’ primary ball handler in crunch-time situations. So don’t be surprised to see Watson or Lucas have to guard Iggy for possession a or two, a prospect which should worry the Bulls.

I think that the Elton Brand-Carlos Boozer match-up is fairly even. Both played exceptionally well in Game 1. Joakim Noah had a big performance in Game 1, too. Philadelphia’s center tandem, Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes, combined for only 9 points and 10 rebounds.  Noah, obviously, has a sizable advantage there.

In Game 2 the Bulls will need bigger contributions from everyone. For Philly, it’s a mirror image, they need bigger numbers and production from every position to get over the hump.

Look for a good game out of these two teams in Game 2.

Predictions in short:

Game 2 Score: 91-87, Philadelphia.

Series prediction: Chicago in 7

• Although they lose Rose, I think that the Bulls can win the series if they can get it to seven games. If they falter over the next couple games, though, I feel they will struggle to advance in six games or less.