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Josh Smith Snubbed For NBA All-Star Game Again

Josh Smith has been here before, 15.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and two blocks per game for a 17-9 Hawks team that is in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference. When you factor in Atlanta losing Al Horford early in the season and even more burden has fallen upon Smith's shoulders.

Smith will stay home while he watches other forwards Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh and Luol Deng take their spots in the game. Boston has rebounded from a slow start but it is debatable whether it should have been Pierce representing them over Rajon Rondo. Miami is one of the league's elite teams but seriously would anyone notice if Chris Bosh wasn't on the team. Deng is a fine player in his own right for a great team but does he really stack up next to Smith?

Deron Williams made onto the team despite playing for a New Jersey club that is 8-19 on the season. Although Joe Johnson has had a fine bounce back from an injury plagued 2011 season, the argument can be made that it is Smith who should be representing the Hawks in the game. Perhaps Smith's former teammate Jamal Crawford sums things up the best:

What more does Smith have to do?

Photographs by coka_koehler used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.