Luol Deng - Judging The Choices For The Eastern Conference All - Star Team Reserves Ball Don T Lie - Sports

Joe Johnson and Luol Deng (Getty Images)

Can we start off by reintroducing ourselves to the idea of how ridiculous this is? The NBA is hosting an All-Star game in the midst of a 66-game season, with the starters picked after just one month of play and the reserves selected after most teams had played about a third of their season. With every bit of that third being used to get into the sort of shape that the typical month-long training camp and exhibition season only helps to nearly take care of.

Then, the league mandates that coaches select a center, two forwards, two guards and two wild cards. Apparently the "wild cards" must be eligible NBA players, so it's not as if coaches could select a demolitions expert or wacky neighbor. This is silly in itself, because sometimes the centers or guards or even forwards aren't great. So, to force positional categorization in an exhibition game like this OK, we'll stop.

We are the judging types, though. So click the jump for our take on who the coaches got it right with, and what they fell short on. .

Eastern Conference

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

Bosh, really, should be starting this game. It does seem a bit odd the Heat would have three deserved All-Star starters (with Dwyane Wade, Bosh and LeBron James) and only the East's second-best record, but this is what happens when you run a top-heavy outfit. Free from some of the criticism that dogged him last season, Bosh has actually dipped a bit in the rebounding department (per-game and percentage-wise), but his 19-point and eight-rebound averages (with 51 percent shooting) make him the best big forward in the East right now.

Luol Deng , Chicago Bulls

This is a tough one, and I'm pretty sure you know where I'm heading with this.

Luol Deng might be my favorite person in the NBA. That's not throwaway praise, as I dismiss his credibility as an NBA All-Star. Also, in terms of pure aesthetics? I might not have a player I enjoy watching more. He does everything. Absolutely everything. Defends like mad, holds his team together regardless of the four on the court with him, plays through injury, plays through pain, plays and plays and plays.