Should Antoine Walker Be An All-Star?

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Antoine Walker doesn't have many peers in the East and I mean that in a
negative
light. While fellow All-Star -- and deservedly so -- Paul Pierce has to
face
the likes of Jordan, Carter, McGrady, Allen, Sprewell, Jalen Rose, and
E. Jones nightly, Walker's task is much easier in an Eastern Conference
bereft of quality power forwards.

Sure there's Shareef (who's outplayed Toine in the games they met) and
Mason (who's also outplayed Toine), and Coleman (call it a draw), and a
few more, but they're not of the same quality as the Eastern
Conference's
Big Time shooting guards and small forwards. The East is the land of the

great perimeter players.

The West meanwhile dominates at the power positions of Center and
Power Forward.  And is it any wonder why the West is far superior to
the East....

 Stick Antoine out West, and he's the seventh or eighth best
power forward in the conference, falling behind Duncan, Garnett,
Webber, Wallace, Malone, McDyess, Brand, and add in the
names of the Great Gazoo and Eddie Griffin next season.

Walker playing out west receives zero All-Star consideration, as there's
simply
a lot more better players playing the same position. Pierce on the other
hand,
is an All-Star in the East, West, North, and South, and if you toss him
out on
the Antarctica Ice Flows with a bunch of Emperor Penguins, he's an All
Star there
too.
Ray