Carmelo Anthony as an All-Star starter shows the ignorance of some NBA fans.

The NBA All-Star game might be the most insignificant All-Star game besides the Pro-Bowl. It does not have the playground, pick-up fun that the NHL has, and does not have the importance of the MLB game that determines home field advantage in the World Series.

Often, fan voting gets huge market players into the games when other stars are omitted due to a smaller stage to perform on. Without purposely trying to single out an individual populace, it is quite clear the New York City and its close to nine million people have had quite the say in All-Star games across the board.

The latest foolish All-Star selection was New York Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo Anthony may be a premier scorer in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, but his team is faltering faster than the Hindenburg.

While Carmelo Anthony’s current line of 23.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game looks alluring to fans, but he takes an exorbitant amount of shots to get there. He is what is known as a “black hole” in basketball. Once the ball touches Anthony’s hands, it’s either down the drain or in the hands of the other team. Carmelo Anthony is shooting below 40 percent from the field and below 30 percent from deep. Even though the All-Star game means nothing in the long run, throngs of New Yorkers have voted in Anthony as the starter at the small forward. This almost exclusively guarantees a loss for the Eastern Conference.

Even though Anthony’s play and his propensity to chuck up shots from every direction under any sort of duress will likely end the hopes for the East, the match-up at power forward will likely prove more pivotal. Miami Heat SF LeBron James can cover anyone he wants. He could put up a fight against Shaquille O’Neal in his prime, dunk on Bill Russell, or lock down Michael  Jordan. However, Los Angeles Clippers PF Blake Griffin is going to be a huge pain in the rear for LeBron.

LeBron James stands about two to three inches shorter than Griffin, and has a small weight disparity. While LeBron will likely contest Griffin’s shots, it is going to be a challenge for the smaller and shorter LeBron to stop him when he gets a head of steam.

Conversely, while Blake Griffin may be the fastest player of all time at his position, LeBron might be the fastest player standing over 6’5 off the dribble. James can do it all, as evidenced since draft day, and will likely have a chance to blow by Griffin who still is a sub-par defender at this point in his young career.

Selecting Carmelo Anthony to start an All-Star game goes up there with Brett Favre as a New York Jet as the dumbest fan votes ever backed by the citizens of New York. If Anthony can know his role and his teammates can keep the ball away from him, the East will put up a solid front despite LeBron being out of position.

Tags: Bill Russell, Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal