Fans cry foul with no Cavs selected as All-Stars, but is this fair?

For Kyrie, it's pretty easy to answer why not. No question for a 19-year-old whose per 36 minute numbers (according to stats researched on Basketball-Reference.com) so far as a rookie rate higher than any other rookie point guard since the NBA-ABA merger outside of Magic Johnson, Irving has been phenomenal. 

And yes, you read that correctly, Kyrie's current per 36 numbers of 21.8 points and 6.1 assists combine to be better than the equivalent rookie year numbers of such basketball greats who go by the names of Chris Paul (16.1 pts and 7.8 ast), Derrick Rose (16.3 and 6.1), Deron Williams (13.5 and 5.3), Steve Nash (11.2 and 7.3), John Stockton (11.1 and 10.0) and Jason Kidd (12.4 and 8.2).

Magic Johnson, who didn't score as much his rookie year but benefited from three years at Michigan State before joining the fray of the NBA, also benefited from being 6'8". This of course translated to a line for Magic that included over 7 rebounds a game (17.3 points, 7.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds), something that most point guards, Kyrie included, can only dream of. It also resulted in Magic justly being selected a starter for the All-Star game his rookie year.

Unfortunately for Kyrie and this All-Star game though, he's a rookie which in itself is hard enough to overcome, as typically only big men earn this distinction and not too many of them even get in (there's only been six rookies since 1990 to make the All-Star cut and not since Grant Hill in 1995 has there been a non-big to do so).

Beyond that though, these stats I've used as a rookie comparison to demonstrate just what kind of year Kyrie is up to still do not compare to those of Derrick Rose or Deron Williams this season (the East All-Star starter and reserve who are in their 4th and 7th seasons respectively), who are both putting up numbers near their career best. 

Simply stated, you can plan on Kyrie being in many All-Star games to come, but scratch him from this one. 

Lets now look at Cleveland fans' favorite Brazilian, the veritable drunken master in the world of basketball, Anderson "Wild Thing" Varejao. Andy's season bouncing back from the injury that shut him down early last year has been to this point one for the Cavaliers ages. Not only does he lead all the NBA in offensive rebounds (4.5 per game), but this as well as his total rebounds per game (11.8, which ranks only behind Dwight Howard in the East), are both currently the best in Cavs franchise history.

Add this to an equal increase in his offensive production as well as all the intangibles that Andy brings which stats don't convey, such as his hustle and what seems to be an innate gravitational pull towards the ball that's intrinsically linked to his team's overall momentum on both ends of the court, and you're left thinking how in the world did Anderson not make the All-Star roster?

Well, first off the Eastern Conference All-Star starter at center is Dwight Howard. Even though this year for him has been rife with distracting rumors of where he'll go via a trade by the trade deadline (of which, most have been generated by him alone), or in the offseason via a "decision", still, no one can deny his status as the best center in the game and his numbers only go to prove this further. But Roy Hibbert selected as the Eastern reserve by the coaches? At best this is questionable, and at its worst it's borderline preposterous.

Sure, Hibbert has finally started to live up to the expectations placed on the 7'2" true center when he was selected 17th overall out of Georgetown 4 years ago, but he also benefits significantly from being on a really good Pacers team. Something Anderson certainly does not have the luxury of this season as his team continues to repair and rebuild following the Lebron era. In fact, it is this losing team equation alone that seems to have been the deciding factor in this as other than aforementioned Howard, Andy is the only player in the East to be averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds or more per game. Factor in Anderson's steals per game combined with his ability to draw charges (a stat the NBA needs to keep better track if only for Andy alone) and said intangibles, as well as how many of the Cavs wins this year that appear near impossible if not for his overall contributions, and you're looking at a level of play that should without question belong in the All-Star game.

About the only problem within this complaint though is that Anderson doesn't even have the biggest gripe in the East for being left out as its reserve center as that distinction belongs to Greg Monroe of Detroit. Monroe, who is saddled with a far less talented club than Varejao's Cavs, has quietly