Doc Rivers is ‘shocked’ James Harden not named an All-Star - FindLiveJob Doc Rivers is ‘shocked’ James Harden not named an All-Star - FindLiveJob

Doc Rivers is ‘shocked’ James Harden not named an All-Star

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“I think your record should matter, I think James Harden’s numbers should matter and I do think a history of his work should matter," Rivers told The Inquirer following Friday's shootaround.

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AN ANTONIO — Doc Rivers said he is “shocked” that James Harden was not named an All-Star reserve Thursday night, and has called for coaches’ votes for those spots to be made public.

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“I don’t get involved in that stuff a lot,” Rivers told The Inquirer following the 76ers’ shootaround in San Antonio, a setting where coaches typically do not speak to the media. 

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 I didn’t even think it would be a question [that Harden would be selected]. And for him not to be on the All-Star team when, at the time that voting went in, we were the second seed — Boston has two, Milwaukee has two, we have one.

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Sixers’ MVP contender Joel Embiid predictably was named an East reserve, after being left off the starters’ list despite leading the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game.

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 Rivers said he “assumed” Harden, who leads the NBA in assists (11 per game) for a Sixers team that enters Friday’s game at the Spurs with a 33-17 record, also would be honored for the 11th consecutive season

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Instead, the Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo, the New York Knicks’ Julius Randle, the Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Jrue Holiday and the Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton were selected.

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Harden is also averaging 21.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game entering Friday, while totaling four triple-doubles. He missed about a month with a foot sprain early in the season, but has played in 25 of 27 games since returning in early December.

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