NBA promote the All-Star event as a merit and skill contest, but designed a voting system of popularity contest, which is ridiculous. If they change the event name to "Favorite NBA players" to match what this voting is all about, then there wouldn't be such controversy. NBA knew this all along and for whatever reason they haven't changed the voting system and I doubt they never will. If you can't get yourself see through this, then you're wasting your time being mad.
Lin probably received 78,235 votes from China/Taiwan, because they are voting Chandler along with Lin
If JLin makes the All-Stars, that would be a huge embarrassment for the All-Star game. Most already know its really a popularity contest, but for someone of Lin's caliber to make it would make it blatantly obvious.
I don't want Lin in the game for his own sake, but there's nothing that surprising or "disgusting" about it. And it has nothing to do with China, where Lin is not super popular. It's just carryover from last year and Linsanity. Like Rubio getting votes even though he's barely played -- he was popular last year. Harden definitely deserves to be in it, but people who can't believe he's behind Lin -- has it occurred to you that he's only that high in voting because he's riding Lin's coattails, i.e. crazed LOHs are throwing in votes for him.
Rubio is an international star and a huge name back in Spain. No idea why you're comparing a 400k gap in votes anyway.
What's your point, exactly? Lin is an even bigger international "star." Isn't that my point? It's popularity and carryover from last year. Don't play the dunce.
Agreed. Paul, Westbrook and Parker are all VERY deserving of an All-Star nod from the coaches; and if the Rockets fall back to/below .500, there will not be too much justification for adding a second Houston Rocket to the team (even with the game in Houston). I think the risk is VERY REAL that Jeremy Lin edging out Chris Paul for the second starting guard spot may cost James Harden an All-Star nod. I really like Jeremy Lin. Big fan. But I do not want to vote him in as an All-Star at the risk of costing Harden his sure-fire, lead pipe lock of an All-Star appearance. I'm sure the NBA will have Jeremy participate in All-Star weekend in another capacity. I'd be shocked if he's not in either/both the Skills Challenge (in which he also probably shouldn't be participating) or whatever nonsense they put on with WNBA and former NBA players. (Oh, and Chandler Parsons is pretty much a lock to be in the Rising Stars Challenge, or whatever they're calling the Rookie-Sophomore Game nowadays.)
Im Asian myself and can tell you that he's not as popular in china as ppl think he is, probably only in Taiwan but places like hong kong and stuff don't care much for him. I've been there this summer and I didn't see one single thing about him over there either. He has a lot more fans in the US than you think. So ppl need to stop saying china is "disgusting" and all that crap. Friggin offensive
I agree with the stop hating on China thing but don't kid yourself, the majority of Lin voters are Asian.
Is there any data out there on the proportion of votes (paper ballots versus online) and distribution by location? Lin is pretty popular in the US as well, probably especially so amongst the online crowd, so I'm not going to chalk this up to China just yet.
I voted for Lin/Harden Asik/Parsons so what? Just like how I voted for every darn Rockets eligible over the last decade. Shame on me but I just don't give a damn and will keep on doing just that.
So, you think Rubio is better suit to play in All Star this season. He only played 5 games, this season due to injury! This is only a popularity vote and nothing else!
I think they're mostly Asian American fans, and I've seen Knick fans/New Yorkers vote for him on Twitter. I'm pretty sick of this offensive talk about "China" like it's this huge invasion of the Other coming to undermine America.
