Good sense prevails: Billups an All-Star

Sentimentality had nothing to do with his decision Wednesday to add Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups to the Western Conference All-Star team.

It was more about logic and common sense.

“Chauncey Billups should feel like Obama in the presidential election. This, to me, is a fairly lopsided vote,” Denver coach George Karl said before the decision became official. “There’s some great guards out there. But we have the second-best record (in the West) and the man, in the last six weeks, has played better than the guys on the All-Star team. I think it’s somewhat of a no-brainer.”

Stern agreed, naming Billups as an injury replacement for New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, who will miss the Feb. 14 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas because of a knee injury.

Paul, Deron Williams and Brandon Roy were the three guards selected as reserves by Western Conference coaches. Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash were elected as the starters through fan balloting. Billups will join teammate Carmelo Anthony and Nuggets coach George Karl at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“It’ll be fun,” Karl said. “Having Chauncey, along with Nash and Deron Williams, I won’t have to do a lot of coaching.”

Billups, averaging a career-high 19.2 points and 6.1 assists, will make his fifth straight All-Star appearance. It’s an impressive achievement for the Denver native, considering he struggled to establish an identity early in his NBA career.

“It’s crazy, man. It’s kind of humbling, to be honest,” he said. “It’s kind of surreal to see how my career started and everybody pretty much kind of wrote me off and thought I would be out of the league. To be able to make five straight All-Star games, it’s crazy. I really don’t have the words. It’s crazy.”

Had Stern chose anyone but Billups to replace Paul . . . now that would have been crazy.