Twice the All-Star Fun

Joakim Noah and Luol Deng can keep smiling all the way to Houston because that's where they're going in a few weeks.  The Bulls joined the Spurs as only two teams to have two reserves selected for their respective All-Star rosters.  Deng has made the team for the second year in a row while Noah will enjoy his first trip to the midseason exhibition.

Deng's selection is less surprising as he's continued to build upon last year, averaging 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and three assists per game.  The wrist issue that was increasingly glaring toward the end of last season has been long forgotten.  With or without Derrick Rose, he was always going to be one of your top scoring options and has delivered.  Although he's been sidelined lately, he'll give you time on the floor whenever he suits up.  His 39.8 minutes per game lead the league, just slightly ahead of MVP candidate Kevin Durant.  He's a quiet leader, but they don't award points for volume.  As long as he continues to perform up to his ability and endurance, he'll continue to prosper as an NBA player.

This season has been the culmination of satisfaction for Noah.  After his wild outfit during the 2007 draft, many figured that was all he'd be known for in the NBA.  But since the 2009 playoffs, he's only gotten better.  All of it has led up to what he's experienced now.  With 12.2 points,10.9 rebounds and four assists per game, that's only the tip of the iceberg.  His defense, which he's become known for, especially under Tom Thibodeau, has stood out enough that he's a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.  Had someone else been running the Bulls' ship, Noah might have been a slightly different player by now.  What wouldn't have changed though is how vocal and emotional he is.  Rose is the MVP and Deng provides help everywhere, but Noah's energy is the heart and soul of the Bulls.  They'd be in fewer games without him.  While I can't tell what's said in timeouts, I'm fairly certain Noah often says something to inspire a comeback or put an opponent away.  He makes noise with his play and feeds off of it.  That in turn ups the ante required of the rest of his teammates.  Unless the Bulls get an extremely generous offer, he should stay in Chicago throughout his career, or at least the prime of it.

My congratulations go out to these well-deserved players.  Will their roles change when Rose returns?  Perhaps slightly, but they'll still be needed.  Once the playoffs get rolling, anything is possible and they're the ones who can make the most happen.  As a certain shoe company likes to say, Just Do It.