LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin was voted as a starter in the NBA All-Star Game on Thursday for the fourth straight year and will play in the game for a fifth straight year.
There's nothing surprising about that.
What is surprising is that for the first time, Griffin might not have Chris Paul as his teammate at the game.
For the second straight season, Paul was not voted as a starter in the game and for the first time since 2007, his second NBA season, he might not make the All-Star team at all. And if he does make it, it might happen only by replacing an injured player.
After the starters were announced on Thursday, TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith predicted their reserves for the West and none listed Paul. They were not alone, as several other pundits filling out their rosters had players such as James Harden, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMarcus Cousins, Russell Westbrook, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook over Paul.
"Those [TNT] guys get paid pretty good money to give their opinions," Paul said. "That's probably not the first time they didn't [vote for me]. At the end of the day, all I can do is play."
With Kobe Bryant, who was named a starter, and Aldridge likely sidelined for the game, it would seem like a good bet that Paul will find his way on to the roster, but the fact that it is a question mark comes as a surprise to Griffin.
"I think he deserves [a spot on the All-Star team], and that's not just being biased," Griffin said. "I keep saying that a lot of guys deserve it. With the 12-man roster, a lot of guys don't get to play that should, but I know [Paul] would say the same thing. Our season isn't won or lost by All-Star ballots. It's an honor, and I think CP deserves it. He's been an All-Star for how many years? Sometimes, it just doesn't happen like that and it's unfortunate. We'll see. It's not up to us."
That decision will be up to the coaches in the West, led by the Golden State Warriors' Steve Kerr. While Clippers coach Doc Rivers doesn't put much stock into the game, he fully expects Paul to be in New York with Griffin next month.
"I'm not sitting in my office focusing on that, but I assume Chris is going to be on the All-Star team," Rivers said. "It would be a shock if he wasn't."
It's not as if Paul, who has played in all 43 games this season, has had a drop-off in production. He is averaging 17.6 points, 9.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. Paul is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 17.5 points, 9.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. In fact, only five players (Paul, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Terry Porter and Rod Strickland) have done so over an entire season.
Paul also leads the NBA with a 4.59 assist-to-turnover ratio and is third all time with a 4.12 career assist-to-turnover ratio.
"I think, nationally, people just [take him for granted], it's Groundhog's Day," Rivers said. "He's like Duncan in that way. He just keeps doing it every night and people just don't notice it or pay attention to what he does every night. He's not that flashy. He's not dunking and doing everything, so people don't notice how good he is every night."
Not only is Paul the quarterback of one of the better offenses in the NBA, he also is counted on to be one of the team's best defenders.
"This is the one thing I will say on Chris' behalf for the All-Star Game: Him and Westbrook are the only point guards who guard the best guy every night," Rivers said. "Those guys do. A lot of the other guys don't, and that has always stood out with me with Chris."