76ers point guard Jrue Holiday wants an All-Star spot

LOS ANGELES - When the locker room opened for the media Tuesday before the 76ers-Lakers game, Sixers players were involved in an animated discussion. The topic was the All-Star Game and their conversation centered mostly on Jrue Holiday and whether he will be on the Eastern Conference team for the game on Feb. 17 in Houston.

The banter started with players speculating who would start for the East. Then, as they reached somewhat of a consensus, they turned to the subs. Holiday, they all said, deserves to be there before some of the more prominent guards in the East, such as Deron Williams, Kyrie Irving and the like. Of course, teammates will suggest one of their own should be there, but this was different. This was an honest discussion. Holiday was not in the room as the conversation commenced, and once he did make it in after his pregame workout, the talking ceased. But Holiday knows the talk is out there, and, like any other player, obviously would love to participate.

"People ask me if I would like to make the All-Star team," he said. "I mean, seriously, who wouldn't? I guess I really don't think about it. Going into games, it's not like I'm thinking about scoring or doing other things for me individually. I really just try to go out and win every game, and if that means me scoring two points and Nick [Young] scoring 30 or Dorell [Wright] scoring 15, as long as we get the win I'm happy."

While the voting is updated every week, Holiday says he doesn't really keep an eye on the tallies. As of the latest release on Thursday, he is eighth in backcourt voting.

"I don't keep an eye on the voting," he said. "I can't, because I'd be mad, because I'm a competitor and there's probably people ahead of me I feel I'm better than, but I know they have more votes than I do. It could be popularity, whatever it is. I can't look at it."

Besides his stellar play, which has led to averages of 18.6 points and 8.9 assists, Holiday's chances of his first All-Star appearance are better, because fellow point guards Derrick Rose (Chicago) and John Wall (Washington) have missed all season because of injury and Irving (Cleveland) also has missed significant time.

"It's very possible," Holiday said with a laugh. "I just pray to God that they stay out and I get a chance to be an All-Star."

His teammates unanimously agree he belongs.

Sixers coach Doug Collins doesn't try to hide his admiration for his former player, Michael Jordan. Just bringing up the name in conversation with him will spark endless stories and overflowing adulation.

Whenever Kobe Bryant's name is brought up to Collins, Jordan's name is close to follow. That's how much respect Collins has for Joe Bryant's kid. Joe Bryant and Collins were teammates with the Sixers in the 1970s.

"Kobe is still amazing," Collins said. "In 10 of the last 11 games [before Tuesday] he's gone 40-plus minutes and 31 points a game. I watched him in the Olympics this summer [Collins was an analyst for NBC] and he is playing so, so well. He amazes me every time I watch him on tape. When guys get older, the real savants, the game gets easier, they don't waste energy. He works incessantly on his body to get stronger. The guy has 52,000 career minutes, which is amazing. He battles through injuries. He and Michael, both, a badge of courage to them would be playing 82 games and not winning the NBA scoring title. Because when you play all 82 games, all that other stuff is going to happen. He wants to answer the bell every night for his team, and that's what great players do."

Normal radio voice Tom McGinnis filled in for Marc Zumoff Tuesday night on Comcast SportsNet's coverage of the Lakers game, as Zumoff headed back to the East Coast to attend the funeral of a friend. Former radio play-by-play man Jon Gurevitch flew in Tuesday morning and covered for McGinnis on the radio broadcast.

Coaches are a very tight fraternity, so when Eagles coach Andy Reid got fired Monday, Doug Collins felt his pain. The two recently became friends, and Collins and his coaching staff visited an Eagles practice earlier this season.

"It's tough, so tough," Collins said when asked about Reid's firing. "I sent him a text to let him know I was thinking about him, and he got right back to me. I hope everything works out for him. He's a really good man who has gone through an awful lot recently."

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