Team Seems to Be Full of All-Star Possibilities

The NBA will hold its annual All-Star weekend in Washington next month, and the Clippers could have as many as six players involved.

The Clippers will have at least two rookies participating in the all-star challenge, which features a game between teams of first- and second-year players. The Clippers have three rookies who are playing heavy minutes this season in Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson and Keyon Dooling.

“I want all three of us to be in it,” Richardson said. “We’ve all played as well as any rookies in the league. Darius is a shoo-in and both Keyon and I have played well enough. There isn’t a [rookie] point guard playing better than Keyon.”

If swingman Lamar Odom is not chosen as a Western Conference reserve for the main all-star game, he is expected to be selected to play on the sophomore team in the all-star game. Second-year shooting guard Corey Maggette is also a candidate for the sophomore team.

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Another Clipper who also could be in the nation’s capital for all-star weekend is Eric Piatkowski, the team’s all-time three-point leader.

In his seventh season, Piatkowski knows all about being passed over for the three-point shooting contest. Year after year, Piatkowski has watched the league choose players whose shooting numbers were not as good as his but this season, he hopes to be picked.

“In the past, I guess I never understood what you had to do to get into it,” said Piatkowski, who made 22 of 44 three-point shots in December. “I don’t know who determines who participates, but based on the fields they’ve had in the past, there really isn’t any qualifications.”

The Clippers hope their recent play will help their players get more consideration than in previous years.

“It may be more of a popularity contest type of deal. But if I’m picked, I would love to be in it,” Piatkowski said. “If I’m in it, I think I have just as good a chance as anyone to win it.”

Piatkowski entered Friday’s game sixth in the league in three-point shooting, making 43.2% of his shots.

“My three-point shooting is up and in the past, this time of year, my shooting percentage is usually down,” Piatkowski said. “For me, that’s good. I shoot more threes than a lot of guys and I don’t get as many opportunities to shoot.”

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The Clippers do have a slam dunk winner to their credit in Brent Barry, who won the title in 1996. Maggette and Dooling are candidates to be picked for this year’s contest.