ESPN's new real plus-minus (RPM) offers a different take on player value than we're used to from stats like PER, WARP and win shares built on the box score. As with any new perspective, that means real plus-minus sheds light on players whose contributions have flown under the radar. To salute those unheralded stars, it's time for a new kind of all-star team: RPM All-Stars.
To qualify, naturally, players could not have been picked for this season's All-Star team or last season's team, and I also excluded players such as Goran Dragic and Kyle Lowry who were considered egregious snubs. I also tried to reflect a relatively realistic team with a bench made up largely of reserves.
Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, your 2013-14 RPM All-Stars ...
Ricky Rubio, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves (+3.90)
Rubio's star has lost much of its luster this season because an anticipated leap forward offensively has failed to materialize. It's hard to ignore his shooting woes.
At the same time, excessive focus on Rubio's glaring weaknesses can obscure his many strengths. He's an excellent defender with a knack for reading opponents' passes, and his own ability to deliver the basketball is nearly without equal. And remember -- the Timberwolves are 12.7 points per 100 possessions better with Rubio on the floor, per NBA.com/Stats. That's why he's an RPM All-Star. We just might not play him in crunch time.
Manu Ginobili, SG, San Antonio Spurs (+5.46)
It's been three years since Ginobili's last All-Star appearance, and his NBA obituary has been written countless times -- most recently when he struggled through much of last season's Finals. Ginobili has bounced back with an outstanding season worthy of Sixth Man Award consideration, and RPM says on a per-minute basis he's been the NBA's best shooting guard. So stop trying to shovel dirt on him.
Andre Iguodala, SF, Golden State Warriors (+6.90)
If Shane Battier was the "No-Stats All-Star," consider Iguodala the "Some Stats All-Star." He's been a go-to scorer in his career and was an All-Star for real two years ago, but Iguodala's calling was as a playmaker on offense and one of the league's most ferocious and well-rounded defenders.
In his first season in Golden State, Iguodala has quickly proved indispensable; the Warriors are an incredible 17.9 points per 100 possessions worse when he sits, the league's biggest differential according to John Schuhmann of NBA.com. And only LeBron James and Chris Paul have rated better by RPM.
Channing Frye, PF, Phoenix Suns (+4.06)
Who's been the biggest catalyst in Phoenix's unexpected run at a playoff berth? Dragic is the obvious answer, but RPM favors Frye, the other half of the league's best pick-and-roll partnership.
Frye's accurate 3-point shooting and quick release force defenders to stay home, opening the floor for Dragic and the Suns' other athletic perimeter players. No wonder Phoenix averages 110.5 points per 100 possessions (a mark that would lead the league) with Frye on the floor. And, unlike some stretch 4s, he's not a complete defensive zero.
Amir Johnson, C, Toronto Raptors (+4.84)
Dating back to his days in Detroit, Johnson has been a plus-minus favorite. Now that he's finally on a playoff team, he has been able to showcase the breadth of his skills. One of the league's best screen setters, Johnson is capable of either rolling hard to finish at the rim or popping to the perimeter for a 20-foot jumper. He's also a fine defender with the ability to man either frontcourt position.
Patrick Beverley, PG, Houston Rockets (+4.57)
OK, I cheated a bit with Beverley, who has started all season. But he was a reserve last season who had to win the job in training camp, so I think he'd accept a reserve role as long as we let him finish games.
A defensive terror who plays with little regard for his own safety or that of opponents, Beverley is also a useful role player on offense. He can create off the dribble and is competent as a spot-up shooter, making 35.7 percent of his 3-point attempts.
DeMarre Carroll, SG, Atlanta Hawks (+3.37)
Don't blame Carroll (also a full-time starter for the first time in his career) for the Hawks' spring swoon; RPM rates him as Atlanta's top contributor, ahead of All-Star Paul Millsap.
Indeed, the Hawks have been 9.8 points per 100 possessions better with Carroll on the court. Much like Matt Barnes (below), he has made himself valuable by adding a credible outside shot (37.1 percent from 3-point range this season) to a game built around athleticism and hard work at both ends of the floor.
Matt Barnes, SF, L.A. Clippers (+3.36)
If Beverley were seven inches taller, he might play a lot like Barnes -- another tenacious defender who has learned to understand his role on offense. Barnes makes enough 3-pointers (34.1 percent) that opposing defenses have to respect him beyond the arc, but he's at his best in the open court and cutting off the ball.
Nick Collison, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder (+5.81)
In 2011, Per Diem predecessor John Hollinger put together his "No-Stats All-Stars." Collison, who was the featured player on that team, is the lone holdover three seasons later.
Plus-minus devotees have always adored Collison, whose lofty RPM puts him sixth in the league. Although Collison surely isn't one of the league's most valuable players, his plus-minus impact has been remarkably consistent. Because of Collison's heady play, the Thunder are much better on both ends of the floor when he's on it, despite the fact he barely makes a dent in the box score.
Chris Andersen, C, Miami Heat (+4.82)
"Birdman" has been one of the league's best bargains since the Heat signed him for the veteran's minimum midway through last season. His addition helped spark Miami's 27-game winning streak, and this season the Heat are better when Bird takes flight.
Andersen's athleticism around the basket makes him an effective finisher out of the pick-and-roll and off cuts. At the other end, he protects the rim and is also Miami's best rebounder. That he'll be a fan favorite for the RPM All-Stars is strictly a bonus.