The NBA All-Star Game is right around the corner, but we're going to select an All-Star Team of a different sort: The All-Time New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets All-Star Team. Combining the two franchises, a starter and two backups will be chosen. Apologies to Bill Cartwright, Jayson Williams, Derrick Coleman, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Super John Williamson, Kerry Kittles, Stephon Marbury, Michael Ray Richardson, Rick Barry, Bill Melchionni, Harry Gallatin, Richie Guerin, Dick McGuire and Carl Braun who weren't picked, and sorry to Jeremy Lin and Deron Williams -- they just haven't been here long enough yet. Here are the 15 who made the cut (their career per-game stats are in parentheses), with the starting five all being Hall of Famers. Agree or disagree? Make your opinion known in the comments.
Center: Patrick Ewing (21.0 points per game, 9.8 rebounds): He's the all-time Knick franchise leader in points, rebounds, blocks and games played. His two backups have a pair of NBA Championships and an ABA Championship among them, but this is an All-Star Team, and Ewing has the dominating numbers.
Backups: Willis Reed (18.7 points per game, 12.9 rebounds), Billy Paultz (11.7 points per game, 8.0 rebounds)
Power Forward: Dave DeBusschere (16.1 points per game, 11.0 rebounds): The final piece to the championship puzzle, DeBusschere could do it all: Shoot, rebound, pass, move the ball down the court and, of course, play defense. Like all the Knicks of his era, he sacrificed his personal numbers for the good of the team.
Backups: Buck Williams (12.8 points per game, 10.0 rebounds), Charles Oakley (9.7 points per game, 9.5 rebounds)
Small Forward: Julius Erving (24.4 points per game, 8.5 rebounds): The king of the ABA, he won two championships with the Nets, and was the main reason they were included in the merger -- of course the Nets had to sell him to be able to afford to join the NBA. There was nobody like Dr. J.
Backups: Bernard King (22.5 points per game, 5.8 rebounds), Bill Bradley (12.4 points per game, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds)
Shooting Guard: Earl Monroe (18.8 points per game, 3.9 assists): The Knicks couldn't have won their second title without the Pearl. He teamed with Frazier to form one of the greatest backcourts in NBA history.
Backups: Allan Houston (17.3 points per game, 2.4 assists), Dick Barnett (15.8 points per game, 2.8 assists)
Point Guard: Walt Frazier (18.9 points per game, 6.1 assists, 5.9 rebounds): Whatever all-time Knick categories that Ewing doesn't lead in, Frazier is most likely at the top. One of the best offensive guards, and one of the greatest defensive guards, Frazier was the total package.
Backups: Jason Kidd (13.1 points per game, 9.1 assists, 6.4 rebounds), Mark Jackson (9.6 points per game, 8.0 assists)