When asked about how he felt about not being chosen as an All-Star reserve, Monta Ellis cooly and quietly responded that the playoffs were important, but also:
"It's over now. I just plan on playing basketball."
Not a bad answer. Monta's been saying this repeatedly over the last two weeks since he hit two last-second shots that lead to Warrior victories over the Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings. When pressed about whether he would be ready to go if they needed an injury replacement, he just said "I'm gonna stay away from that question (cracking a smile)."
Monta's saying all the right things, which follows similarly to what Raymond Felton was reported as saying today about how he would react if he did or didn't get voted in:
"If they call me, great. I'll be the happiest man there is. If they don't, I'll still be the happiest man there is."
Guards are classy. And Monta seems to show that winning is everything. Carlos Boozer on the other hand seems pretty intent on making it known that his individual achievements should be recognized. Even though he says he "won't be disappointed," his humbleness doesn't seem to come off so sincere. While Monta Ellis may or may not deserve the selection, at least he's taking the high road, seeing the bigger picture.