By Steve Luhm

| The Salt Lake Tribune

Picking starters for the NBA All-Star Game is tricky business — like voting in a presidential primary.

There are many deserving candidates who would probably do a good job, given the opportunity. But most are going to be left behind because, well, perception is reality.

At a glance

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Around the NBA: Injured Bogut says he’s just unlucky

Milwaukee » The Bucks’ Andrew Bogut will be sidelined for as long as three months after breaking his ankle. The former University of Utah star told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he’s unlucky, not fragile or jinxed, after suffering another in a series of injuries that have his career. “Most of [them] are just unfortunate things and this goes in the same boat as that,” he said. In the last three seasons alone, Bogut has dislocated his elbow and fractured his hand, wrist and ankle.

San Antonio » Shaun Powell of nba.com asked Spurs coach Gregg Popovich how he deals with all the difficult aspects of the abbreviated 66-game season. Popovich replied, “Are you married? How does your wife put up with you? She has to. She has no choice for now. It’s the same thing here. You’ve got no choice. Quit your crying and just deal with it. Just deal with it and shut up. That’s the best way.”

Toronto » Before the Raptors’ 111-106 double overtime win in Utah, Toronto coach Dwane Casey praised the job the Jazz’s Tyrone Corbin has done mixing old with new: “He’s put some wrinkles in, but it’s the same philosophy, and you’d be crazy not to do it that way. Why change everything? Coach [Jerry] Sloan brought so much to the NBA and my hat’s off to Ty to continue that and not lose very much from it.”

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Some candidates look, sound and act like a president.

Others don’t.

It’s the same in the NBA, where the All-Star starters are often selected for the wrong reason.

Ask Karl Malone.

Midway through the 1989-90 season, when he averaged 31 points and 11.1 rebounds on a 55-win team, A.C. Green was voted into the Western Conference’s starting lineup.

Malone was named an All-Star reserve, of course, but didn’t go.

In the Jazz’s final game before the break, he limped off the court at Charlotte with five minutes left in a 94-74 win.

Sprained ankle.

Malone, who missed 10 regular-season games in 18 seasons in Utah, went home instead of heading to Miami, where Green started his only All-Star Game.

"Everything happens for a reason," Malone said. "Maybe I wasn’t supposed to go."

If the Mailman laughed, I don’t recall.

But his message had been delivered.

This year’s All-Star starters will be announced Thursday.

If the most recent numbers hold, the Eastern Conference lineup will include LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade.

Personally, I’d vote for Chris Bosh ahead of Anthony and Deron Williams over Wade.