On February 19, basketball’s biggest stars will collide.

Yes folks, the NBA All-Star game is merely a few days away and boy, do we have an awesome basketball showdown to be settled on the basketball court in Houston.

Leading the Eastern Conference, is the thirteen-time NBA All-Star Shaquille O’Neal, and he will be accompanied by the flashy Dwyane Wade. Allen Iverson will also be starting at the 19th with LeBron James of Cleveland.

Jermaine O’Neal was suppose to start as well, but because of injuries, he will be replaced by the second leading vote-getter in his position and that will be Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace, the first of four Pistons to play in the 2006 NBA All-Star game.

In the West, it’s the usual suspects minus one Kevin Garnett. Houston’s own, Yao Ming, will man the middle to be followed by teammate Tracy McGrady and Spurs’ big man Tim Duncan at the frontcourt. The West guards will be the awesome tandem of last year’s NBA MVP Steve Nash and ”Mr.81” Kobe Bryant.

While the East has three Pistons to lead their bench reserves, the West has Kevin Garnett, probably the best player in the league period, to lead theirs.

The reason why is he not starting despite being the best athlete the NBA has to offer? Easy.

Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Wolves failed yet again in giving KG that solid help at both ends of the floor. One guy can only do so much and right now, KG is really struggling in carrying his team alone.

So who has the edge in the 2006 NBA All-Star game?

The Eastern Conference are packing everything for Houston with four Detroit Pistons in the lineup. However, with a Kevin Garnett coming off the bench for the West, and the T-Mac – Yao tag-team planning to put on a show in front of a crowd looking for anything to cheer about this year, the West must be considered heavy favorites in this one.

Too bad for four of my Detroit boys though.