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SACRAMENTO, Calif. - DeMarcus Cousins has the statistics. He has the stature. And he has the support of several high-profile peers calling for him to get his first All-Star nod.What he doesnt have is a winning team.Just about everybody around the NBA agrees that the Sacramento Kings franchise centre has blossomed into one of the leagues best big men. Based on ballot returns the past few years, though, many still dont believe hes done enough with the Kings to earn All-Star status in the deep Western Conference.Fans left Cousins out of the mix again when the starters were announced last week. The reserves, voted on by the coaches, will be revealed Thursday night, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select any injury replacements before the marquee game at New Yorks Madison Square Garden on Feb. 15.Count Cousins among those wondering if he finally has the right resume — and reputation — in his fifth season to trump Sacramentos shortcomings.To be totally honest, it is what it is, Cousins said. If I make it, I make it. If I dont, I dont.Coaches must vote for three frontcourt players, two guards and two wild cards. Cousins main competition in the frontcourt is Portlands LaMarcus Aldridge, Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant, San Antonios Tim Duncan, Dallas Dirk Nowitzki and Houstons Dwight Howard.The biggest thing hurting Cousins campaign — besides the competition — is his teams worsening record.After starting 9-5 this season, the Kings (16-27) have collapsed since Cousins came down with viral meningitis in late November. They went 2-8 during his sick leave — which coincided with Michael Malones stunning firing as coach — and have failed to pick up the pieces under short-term replacement Tyrone Corbin.Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players, but Corbin believes Cousins shouldnt be penalized because of all the chaos around him.Its the All-Star game. Its about individual performances, Corbin said. You look at (team records) sometimes, but I think most cases on the All-Star performance they look at the guy and his numbers and what hes doing for this year. Hes certainly having a great year where we havent won the number of games that we would like to win.Cousins began to repair his volatile image when he helped Team USA win gold at the FIBA World Cup in Spain over the summer, and his game has continued to rise during another disappointing season in Californias capital city.He entered Wednesday averaging career highs of 24.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per game, staggering statistics by most traditional metrics. He was also eighth in the NBA in player efficiency rating at 25.78.Perhaps most importantly, his emotional and often unpredictable behaviour has improved — at least by his standards. After compiling a league-most 33 technical fouls the last two years, Cousins has just four this season.You can tell theres been a lot of growing on his side as a player, Bulls centre Joakim Noah said. He is playing more efficiently. I feel sometimes he gets frustrated and that works in our favour. I feel this year hes the one getting guys frustrated and its worked for them.Clippers coach Doc Rivers said hes noticed a difference, too.Hes grown up emotionally, Rivers said. His game has grown up. I think hes the best low-post player in the league, and hes doing it every night. Hes doing more than just scoring. Hes doing everything. Im just very proud of him.Rivers later said Cousins is an All-Star in his mind, and so have most coaches this season. Of course, many have said such things publicly in the past.How they vote will be the true test of their resolve.Golden States Steve Kerr, who is coaching the Western Conference in the All-Star game, said most coaches will side with the player on the better team when making a close call. The same reasoning is why Kerr is confident Klay Thompson will join Stephen Curry on the West team and represent the NBA-leading Warriors (36-7).Asked specifically about Cousins, Kerr said hes one of the few players in the league that his staff centres its game plan around. But he stopped short of saying whether hed select Cousins on the crowded ballot.There is no doubt that he is an All-Star-calibre player, but its musical chairs in the West, Kerr said. There are only so many spots. I dont know how it will play out.___Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP Kris Russell Jersey .com) - Troy Brouwer scored the game-winning goal with just 12. Al MacInnis Jersey . The England international raised his middle finger toward Manchester City supporters during Saturdays game at Etihad Stadium, which Arsenal lost 6-3. 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Osmond, of Marystown, N.L., fell in the middle of her routine and placed fifth in the ladies free skate at Iceberg Skating Palace (110.73 points), but that was all the Canadians needed after a strong performance by Kevin Reynolds in the mens free earlier Sunday.TOKYO -- Second-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed four match points to beat Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-6 (8) on Monday to advance to the second round of the Japan Open. Tsonga fired 11 aces and didnt drop a service game in the match to improve his record to four wins in five tour-level matches against his French compatriot. After Tsonga got the decisive break of the first set in the second game, the second set went with serve until the tiebreaker. Monfils rallied from a 5-1 deficit to level the tiebreaker at 5-5, then fought off three match points before Tsonga sealed the victory. "I started well and played offensively," Tsonga said. "I know this is the only way for me to beat Gael." Tsonga began the year strongly, reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and the semifinals at the French Open.dddddddddddd After finishing runnerup to Andy Murray at Queens, however, Tsonga was forced to retire with a knee injury in the second round at Wimbledon and did not enter the U.S. Open as a result. "I have not played much in the last two or three months, so it will take me time to adjust," said Tsonga, adding that was cramping near the end of the match. In other first-round action, sixth-seeded Nicolas Almagro of Spain beat German qualifier Benjamin Becker 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) and Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine defeated Daniel Brands of Germany 6-3, 6-1. Top-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina was scheduled to play Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in a first-round match on Tuesday, when defending champion Kei Nishikori was due to meet Jurgen Melzer of Austria. 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