Suns fans across the Valley have witnessed the team’s transition from a playoff team last year to a 25-20 team this season.

While the team will send two of its best players to the NBA All-Star Game hosted in Phoenix, one valuable player will be missing from that roster: Steve Nash.

The news of Nash’s absence from the game this year has confused and even upset some Suns fans. This will be Nash’s first year not being selected to play in the All Star game since re-signing with the Suns in 2004.

Suns’ forward Amare Stoudemire will join fellow teammate center Shaquille O’Neal on the court on Feb. 15 at US Airways Center, making it the fifth consecutive year the Suns’ will put more than one player in the All-Star game.

Some may wonder what’s different this year compared to last year’s season. It’s debatable whether new head coach Terry Porter’s methods of using defensive strategies on a running, offensive team is helping or hurting their effort.

All in all, Steve Nash deserved an All-Star nod.