Michael Redd had made his stance clear, but as he entered Conseco Arena before the game, he still faced a massive chorus of boos from the crowd. He had no doubt that if a vote for "Indiana's Most Unwanted" were held at that moment, he would be first.
"Is Bill Simmons out of his mind?"
This year was Redd's "contract year," and he just wanted to play well and sign a big contract in the summer.
To him, any night of poor performance meant less money in that big contract he could earn.
He didn't want to mess with a "powder keg" like Su Wan...
As for the boost to his bargaining chip that All-Star status could provide, Michael Redd was well aware that even Los Angeles's Shaquille O'Neal couldn't beat Yao Ming. How then could he hope to compete for an All-Star starting spot with Su Wan in Milwaukee?
The Pacers' overall strength was even stronger than that of the Bucks.