"Although they have won the most games in the league, there is one contest that the Cavaliers cannot control — the NBA All-Star waiting game.

LeBron James is the only Cavs player voted to the starting lineup for the Eastern Conference All-Stars. Anyone else with aspirations of making an appearance in Dallas from Feb. 12 to 14 will have to tune in with the rest of the nation on TNT tonight to find out who will receive a reserve spot.

''Mo [Williams] is definitely deserving,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said.

Williams is indeed having an All-Star year at his point guard position, averaging 16.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists — similar numbers to last season, when he was snubbed initially.

But he doesn't expect to make it.

''Obviously I've been in this situation before, but my hopes are not high,'' Williams said.

It's not as if Williams could play in the game anyway. Rehabilitating a sprained left shoulder, he wouldn't be ready in time to participate. Still, there is a matter of getting some respect. Last year, the Cavs were vocal about the Williams snub but it did little good.

Right after the league announced rosters, Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson went down with an injury. Instead of calling Williams, Commissioner David Stern turned to the Boston Celtics' Ray Allen. Williams only got the nod when the Toronto Raptors' Chris Bosh couldn't play due to injury.

''From the jump, there was just one of us and we had to fight for it, but I've learned to expect the worst,'' Williams said. ''You look at last year. Orlando had three guys. We had one guy. Somebody else had three guys.''

Williams said there might have been a reason for the snub last year, the fact that the Cavs hadn't beaten any elite teams. They had been swept by the Los Angeles Lakers and battered by the Magic."