Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin managed to crack into the top-5 of Western Conference All-Star backcourt for the second straight season, though it looked he would come up again short this year as Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and Golden State Warriors hot shots Stephen Curry continue to occupy the top two spots.

Fresh from a shoe endorsement deal with German shoe and apparel-maker Adidas, Lin has been doing pretty well in his reserve role for the Rockets. While All-Star shooting guard James Harden and Patrick Beverley got the starting nod in the backcourt, the former Harvard University hot shot has been putting up solid stats off the bench as he's averaging 14.1 points, 4.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game this season.

Lin has shown significant improvement in his shooting strokes without losing his fearlessness to attack the rim. He was also able to limit his turnovers and make good decision at the point throughout the season, especially after Beverley sat out with an injury.

But despite showing upgrades in his all-around skills, Lin is still far away from reaching All-Star status, at least in the NBA. Without a doubt, Lin is already a marketing superstar as evidenced by his deal with Adidas and growing fanbase all over the world. However, playing in an All-Star game is probably one of the greatest achievements a pro basketball player would ever have, and being part of the mid-season classic is surely one of Lin's aspirations growing up.

Unfortunately for him, his relegations to the bench have cost him to become a legitimate candidate for the All-Star nod. Though he remains a top-5 vote-getter of Western Conference All-Star backcourt starters, Lin is hundred thousands away from topping the like of Curry, Paul and Bryant, who obviously deserve to be in New Orleans.

Jean-Paul Salamanca of Latino Post provided a better picture why Lin will not make it in this year's All-Star spectacle.

"When he has more touches, he produces more. Unfortunately, he had only so many shots as a starter last season because of the offense orbiting around Harden, and that number has dwindled now that he's been relegated to the bench," Salamanca stated.

"And let's be honest-unless you've been a mega-star in the league or 10 or so years with a hefty resume, a stats sheet that has 14.2 points coming from a bench reserve guy isn't likely going to get you that many votes for the All-Star game. It's part mathematics and it's partially the body of work that an NBA player has put up beforehand. As was the case last year, Lin may have come up a few points short of serious consideration for the All-Star Game. However, unlike last year, it is not the case of Lin," he added.

As one of Lin's avid follower, it's frustrating to see the hardworking Rockets point guard to miss the chance to play alongside the best basketball ambassadors in the planet. Yes, his numbers aren't All-Star worthy, but no Asian-American baller has been better than Linsanity. It's a matter of representation, and Lin has the traits to show that Asians can play ball too, big time!