NEW YORK — As mentioned in a previous column regarding Shaquille O'Neal, referees are usually first to recognize when a player earns or exhausts All-Star treatment.

Fans always are last.

NBA head coaches are apt to go either way. They've been known to be quick on the draw and slow on the uptake, depending on how much attention they pay to league play past their next opponent.

Unfortunately, picking the starters in next month's hoedown in New Orleans depreciated into a predictable popularity contest, as evidenced by the people's choice of Dwyane Wade and Jason Kidd; individual statistics and showmanship took priority over Miami's ghastly 8-33 record, and New Jersey's grungy 18-25 mark.

I haven't seen such big losers since NBC's rotund realism show.

Almost everyone agrees the selection of Yao Ming, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard and LeBron James is downright deserved. The privilege and responsibility of deciding the seven nuclear subs for the East and West squads belongs to the coaches. While powerless to right the above wrongs, they're in prime position to reward leaders of winning clubs, ensure reputation isn't the benchmark for entree at the expense of someone else, and no lifetime achievement award is bestowed to Shaq, as one TV viewer suggested.

According to outmoded rules of All-Star engagement (rosters have been set at 12 since pre-David Stern when there were 14 teams; we've had 30 since the Raptors and Grizzlies came aboard for the 1995-96 season), at least one center, two guards and two forwards must be added to each squad. The remaining two spots may be filled intuitively.

To avoid being accused of copying from the coaches I've elected to post my preferences before their vote is announced Jan. 31.

If the cutoff equation is the equator (your team must be playing above .500), then the East's representatives almost (the operative word) identify themselves; regrettably, it says here, the standard disqualifies Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace and Josh Smith. Chris Bosh (averaging 22.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game) is a lock; if for no other reason, he and Isiah Thomas helped save Canadian basketball.

Caron Butler (career high 21.5 ppg along with 6.9 boards, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals) and Antawn Jamison (a 20-10 man, one of but five in the league) have kept the Wizards relevant.

More importantly, they give Washington an anti-Gilbert Arenas vaccine.

Paul Pierce can't miss. His Celtics own the league's elite winning percentage and he leads them in scoring (20.4) and assists (5.0).

What's more, P-Squared has upgraded his defense and blended beautifully with K.G. and Ray Allen in their first legacy-seeking season together.

It's unfeasible to settle on Rip Hamilton (50.3 field-goal percentage, 18.8 points) without opting for Chauncey Billups (17.9 points, 7.1 assists) and the same back to front.

At the same time, Rasheed Wallace's wide-ranging contribution to Detroit's winning ways (31-13) gives him the edge at backup center over Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

No doubt a strong case can be made for Ray Allen (18.2 points) over one of the Pistons' guards, but in this space you can't have one without the other.

Jose Calderon (a league-leading 5.44 assist-to-turnover ratio) is the East's classic casualty (Hedo Turkoglu — 19.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists — is runnerup), due to the fans' careless commitment to Kidd. Should the concord of coaches pick either of the above (as opposed to Billups or Hamilton) I promise not to go to arbitration.

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AT LEAST IN the West fans found a successful quintet.

Maintaining that strict line of demarcation, I declare unrequited love for Brandon Roy, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, David West, Tyson Chandler, and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Seven complex conclusions, in other words; 15 rarified reinforcements and less than half the openings.

No matter how it's assessed or who is deemed worthy, each right turn serpentines into hurt feelings. Then again, it's not possible to be incorrect.

I feel so much better having taken myself off the hook.

Of course Nash goes to the Big Easy; leads the league in assists (12.1) and an honest day's work.

Paul is his Nash's assist and MVP heir apparent.

How close in the standings would the Blazers be to the Sonics and Timberwolves minus Roy's points, passes and polished poise?

Such precociousness and conscientiousness must be compensated for all to emulate. Who doesn't love Boozer's parts, labor and service chart?

Nowitzki has expanded his game and scope with only a transient hitch in his step at the outset, though Howard may very well be the Mavericks' toughest and best all-around player.

Stoudemire (22.7 points, 2.2 blocks) was my backup center pick on NBA TV.

Truth be told, the words came out of the mouth of co-host/ventriloquist Roy Johnson, ghostwriter of Charles Barkley's autobiography. And here all this time I thought Barkley's contention he had been misquoted was far-fetched.

I'm actually swearing allegiance to Camby, the league's second-leading rebounder (14.4), top shot-blocker (3.93) and the Nuggets' indispensable defensive-do-it-all.

The Warriors have won 26 times in their last 38 tries. While I realize you're only as good, ahem, as your coach, the Baron of Basketball (22.3 points, 8.1 assists and 2.50 steals) appears to have had a sliver of something to do with it.

Peter Vecsey covers the NBA for the New York Post.