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Stephen Dunn/Getty Images If we were to take the players that "should" be starting, it would be Kevin Durant (who is second behind Kobe Bryant in Western Conference voting), Duncan and Griffin. Dwight Howard isn't having the year that either of the other two are having.So who is having the better season? Well, that's going to take a few questions before we can really nail down an answer.As far as being a certifiable All-Star goes, there are a lot of qualifications a player must meet. Obviously it helps if he's on a good team, but the impact he makes on a team can be taken into consideration regardless of the team's record.Overall, it's wise to look at how productive a player has been statistically, while balancing a more intangible-based observation at the same time.Of course, you can't ignore the fact that this game is for the fans, that's why they vote. There is some intrinsic value in how fun it is to watch a guy play basketball.That being said, the most basic place to start is to look at each player statistically.Tim Duncan is coming into the home stretch averaging 17.1 points per game on 50 percent shooting. He's piling on 9.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and a combined 3.5 blocks and steals, all while committing just 1.7 fouls per game and turning the ball over twice.Griffin, meanwhile, is averaging 17.7 points on 53.4 percent shooting, dropping in 8.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a combined 2.1 steals and blocks.Simply put, Griffin is having the better offensive season and Duncan is having the better defensive season.Both players have shown an impressive amount of improvement compared to last season-only when you're talking about Duncan it's not so much improvement as it is a "turn back the clock" type season.The thing that impresses me most about Duncan is the fact that he is anchoring San Antonio's defense without the help of an above-average frontcourt player to manage the post alongside him.Duncan's improvement is almost solely responsible for bringing defense back into the forefront for the Spurs, as San Antonio's defensive efficiency ranking moved from 10th in the league last season to fourth this year.In reality, he is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate.Meanwhile, Griffin has shown a ton of improvement compared to a season ago in a way that makes it seem he's taking the necessary steps to really become a much better player in the coming seasons, and it's starting this season.Pretending he doesn't have a post-game is a part of the past. Few players have as strong a drop-step, and his hook shot is becoming a piece of beauty. On top of that, his mid-range shot is steadily improving; he's shooting 38 percent from outside of the paint, compared to 34 percent two years ago.Griffin takes high-percentage shots directly at the rim because he can. He's able to get there as easily as any other big man in the NBA.Tim Duncan swingman JerseyTim Duncan swingman Jersey,, Tim Duncan Authentic Jersey, Tony Parker road Jersey,Tim Duncan Authentic Jersey, Tony Parker road Jersey