We know what N.B.A. All-Star voting has typically been: a chance for fans to participate in the selection process for a showcase. No registration is required to prove that one knows Kobe Bryant from Krusty the Clown. It’s a popularity contest that cannot be taken seriously.

But that’s only for the starters. It is the coaches who choose the reserves. It is the coaches who talk about respecting the game, playing it right and recognizing substance over style. They understand, or should understand, the immeasurable contributions that win the games that count the most.

In the case of the Western Conference, what is the coaches’ excuse for discounting Tim Duncan?

Something is wrong when Duncan — a 14-time All-Star and 4-time champion, who missed a fifth ring by the thinnest of margins last spring — is not shown the same respect as other N.B.A. greats. When Duncan — at 37, still playing at a remarkably high level for a San Antonio team that remains stubbornly among the elite — is not rewarded for all that he has been and still is.

Many who know Duncan will shrug and cite his career-long reticence when it comes to promotional forums and platforms.