Mo Williams is hopeful, but after what happened last year, he’s not going to wait by his BlackBerry. His numbers are roughly the same as a year ago, his scoring slightly down but his assists slightly up as he facilitates more when Shaquille O’Neal on the team.

But after last season, when the Cavs also had the best record in the league at this point and he was passed over, Williams can’t help but expect a snub.

“To be honest, I’m expecting not to make it,” Williams said. “I’ve learned to expect the worst. I’ve been in this situation before. My hopes are not high, I’ll tell you that.”

Coach Mike Brown, who cannot vote for his own players, campaigned for Williams last week. He also thinks O’Neal should merit consideration, though admits his reduced role compared to past years may play a factor in the voting.

“Mo definitely is deserving; he’s an All-Star in my mind,” Brown said. “Shaq is in a different situation because we’ve held him back minute-wise and haven’t gotten him the ball as much as we could. His numbers aren’t what they could be.”