Tag: 2020 All-Star Game

Report: NBA expanding team personnel permitted into Orlando bubble

Although fans won’t be permitted, the league is allowing another class of spectator into its Orlando games.

With the NBA having spent more than $100 million to build its campus in Orlando, the sanctity and security of the so-called “bubble” has been discussed quite a bit.

The league has reportedly opened up a hotline for people within the bubble to report others who are breaking rules, and at least two players have been “sentenced” to mandatory quarantines after leaving the confines of the campus.

Despite those facts — and despite the fact that the State of Florida continues to be the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic — according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the NBA is expanding the number of team personnel permitted to enter.

Specifically, according to Amick, team governors and team scouts will be permitted to spectate beginning with the seeding games that are to begin on July 30.

All entrants into the bubble, of course, must return a negative result from a COVID-19 test, though. And all entrants will only have access to the arenas where games will be played, meaning no personal contact with players.

From Amick:

The league sent a memo to teams this week saying that team governors would be permitted to attend seeding games and that the eight teams not fielding teams in Orlando can send representatives to scout games when the season restarts on July 30, league sources told The Athletic.

Despite the allowance, the number of NBA teams willing to send personnel remains to be seen. The lack of in-person meetings limits the intel that can be gathered, and the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 while in Florida and staying in an off-site hotel may outweigh the benefit.

Still, teams do have the option, and it stands to reason that, at a minimum, the league is confident that it can loosen some of the restrictions of its bubble while keeping its players safe.

Steven Adams just as shocked at Chris Paul’s dunk as everybody else

Adams jokingly said he was surprised by Paul’s dunk because the percentage he makes in the layup line is “fairly low”.

It wasn’t just the media and the fans that Chris Paul surprised with his two-handed slam during last Sunday’s All-Star Game.

It was also his teammate, Steven Adams.

Adams is much more used to Paul throwing up the lobs than to see him being the one throwing them down.

Adams told Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman that he was “shocked” by the fact that Paul was able to get up for the slam based on the fact that CP3 apparently hasn’t been too successful in the dunking department before games.

“I was shocked because the amount of dunks that he attempted in our layup line, you know, the percentage that he actually made was rather low. And that was with one hand. But he got up there on the two-hand. It was really impressive. It looked easy.”

Dunks probably seem a lot easier to the 6’11” Adams than they do to the 6’1” Paul.

Paul led the Thunder to a 113-101 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. He shot 11-of-17 from the floor, but no dunks in his first game back from the All-Star break.

On Sunday, Paul got up on an alley-oop from Russell Westbrook in Team LeBron’s 157-155 win over Team Giannis.

It wasn’t nearly as flashy as the dunks showcased during the Rising Stars Challenge or the AT&T Dunk Contest, but it was one of the most talked-about from All-Star Weekend.

Considering Adams hit his first career 3-pointer in OKC’s win over the Pelicans on Feb. 13, maybe during next year’s All-Star Weekend, he can compete in the 3-point contest and Paul can show off in the Dunk Contest.

Chris Paul: All-Star. All style. He’s at No. 5 in the latest rankings

Paul showed out in Chicago in a Pyer Moss fit complete with a mustard yellow beanie and white non-high top Nike Air Jordan Ones.

Chris Paul spent the weekend in Chicago sporting All-Star style both on and off the court.

All-Star Weekend not just about the competitions, contests, and challenges. It’s also an opportunity for the league’s biggest stars to show up and show out at various events, dinners, and parties that accompany the festivities.

Paul is no stranger to The Athletic’s NBA Style Power Rankings and has taken the top spot on several occasions this season.

For his fit in Chicago, however, Paul landed squarely in the middle of the list, coming in at No. 5 in his Pyer Moss Cropped Trucker Jacket and “Rock Me” track pants.

NBA players will singlehandedly be putting Kirby Jean-Raymond’s great grandchildren through college at this rate. That’s how much the young Haitian American designer’s brand Pyer Moss is beloved around the league. It’s hard to go a week or even a day without spotting an NBA guy in one of fashion’s trendiest brands. All-Star weekend was no different for Chris Paul, who has been consistently sporting the brand all season.

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Now entering, #NBAAllStar.

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However, Paul’s ensemble wasn’t completely exempt from criticism.

Overall, we mostly enjoyed the look, but wish Paul didn’t go all match matchy on us with that yellow beanie. And for the 10000000th week in a row, we wish he’d let go of his addiction to non-hightop Nike Air Jordan Ones.

A look at some of the best looks that landed Paul on the list earlier in the season:

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support yours ✊🏽

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ride with the mob 😤

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Chris Paul feeling ‘refreshed’ in his first season in OKC

Paul sat down with ESPN’s Maria Taylor during All-Star Weekend to talk about the positives and negatives of his first year in Oklahoma City.

There is no question that Chris Paul has looked like a new player this year.

Or maybe, more accurately, he looks like the player he was nearly a decade ago.

The rebirth of CP3 was on full display during All-Star Weekend, complete with a career-best 23 points in the All-Star Game and even a high-flying dunk.

In his first season with the Thunder, Paul’s scoring is up from a year ago, his shooting percentage is significantly improved and maybe most importantly, his health has been excellent.

The veteran guard has been vocal about the benefits of going vegan during the offseason.

But it’s not just the change in diet that has Paul feeling good, it’s also a change in scenery. Paul sat down with ESPN’s Maria Taylor ahead of the All-Star Game and told her that he felt “refreshed” in his first season in OKC.

“I was having an amazing time out in LA. And that first year in Houston was unbelievable. It was just a different way of playing. You know, but the ultimate goal was to win a championship. But in that time, had that terrible injury. Being injured, you can lose confidence, all the different-type stuff going through your head, but it’s been refreshing being in Oklahoma and the biggest thing, too, is being healthy.

One of the biggest knocks against Paul prior to this season was his inability to stay healthy.

From 2017 through 2019, he missed time due to various injuries that included his knees, hip, groin, and hamstring, including a five-week absence last year with the Rockets while nursing a right hamstring injury

Paul played in just 58 games in each of his two seasons in Houston. This year in Oklahoma City, he’s already played in 54, and the only game he missed was for personal reasons immediately following the death of Kobe Bryant.

Paul said during the interview that he’s noticed a difference this season in his ability to recover faster, primarily due to his vegan diet, and that he feels he’s at his best on the second day of back-to-backs.

Oklahoma City returns to action on Friday night when they host the Denver Nuggets.

Jayson Tatum used his All-Star bid to learn from his teammates

Might as well learn from the best when you have the chance, which is exactly what third-year Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum did with his first All-Star bid.

If you’re playing with the best players in the world, you might as well study a little while you’re at it.

And that’s exactly what Boston Celtics third-year swingman Jayson Tatum did after getting his first All-Star bid, watching his teammates and asking questions about how to improve his game.

It’s exactly what you’d want to see a young player with big aspirations doing in such a situation, which bodes well for the team’s future under the tenure of the nascent superstar.

One such player Tatum sought out was Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul, who helped hem up the Duke product on defense when their two teams met the week before the All-Star game, reports NBC Sports Boston’s A. Sherrod Blakeley.

“It’s real cool, especially coming from Chris,” said Tatum. “He’s been a really good player for a really long time; I’m trying to be like that, too.”

Conversely, some credit should be sent Paul’s way, as he had no obligation to help the young forward crib from his bag of tricks. The Thunder veteran didn’t divulge everything he could, of course — but enough to help pass the torch to a player who should be making waves in the NBA for years to come.

“He didn’t show me everything,” offered Tatum. “But he showed me a couple things.”

“I’m gonna try and use that next time we play” he added.

Depending on how that meeting goes (it will take place at TD Garden on March 6), we might see some stars start to get a little more circumspect about sharing their craft with the young killer.

Who, after all, wants to help themselves get beaten?

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Chris Paul posts touching Kobe tribute after All-Star Game victory

Paul shared a clip from a Kobe Bryant interview in which the late Lakers star discussed changes he wanted to see in future All-Star Games.

Chris Paul admitted that at times, the All-Star Game was tough.

Not because the best in the league were competing like it was Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but because they were playing, in part, in memory of Kobe Bryant.

The league made sure to honor the late Lakers great throughout the weekend. They renamed the MVP award to the Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP Trophy, both Team Giannis and Team LeBron wore No. 24 and No. 2 jerseys for Kobe and his daughter Gianna, Magic Johnson delivered a eulogy and Jennifer Hudson sang. To name a few.

But it was Paul that pointed out that the best way that the NBA honored the legacy of Kobe is the way both teams competed in the All-Star Game.

And on Monday, Paul posted a touching tribute to Bryant, linking a video from a portion of an interview that Kobe gave on the Knuckleheads podcast back in September 2019.

You ALWAYS pushed us to be more competitive!!! I’m grateful to be in a position to make players voices heard and honor you as a fierce competitor. We’re ALL fans of the game after all!!! #MambaMentality

On the podcast, Bryant talked about improvements he had wanted to see in future All-Star Games and how he and Paul had discussed their ideas for possible changes.

“The All Star Game in general needs a little revamping, because it used to be competitive. Fans want to see the best pick-up game in the world…Me and CP used to talk all the time—I don’t think me and CP ever lost a game. And we used to look at each other and say OK, ‘Let’s go. 4th quarter, let’s go get em.”

The NBA announced changes to the All-Star Game format on Jan. 30, four days after Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Among those changes was the new Elam ending that was suggested by Paul over the summer.

Paul said Sunday night that he was constantly checking with players throughout the game to see how they liked the format, with LeBron James telling USA Today that it was “extremely fun and a great way to end the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend”.

Love and Miss you Bean!! Was the first time I’ve played in the All-Star game without you. But one thing WE ALWAYS did was COMPETE!!! Hope we didn’t let you down!! #MambaMentality #Mambacita #ASW2020

In his 10th All-Star Game, Paul made a case for winning the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP, scoring a career-best 23 points to go along with six assists as Team LeBron defeated Team Giannis 157-155.

Watch: Steph Curry fired up after Giannis Antetokounmpo’s All-Star block on LeBron James

Stephen Curry was fired up watching the 2020 NBA All-Star Game at home.

The 2020 edition of the NBA All-Star game had a different feel to it. In Chicago, the NBA switched up how the star-studded exhibition was decided. Each quarter was split up into stand-alone periods, with the winner getting $100,000 donated to charity.

The most exciting change came in the final period. The fourth quarter was played with no time; instead, the game was decided by a point total — similar to pick-up basketball.

The new format provided fireworks. A game known for showing off turned into a legitimate competition. All-Stars were passing the ball to get an efficient shot, taking charges and playing defense.

One of the key defensive moments came from the reigning Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo. The “Greek Freak” met LeBron James at the rim to send him away with an emphatic block. The swat was initially called goaltending, but after review, it was ruled a clean block. However, James had the last laugh when his team edged out Team Giannis, 157-156.

Although the game was exciting, it was still missing the presence of six-time All-Star, Stephen Curry. The Golden State Warriors’ guard has only played four games this season due to his hand injury, yet still finished in the top-10 of Western Conference voting.

Curry’s absence from All-Star festivities didn’t stop him from tuning in. Ayesha Curry posted a story on her Instagram with her husband cheering after Antetokounmpo’s block on James.

Reports have targeted March for Curry’s return to the court from injury. The injured guard will have around 20 games with Golden State to knock off the rust before getting back to an All-Star campaign next season. Curry will have the chance to make his debut in the new All-Star Game format next year in Indianapolis, Indiana.

All-Star Weekend ‘special’ for Chris Paul

In his first appearance in the All-Star Game since 2016, Chris Paul scored a career-best 23 points helping Team LeBron to a 157-155 victory.

“It was fun.”

That’s what Chris Paul said as he sat at the podium after Team Lebron’s 157-155 win over Team Giannis in Sunday night’s All-Star Game.

Paul scored a career-best 23 points to go along with six assists, making a solid argument for his second All-Star Game MVP, although the honor of the inaugural Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP ended up going to Kawhi Leonard.

Paul proved that he was still every bit the All-Star caliber player that fans had gotten accustomed to seeing during his nine-year run in which he was selected to every game from 2008 through 2016.

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THROW IT DOWN CP! 🤯

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The three-year hiatus in between All-Star Games was part of what made this year’s more meaningful.

“The weekend was special because for me I hadn’t played in the game since 2016,” said Paul. “It was fun, especially to have my family, my kids get a chance to experience this stuff with me.”

As a whole, the All-Star Game was about a lot more than just having fun this year.

The league went to great lengths to honor the late Kobe Bryant, with multiple tributes throughout the weekend, including all the members of Team Giannis wearing Kobe’s No. 24 and all the members of Team LeBron donning his daughter Gianna’s No. 2.

Though they wanted to honor Kobe, Paul admitted that it was difficult at times throughout the weekend.

“It was tough early, especially early,” Paul revealed. “For a lot of us, it’s still surreal. It’s not real until you start showing pictures and talking about it. But I think the best way we could honor Kobe, Gigi, and everyone involved was to play like we played.”

Paul also said that he’d like to see the NBA continue having both teams play for charity in the All-Star Game, another new component of the game that was implemented this year. He said without the fans, there’s no reason for the All-Star Game to exist.

“Sometimes people lose sight of the purpose of All-Star Weekend. It’s really a big “thank you” to the fans and all the people that support us,” Paul said. “We go out there and compete night-in and night-out, but there’s no ‘us’ without the fans.”

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will be Sunday, Feb. 14 in Indianapolis.

Frank Vogel: Chris Paul a ‘big reason’ for Team Lebron’s win in ASG

Team LeBron defeated Team Giannis 157-155 in Sunday night’s All-Star Game, the first year that the league utilized the Elam Ending.

Chris Paul was in peak form during Sunday night’s All-Star Game.

He was throwing lobs, hitting threes and even shocking social media by throwing down a two-handed slam.

But he was also playing defense (and fouling to stop fast breaks), something that hasn’t always gone hand-in-hand with All-Star Games in the past.

On Sunday, Team LeBron beat Team Giannis 157-155 in a thrilling finish (even if it did end on free throws), thanks in part of the new Elam Ending that was instituted by the NBA this year, a change that was suggested by Paul.

Team LeBron entered the fourth quarter trailing by nine, meaning they had some ground to make up to get to the target number of 157 first.

Frank Vogel, who coached Team LeBron, told SB Nation that Paul was a big part of the comeback.

“He told me early in the day that he wasn’t one of those vets that just likes to take a rest in a game like this, that he wants to come in and win a game and help our guys win a game. All the young guys throughout the course of the game, every time they made a mistake or didn’t play defense, he was yelling at them. So he got us — not only got us to the finish line but also provided great leadership and some big plays in that fourth quarter down the stretch.”

Paul scored a career-best 23 points in his 10th All-Star appearance, making a compelling case for the inaugural Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP award, which ultimately went to Kawhi Leonard.

According to SB Nation, Paul ended Sunday with a “game-high offensive rating of 192.5”. To go along with his 23 points, Paul also dished out six assists, “just 15 below Magic Johnson for the all-time All-Star Game lead”.

It was Paul’s first All-Star Game since the 2015-16 season. He said during media day Saturday that being selected to the All-Star game is “always something special” and something he “never takes for granted”.

Team Giannis targeted James Harden on defense, and it failed

In the All-Star Game, James Harden proved Giannis Antetokounmpo wrong in his apparent assessments of Harden on defense and as a passer.

Team Giannis captain Giannis Antetokounmpo said after Sunday’s All-Star Game in Chicago that his team’s late strategy was to attack Houston Rockets star James Harden on the defensive end.

It didn’t work. In 17 game minutes, Harden tallied 11 points and six assists while recording the only positive point differential among Team LeBron starters, and he also contributed to several key defensive stops late in the fourth quarter to help lead his team to victory (box score).

Speaking postgame, Antetokounmpo said:

Offensively, we were just trying to find whoever James Harden was guarding. That’s who we thought we’d have the opportunity to score on.

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That assertion, however, isn’t backed by data. Per NBA.com statistics, Harden is giving up just 0.87 points per possession this season as an isolation defender. He’s even better than that in post defense, where he allows just 0.55 points per possession and ranks in the 95th percentile.

Houston’s new small-ball scheme is effective in part because the presence of Harden — despite his 6-foot-5 height — still allows the Rockets to successfully defend low-post scorers. That versatility also worked in the All-Star Game for Team LeBron, which had Harden defending a wide variety of players from guards to big men.

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Harden also got a bit of revenge on Antetokounmpo, his rival in the race for the NBA’s 2019 MVP award, on the offensive end. When the game’s teams were drafted two weeks ago by Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, the Milwaukee star selected Boston’s Kemba Walker over Harden for his team — allegedly for his willingness to pass the ball.

As it turned out, Walker had three assists in 29 minutes, while Harden was tied for the lead on Team LeBron with six assists in just 17 minutes.

If there’s a rivalry brewing between the NBA’s two most recent MVPs, we’ll get another chance to see it next month, when Harden and the Rockets (34-20) visit Antetokounmpo and the Bucks (46-8) on March 25. Until then, Harden gets to enjoy having the last word.

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