Tag: 2020 All-Star weekend

Gilgeous-Alexander scores 16 as Team World falls to Team USA 151-131

The Thunder guard was one of six players for Team World to score in double figures but Team USA won the Rising Stars Challenge 151-131.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points in the Rising Stars Game as the All-Star festivities kicked off inside the United Center in Chicago on Friday night.

Gilgeous-Alexander shot 7-of-15 from the floor and was one of four starters that played 24 minutes for Team World, as they fell to Team USA 151-131.

Fellow Canadian, RJ Barrett, scored a game-high 27 points and was one the players throwing it down as the game devolved into an impromptu dunk contest in the final minutes.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored the majority of his points in the first half, heading into the break with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

Two of those came on a play where SGA showed off his crazy handles, going behind his back and between his legs to get past both Ja Morant and Trae Young, before finishing at the rim with his signature Shai scoop.

It’s was the second consecutive appearance in the Rising Stars Game for Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out six assists in Team World’s 161-144 loss to Team USA.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s All-Star Weekend isn’t over just yet.

He will represent the Thunder on Saturday night when he participates in his first Skills Challenge, taking the place of Pistons guard, Derrick Rose, who won the competition back in 2009.

Rose withdrew from the competition last week due to a reported injury.

What SGA’s second Rising Stars Game means for his All-Star future

Gilgeous-Alexander is playing in his second-straight Rising Stars Game and is one of four Canadians on the roster for Team World.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earned a starting nod in Friday night’s Rising Stars Game that kicked off the 2020 All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

A member of Team World, it’s the second-straight Rising Stars appearance for Gilgeous-Alexander, who was selected to last year’s squad as a rookie.

In that game, he scored 15 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists, although Team USA beat Team World, 161-144.

In his first season for Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander is the Thunder’s leading scorer, averaging 19.5 points per game and second on the team in rebounding, pulling down 6.1 boards per game.

It’s not just the statistics that have earned Gilgeous-Alexander a spot showcasing his talents inside the United Center, although they certainly don’t hurt.

He has displayed exponential growth since coming to OKC, essentially ensuring that the Thunder, whenever they do decide to rebuild, won’t have to hit rock bottom before they’re capable of bouncing back and being a title contender.

Gilgeous-Alexander is one of four Canadians on the Team World roster this year, joined by his cousin Nickeil Walker-Alexander, RJ Barrett, and Brandon Clarke.

As noted by Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman, Gilgeous-Alexander’s selection to a second-straight Rising Stars Game as a good indicator of future All-Star appearances. According to Mussatto, in the 25 years that the NBA has held a Rising Stars Game (formerly the Rookie Challenge) 30.5% of the players who participated have gone on to be All-Stars.

And if Gilgeous-Alexander keeps producing plays like the behind the back, through the legs, Shai scoop, it probably won’t be much longer.

Gilgeous-Alexander is also competing in Saturday night’s Skills Challenge, replacing Derrick Rose who dropped out due to injury.

Report: Brandon Ingram questionable Thursday vs. Thunder

Ingram has missed the last two games with a right ankle sprain. He’s averaging a career-best 24.9 points in his first year for New Orleans.

New Orleans’ All-Star power forward, Brandon Ingram, is questionable to play in Thursday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

According to the team’s injury report, Ingram is still nursing a sprained right ankle. He also sat out the Pelicans’ last two games, wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and the Indiana Pacers, with the injury.

In his first year in the Big Easy, Ingram has had a breakout season. It’s also earned him his first All-Star nod. His numbers are up across the board including point production (24.9 points per game), rebounds (6.4 per game), and assists (4.2 per game).

He’s also improved his 3-point and free-throw percentage, hitting 40% of his shots from beyond the arc, which is up seven percent from last year, and 86.2% from the charity stripe, an increase of almost 20%.

There has been no additional word about whether or not the injury will prevent Ingram from participating in the All-Star Game on Feb. 16.

For the Thunder, rookie Darius Bazley remains out with a bone bruise in his right knee. As of this writing, everyone else is available.

Thursday night’s game between Oklahoma City and the Pelicans is the last game for both teams prior to All-Star Weekend. Tip-off inside the Smoothie King Center is at 7 p.m. CT.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to replace Derrick Rose in Skills Challenge

Gilgeous-Alexander will compete in his first All-Star Skills Challenge for Derrick Rose, who withdrew from the competition on Wednesday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was already putting his skills on display in the Rising Stars game during All-Star Weekend. Now he’ll show them off in the Skills Challenge as well.

Gilgeous-Alexander will replace Pistons guard, Derrick Rose, who dropped out of the Skills Challenge on Wednesday night as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Per Eric Woodyard of ESPN, Rose’s decision not to participate in the competition was “injury-related”.

Gilgeous-Alexander is already playing in his second-straight Rising Stars game as part of All-Star Weekend.

In his first Rising Stars game as a rookie, SGA scored 15 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists, although Team World lost to the U.S. 161-144.

Joining Gilgeous-Alexander in the Skills Challenge is fellow Kentucky alum, Bam Adebayo (Heat), Patrick Beverley (Clippers), Spencer Dinwiddie (Nets), Khris Middleton (Bucks), former Thunder center, Domantas Sabonis (Pacers), Pascal Siakam (Raptors) and Jayson Tatum (Celtics).

Tatum is the reigning Skills champion, while Dinwiddie took home the title in 2018. Patrick Beverly is the only player in the field with a Skills Challenge crown, having won the event in 2015.

The 2020 Taco Bell Skills Challenge will air on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 9 p.m. EST on TNT.

Hamidou Diallo won’t defend Slam Dunk title

The second-year guard is not on the list of players participating in the Slam Dunk contest after winning as a rookie in 2019.

Superman won’t be flying again this year.

The NBA released the list of players participating in the 2020 Slam Dunk contest on Tuesday afternoon and the reigning champion, Hamidou Diallo, is not among them.

Diallo won the Slam Dunk contest as a rookie in 2019, earning a perfect score for his dunk where he hurdled Shaquille O’Neal and then hung on the rim by his right elbow.

It’s that right elbow that has been an issue for Diallo this season.

The second-year guard had recently acknowledged that he’d like to defend his title but said that it depended on his health.

Diallo missed 17 games earlier this year after suffering a hyperextension injury to his right elbow during a loss to the Lakers in late November. He returned Dec. 31 against the Dallas Mavericks.

In 30 games this year, Diallo is averaging 6.6 points and shooting 44.4% from the field.

Though he’s not going to participate in the contest this year, Diallo can still throw it down.

Players participating in the Slam Dunk contest this year are Dwight Howard, who is making his return after winning the event 12 years ago in 2008, Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Pat Connaughton, Orlando Magic power forward Aaron Gordon, and Miami Heat small forward Derrick Jones Jr.

The 2020 AT&T Dunk Contest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. CT on TNT.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander selected to second-straight Rising Stars game

Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the Thunder in scoring this year at 19.5 points per game and is one of four players from Canada on Team World.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a rising star in the NBA.

And on Friday, the league made it official. Gilgeous-Alexander was named to his second-straight Rising Stars game as part of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend.

Gilgeous-Alexander is leading the Oklahoma City Thunder in scoring this year at 19.5 points per game. He’s also made NBA history several times this season, including an impressive 20-rebound triple-double on Jan. 13 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It’s the second-straight selection to the Rising Stars game for Gilgeous-Alexander. He made Team World as a rookie last year, scoring 15 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists in the U.S.’s 161-144 win.

Gilgeous-Alexander is one of four Canadians selected to the World roster the year.

Joining him are Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Canada); Deandre Ayton (Bahamas); RJ Barrett (Canada); Memphis Brandon Clarke (Canada); Rui Hachimura (Japan); Moritz Wagner (Germany); Svi Mykhailiuk (Ukraine); and Josh Okogie (Nigeria).

Miles Bridges (Charlotte); Wendell Carter Jr. (Chicago); Devonte’ Graham (Charlotte); Tyler Herro (Miami); Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis); Ja Morant (Memphis); Kendrick Nunn (Miami); Eric Paschall (Golden State); PJ Washington (Charlotte); Zion Williamson (New Orleans); and Trae Young (Atlanta) were named to the U.S. Team

The rosters are selected by the league’s assistant coaches.

The Rising Stars game will be played on Friday, Feb. 14 and will tip-off at 8 p.m. CT on TNT.