2024 All-Star Game – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reveals what the Thunder need to win championship

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reveals what the Thunder need to win a championship.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Oklahoma City Thunder have entered the contention conversation this season despite their youthfulness.

The Thunder (37-17) are one game out of first place in the Western Conference at the All-Star break. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP-esque season has elevated OKC to among the best teams in the league.

When asked during his All-Star media session what the Thunder need to do to win a championship, Gilgeous-Alexander said what they need the most is more time.

“Usually experience, the teams that have gone through multiple playoff series and multiple guys that have gotten to that level know what it takes to get over the hump and do so,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s something that, honestly, just has to come with us playing in more games. Maybe we give it time. Maybe we don’t.

“But we have no ceiling on what we think we can do this year. We kind of take the same mentality and just stay in the moment, plug away every day. Where we get at the end of the year, whenever the end of our season is, we’ll look back and make adjustments and try to figure out then. As of right now, we just try to stay focused on the task at hand.”

It might not be a flashy answer, but it’s the probable correct one. The Thunder will need to undergo battle scars in the playoffs to have sustainable success, as most teams who were also in their shoes did.

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2024 All-Star game: What Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said during his presser

2024 All-Star game: What Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said during his presser.

INDIANAPOLIS — The 2024 All-Star practice occurred on Saturday, which included every All-Star speaking to the media afterward.

This included Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who will enjoy the weekend festivities as a first-time All-Star starter. The 25-year-old has blossomed into one of the best players in the league, being heavily considered in the MVP conversation.

The press conference was highlighted by his thoughts on the Thunder and who could be the face of the league.

In 53 games, he’s averaged 31.1 points on 54.6% shooting, 6.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds. The Thunder (37-17) are one game back from the first seed in the Western Conference standings.

Let’s recap what Gilgeous-Alexander had to say as he prepares for Sunday’s All-Star game.

Q&A: Dominique Wilkins on the state of the NBA’s dunk contest, underrated players and more

Basketball Hall of Fame forward Dominique Wilkins is one of just six players to have multiple wins in the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest.

Wilkins, a nine-time All-Star and former NBA scoring champion who was honored as one of the 75 greatest players in league history, will return to the city where he first won the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest in 1985. This time, he returns as a judge.

While star players like Wilkins rarely compete in the NBA’s AT&T Slam Dunk Contest these days, the “Human Highlight Film” told For The Win that he was pleased to see a top-tier player like Jaylen Brown participate this year.

We touched on lots more during our recent conversation with Wilkins.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

PHOTOS: Best images from 2024 Rising Stars challenge

2024 Rising Stars: Best photos that feature the three Thunder players.

INDIANAPOLIS — Jalen Rose’s squad won the 2024 Rising Stars challenge tournament with a game-winning 3-pointer by Jalen Williams.

Rose’s squad advanced to the finals following a tight 40-35 win over Tamika Catchings’ team in the semifinals. Williams had two points, three assists and three rebounds. Holmgren had five points on 2-of-4 shooting, three rebounds and one assist.

Meanwhile, Pau Gasol’s squad suffered a 41-36 loss in the semifinals to Detlef Schrempf’s roster. Cason Wallace contributed with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting and one assist.

Rose came out victorious in the finals over Schrempf, 26-13. Williams had five points on 2-of-3 shooting, three assists and two rebounds. He shot 1-of-2 from 3. Holmgren had two points, two rebounds, one block and one steal.

Let’s look at some of the best photos that feature the three Oklahoma City Thunder players.

Player grades: Jalen Williams hits game-winner in 2024 Rising Stars challenge

Player grades for the 3 Thunder players who participated in the 2024 Rising Stars challenge.

INDIANAPOLIS — Crossing the ball between his legs, Jalen Williams pulled up for the deep 3-pointer to clinch the Rising Stars win for Jalen Rose’s squad.

The game-clinching basket capped off an impressive two-game outing for Williams and Chet Holmgren. All three 2024 Rising Stars challenge matchups featured an Oklahoma City Thunder player.

“We were up a good amount of points to where if I missed, it didn’t matter,” Williams said on his game-winner. “… I fake ran a stack play so they can go under and I can shoot a three. I don’t know if the team knows that’s what I had intended but that’s what I was gonna do.”

Jalen Rose’s squad advanced to the finals following a tight 40-35 win over Tamika Catchings’ team in the semifinals. Williams had two points, three assists and three rebounds. Holmgren had five points on 2-of-4 shooting, three rebounds and one assist.

Meanwhile, Pau Gasol’s squad suffered a 41-36 loss in the semifinals to Detlef Schrempf’s roster. It was an upset as Schrempf’s roster was G League players and two-way players. Cason Wallace contributed with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting and one assist.

It’s a great opportunity to come out here and kind of just mingle with the guys,” Williams said on the Rising Stars. “It’s a unique platform, you play with people you probably wouldn’t play with. You’re playing in front of teammates you wouldn’t play with. It’s a good time to kind of play free.

“Win or lose, it doesn’t really matter. Shows what guys can do and kind of puts guys on the map as well.”

Holmgren added: “It’s a great opportunity to have fun and also put out a good product for the fans. Throughout the season, you don’t get a chance to talk to a lot of these guys. There were definitely some dudes who I thought, I don’t rock with this dude. He’s kind of weird. He be mean mugging. Then you get in the locker room with them, and they’re super cool.”

Let’s look at the Rising Stars challenge grades for the Thunder’s three players.

2024 Rising Stars practice: What Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace said

2024 Rising Stars practice: What Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace said.

INDIANAPOLIS — The NBA held their 2024 Rising Stars challenge media availability on Friday.

During the event, the Oklahoma City Thunder had the most representatives among NBA teams with Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace.

The trio has been part of an impressive Thunder (37-17) that sits a game back from first place in the Western Conference standings heading into the All-Star break.

Holmgren and Williams are part of the same squad with Jalen Rose while Wallace will be on Pau Gasol’s team. The full explanation and rosters of the four-team single-elimination tournament can be read here.

Here’s a quick recap of what Holmgren, Williams and Wallace had to say as they prepare for the weekend festivities.

2024 Rising Stars: Rosters, broadcast info and how the 4-team tournament works

2024 Rising Stars: Rosters, broadcast info and how the 4-team tournament works.

INDIANAPOLIS — The 2024 Rising Stars challenge will be held on Friday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. CT in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on TNT.

The four-team single-elimination tournament features seven-player rosters. Twenty-one players are NBA rookies and second-year players while the remaining seven are G League players and two-way players.

The three NBA rosters were drafted by Paul Gasol, Jalen Rose and Tamika Catchings. The G League roster will be coached by Detlef Schrempf.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had three players represented for the event — the most for any team. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are on the same squad for Rose while Wallace is on Gasol’s squad.

The semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points. The final will be played to a target score of 25 points. The semifinal matchups are Rose vs. Catchings and Gasol vs. Schrempf.

Injury replacements include Vince Williams Jr., who is taking Dyson Daniel’s spot; Jeremy Sochan, who is taking Shaedon Sharpe’s spot; and Emoni Bates, who is taking Ron Holland’s spot.

Let’s look at all 28 participants and who they’ll play for.

2024 Rising Stars challenge: Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace rosters revealed

2024 Rising Stars challenge: Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace rosters revealed.

The 2024 Rising Stars challenge rosters were drafted on Tuesday by head coaches Pau Gasol, Jalen Rose and Tamika Catchings.

The 21-player pool consisted of rookies and second-year players was divided by seven per three rosters. An additional seven-player roster will be involved with a fourth team made up of G League players.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had three players make the pool in Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace — the most for a single team.

Holmgren and Williams will remain on the same squad as Rose drafted them with the No. 3 and No. 4 picks respectively in the snake draft format.

Meanwhile, Wallace was drafted with the No. 18 pick by Gasol. The full rosters can be viewed below:

The Rising Stars challenge will be part of the NBA’s weekend festivities in Indiana from Feb. 16-18. The tournament will take place on Friday, Feb. 16.

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Mark Daigneault comments on All-Star head coach possibility

Mark Daigneault comments on All-Star head coach possibility.

If events break the Oklahoma City Thunder’s way on Sunday, there’s a chance Mark Daigneault will become an All-Star head coach,

For that to happen, the Thunder (34-15) will need to be in first place by the end of that day. In a tie for first place, the tiebreaker will be the head-to-head record followed by the conference record.

OKC clinches the All-Star head coach berth on Sunday with a win over the Toronto Raptors and a Minnesota Timberwolves loss to the Houston Rockets.

After the Thunder’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, Daigneault talked about the possibility of joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Keyontae Johnson for the weekend festivities.

“I’ve been made aware of the possibility,” Daigneault said. “It’s not altering my decision-making in terms of how I’m coaching the games right now.”

Daigneault was asked about his interest level in being a part of the All-Star game in Indiana.

“First of all, there’s no guarantee that’s going to happen. I would never snub my nose at that,” Daigneault said. “I also love the All-Star break and time with my family, so it’s a win-win.”

It doesn’t sound like Daigneault will chase the honor, but if it happens due to OKC’s success, then he’ll welcome the opportunity to coach some of the best players in the league.

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Reaction: Alperen Sengun misses out on 2024 NBA All-Star honors

Alperen Sengun wasn’t named to the list of Western Conference reserves for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. Here’s how Rockets fans and media reacted to the news.

Entering Thursday, Alperen Sengun is the leader of a much-improved Houston Rockets team (22-25) in points (21.9), rebounds (9.2) and shooting percentage (54.1%) on a per-game basis. But at least for now, that won’t be enough to earn 2024 NBA All-Star honors.

Sengun, 21, wasn’t among the seven Western Conference reserves announced on Thursday night. His closest frontcourt competitors to make the team were Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves and Anthony Davis of the Lakers, and both have much more experience.

While Sengun finished No. 5 overall among West frontcourt players (and well ahead of Towns) in fan voting, fan votes were only considered in determining All-Star starters. In contrast, reserves were solely determined by voting ballots from each team’s coaching staff.

With his big-man competitors having longer NBA track records and playing for teams with better win-loss records, that may have given them more exposure to coaches around the league. Keep in mind, Sengun is in just his third season, and the Rockets have played only one game all season on national television.

Sengun could potentially be added to the West All-Star team at a later date, should there be an injury withdrawal or two. The game is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.

For now, here’s how media members and fans following the Rockets responded to Thursday’s disappointing news on social media.