Tag: All-Star Game

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.

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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Steph and Ayesha Curry approve of the new All-Star Game format

Ayesha Curry posted an Instagram story of her and Steph enjoying the new format in the 2020 All-Star Game.

The NBA took a bold, yet innovative approach to the 2020 All-Star Game. Each quarter of the game, the score reset. Between Team Giannis and Team Lebron, the winner of each period won $100,000 donated to the charity of their choice.

In the fourth and final quarter, there was no clock as the teams played to a total instead of time. The leading group, after three quarters, added 24 points to their score total, and that was the goal to end the game.

At the end of the third quarter in 2020, Team Giannis led 133-124, making the game-winning total 157. The final period turned into a pick-up style battle. Both teams traded blows with Team Lebron rallying back to seal the 157-156 win on an Anthony Davis free throw.

The format provided a higher level of intensity to the exhibition game, especially in the fourth quarter, stamping the change successful.
Yet, there was still something missing from the new version of the NBA All-Star Game.

For the first time in years, the Golden State Warriors did not have a member represented in the game. Both of Golden State’s perineal All-Stars, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have combined to miss almost the entire 2019-20 season due to injury. However, even injured, Curry finished in the top-10 of Western Conference guard voting.

Although Curry wasn’t available to play in the new construction, the six-time NBA All-Star weighed in on the matter with excitement. Ayesha Curry posted an Instagram story with her husband watching the All-Star Game.

Both members of the Curry family approved of the new format of the game.

Curry is still recovering from his broken hand injury, but reports point towards a March return. If Curry can hit his return target, the Warriors will have around 20 games left this season with their two-time Most Valuable Player.

Once fully healthy next season, Curry will have the opportunity to participate in the new and entertaining All-Star Game setup.

James Harden, Russell Westbrook victorious in NBA All-Star Game

Rockets guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook had their share of highlights at Sunday’s 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

Houston Rockets stars and former league MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook each finished with their share of highlights and a win at Sunday’s 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

The Houston guards competed together with Team LeBron, as drafted by Los Angeles Lakers star and top Western Conference vote-getter LeBron James. Team LeBron won the game, 157-155 (box score), with Harden recording 11 points and six assists in 17 minutes as a starter. Westbrook had six points and three rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.

Game MVP Kawhi Leonard led Team LeBron with 30 points and seven rebounds, while reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo paced Team Giannis with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.

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Harden hit what appeared to be the game-winning 3-pointer in the closing moments, but it was wiped away on a controversial offensive foul call drawn by Toronto’s Kyle Lowry. Ultimately, Anthony Davis clinched the victory for Harden and Westbrook’s team with a later free throw.

It was the ninth All-Star nod for Westbrook and the eighth for Harden, who hit a crucial 3-pointer and two free throws in the fourth quarter to help secure the win. Harden also contributed to several late defensive stops in the low post versus the likes of Toronto forward Pascal Siakam.

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Harden was the only starter on Team LeBron with a positive point differential (+3) during his minutes, and he was part of the closing lineup with James, Leonard, Davis, and former Rockets point guard Chris Paul.

Harden leads the NBA with a 35.3 points per game scoring average this season, along with 7.3 assists. Meanwhile, Westbrook is averaging 27.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. They’re the league’s top-scoring duo, and are currently on pace to become the first pair of teammates in NBA history to each average at least 25 points and seven assists.

As for 2019-20 regular season games, the Rockets (34-20) return to action on Thursday night at Golden State (12-42). That game tips off at 9:30 p.m. Central, with an exclusive national broadcast on TNT.

Houston entered the All-Star break having won five of its last seven games, and it could have been six if not for the stunning buzzer-beater last Sunday from Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic.

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Highlights: Chris Paul scores 23 off bench in Team LeBron All-Star Game win

Chris Paul scored nine points in the fourth quarter to help Team LeBron win the most exciting NBA All-Star Game in recent memory.

In the most exciting All-Star Game in recent memory, Chris Paul scored 23 points off the bench and helped Team LeBron get the 157-155 win.

He scored nine of his team’s 33 points in the fourth quarter to help get them to the finish line in an intense race.

Paul made seven 3-pointers and had six assists. He went 8-for-13 from the field. His only non-3-pointer made was an alley-oop, which SportsCenter tweeted is the only one he’s made in his career.

Paul, a 10-time All-Star, closed out the game in the starting lineup.

The Oklahoma City Thunder Twitter account tweeted a video of the shots he made in the fourth quarter:

He made his first three 3s of the game:

He made an excellent alley-oop pass to Ben Simmons.

He had an excellent alley-oop finish himself, too.

In the third quarter, he drilled a 3 and then helped force a turnover on the other end.

Paul may not be having the statistical season of his prime, but his averages of 17.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds and leadership abilities helped the Thunder go into the break tied for the sixth seed with a 33-22 record.

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Former Warrior Jason Richardson says Aaron Gordon was ‘robbed again’ at 2020 Dunk Contest

The Golden State Warriors former Dunk Contest Champion Jason Richardson tweeted in defense of Aaron Gordon, saying the Magic forward was “robbed again.”

Every year Aaron Gordon enters the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star weekend, the Orlando Magic forward puts on a show. However, after two memorable performances in the contest, Gordon has no hardware to show for it.

In 2016, Gordon lost an epic Dunk Contest duel to Zach LaVine. Although he didn’t win a trophy in 2016, Gordon established himself as a modern dunking icon.

In 2020 Gordon returned to the event in Chicago and picked up right where he left off. The Bay Area native threw down multiple dazzling dunks, including a jam over 7-foot-5 Boston Celtics center Tacko Fall.

 

For the second time, Gordon’s dunks weren’t good enough for first place as the judges awarded Derrick Jones Jr. the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest championship.

Former Golden State Warrior Jason Richardson weighed in on the judges picking Jones over Gordon.

Richardson tweeted that Gordon was “robbed again.”

It’s safe to say, Richardson, winner of back-to-back competitions in 2002 and 2003, knows what he’s talking about when it comes to the Dunk Contest.

James Harden on Russell Westbrook: ‘He’s playing more free’

James Harden seems to be a fan of Houston’s latest lineups, which allow more room for Rockets like Russell Westbrook to drive inside.

Rockets guard James Harden appears to be a fan of Houston’s clear emphasis on floor spacing, in large part because of the increased ability it gives backcourt co-star Russell Westbrook to drive to the basket.

Speaking at Saturday’s All-Star Media Day in Chicago, Harden said of his nine-time All-Star teammate:

We’re giving him space for him to go out there and do what he does at a high level, what he’s been doing for the last 12 years. That’s all you can give somebody that’s a former MVP. You let him go out there and be himself. The comfort level is there. And it’s still only been a few months since he’s been here. He’s still getting adjusted, but he’s looking more comfortable and he’s playing more free.

One of the big benefits of the suddenly smaller lineup for the Rockets is supposed to be floor spacing. In three games since the Feb. 5 trade of traditional big Clint Capela — and with versatile defensive ace and corner 3-point specialist P.J. Tucker starting at center, instead — Westbrook has scored at least 36 points in each game on 54% or better shooting.

That matches the longest such streak in the NBA in over 20 years. The last player to do it for four games was Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal, who did so in November 1999. He was that season’s MVP.

Prior to last Tuesday’s win over Boston, Celtics coach Brad Stevens referred to Westbrook as “like a jet engine flying into the paint.”

“Internally, we don’t think it’s small ball,” Westbrook said Saturday about the lineup. “We just play our personnel and go compete, and that’s it.”

Nonetheless, Westbrook’s increased shooting efficiency has come amid a dramatic change in his shot profile. In his last 10 games entering Tuesday, Westbrook’s average shot distance had dropped by more than four feet relative to his first 34 games in Houston.

In that 10-game stretch, Westbrook’s rate of shots in the paint increased from 52% to 71%, while his attempted 3-pointers fell from 23% to 5%.

Over his last 14 outings, the 31-year-old Westbrook is averaging 34.0 points (53.0% shooting), 8.1 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game. That makes him the NBA’s No. 2 overall scorer over that span on a per-game basis, trailing only Portland’s Damian Lillard (35.5).

During that 14-game span, Westbrook leads the NBA by far with an average of 25.3 drives per game. Prior to that period, Westbrook ranked No. 6 in the league at 18.2 drives per game.

“Obviously, with this style of playing, different guys on the floor have to be able to guard in a lot of space, which is to my advantage,” Westbrook said during Saturday’s media session. “We’re moving in the right direction. I’m happy where we are, and I’m happy where we’re headed.”

Westbrook and Harden will both play on Team LeBron in Sunday’s All-Star Game, which tips off at 7:00 p.m. Central and will be televised nationally on TNT. Harden will start, while Westbrook comes off the bench.

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As for the Rockets (34-20), they return to action on Thursday night at Golden State (12-42). That game tips off at 9:30 p.m. Central, with an exclusive national broadcast on TNT.

Houston enters the All-Star break having won five of its last seven games, and it could be six if not for Bojan Bogdanovic’s stunning buzzer-beater.

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Kawhi Leonard’s dance moves have a lot of meme potential

Kawhi Leonard’s dance moves only add to his meme legend.

Kawhi Leonard tried to tell us he was a fun guy at the start of last season and, my goodness, we should’ve listened.

Not only has Leonard been the absolute pinnacle of basketball excellence for the last year, he’s also been a bottomless well of meme content. Everything from “WHAT IT DO BAYBEEEE” all the way down to the robotic laugh programmed in to his wiring, he’s given us nothing but laughs.

On Saturday ahead of the All-Star game he added to that list. When he was introduced during an All-Star event, they had Leonard walk out to Nipsey Hussle’s “Last Time that I checked” joint. Of course, you know he had to give us a little bit of that West Coast two step.

MY GOODNESS, y’all. If you thought Kawhi was a robot before? You’ve been vindicated. Here’s your proof right here. My man is on beat but he’s moving like somebody’s grandpa. Somebody put some WD-40 on them creaky joints.

In all seriousness, though, this is probably just something slight from Leonard. Hopefully, we see the full bag on Sunday night when it’s really time to shine.

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James Harden on haters: ‘It means you’re doing something right’

In comments at All-Star Media Day, Rockets star James Harden explains why “haters” come with the territory for the NBA’s best players.

Houston Rockets star James Harden has certainly heard from his share of critics over the years regarding his unique style of play.

But as the former MVP sees it, that comes with the territory of being one of the NBA’s best players. Now an All-Star for the eighth time in his eventual Hall of Fame career, the league’s 2019-20 scoring leader had this exchange at Saturday’s All-Star Media Day in Chicago:

Reporter: James, you talked to us before about blocking out the haters. What’s the best part about doing that?

Harden: It means you’re doing something right. [laughs] If you don’t have haters, you don’t have people not wanting you to succeed, then you’re just not doing what you’re supposed to be doing. It’s a part of it. It’s a part of when you’re on the top. and when you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing.

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Regarding his career goals, Harden was quite succinct in his answer:

Basketball-wise, obviously, I want a championship. I want to be one of the greats to ever play the game of basketball.

A partial transcript of Harden’s interview session with reporters from Saturday’s All-Star Media Day is available at the league’s website.

Harden will start Sunday’s All-Star game, which begins at 7 p.m. Central time and will be televised nationally on TNT. The 30-year-old is averaging a league-high 35.3 points per game for the Rockets (34-20) this season, along with 7.3 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game.

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Russell Westbrook’s toddler steals the show at All-Star Media Day

Watch as Russell Westbrook’s two-year-old son, Noah, barges in and takes the microphone from his dad during the All-Star media session.

Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook was ready for the usual array of basketball questions from reporters at Saturday’s media availability in Chicago for 2020 NBA All-Stars.

But the former MVP wasn’t quite as prepared for his two-year-old son, Noah, to take the microphone. Noah, who celebrates his third birthday in May, is the oldest of three children by Westbrook and his wife, Nina.

Though Westbrook is a nine-time All-Star, this weekend represents his first All-Star Game experience with a child old enough to begin enjoying it. That’s exactly what Noah did Saturday by grabbing the microphone and making noises during his father’s media session with reporters.

Now 31 years old, Westbrook also has a pair of twin daughters named Skye and Jordan, born in November 2018. Though the younger girls weren’t with him at the podium in Chicago, Westbrook acknowledged them on Instagram with a photo post on Friday’s Valentine’s Day.

As for basketball, Westbrook and Houston backcourt mate James Harden will each play for Team LeBron in Sunday’s All-Star Game. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. Central, with the game televised nationally on TNT.

In his first season with the Rockets (34-20), Westbrook is averaging 27.2 points (46.3% shooting), 8.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 36.0 minutes per game. Largely led by a historic scoring run from Westbrook, Houston has won five of its last seven games overall.

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