Tag: All-Star Game

Notre Dame product Trey Mancini to compete in Home Run Derby

The Irish will have representation for the return of the Home Run Derby.

For the first time, Notre Dame will have representation in Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby. That representation will come from Baltimore Orioles slugger Trey Mancini. The Irish baseball Twitter account sent its congratulations his way:

Mancini has 14 home runs this season and is among the major-league leaders in RBIs with 52. He joins a field that currently has Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angels Angels and defending champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. The field will be rounded out with five more participants before the event is held July 12 at Coors Field in Denver. It will serve as a tuneup for the All-Star Game the next day.

Mancini is in the middle of quite the comeback season after he missed 2020 to be treated for Stage 3 colon cancer. However, the Orioles are dead-last in the American League and pretty much have no further use for Mancini’s services. It’s likely he gets moved at or before the trade deadline, and there are a few teams that could benefit from him.

 

Chris Paul is back in the All-Star game and he’s finishing more alley-oops

Chris Paul threw down an alley-oop during the 2020 All-Star Game. In 2021, he, Steph Curry and Damian Lillard all did in the first half.

One of the lasting images for Oklahoma City Thunder fans of the 2020 NBA All-Star Game was point guard Chris Paul finishing an alley-oop.

He decided he liked doing it so much, he might as well do it again in the 2021 game.

Paul, now on the Phoenix Suns, threw down an alley-oop in the second quarter. So did Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, as did Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (who clearly did not want his teammate Anfernee Simons showing him up in the halftime dunk contest).

In a game like this, where Team LeBron had 100 points in the first half, why not let the point guards have a little fun at the rim?

That finish wasn’tĀ quite as clean as last year’s.

Paul ran the offense in his first half generally the same way as he does in real game: meticulously and unselfishly. He had 12 assists in 14 minutes, and added six points and six rebounds.

He was a key part of Team LeBron’s lead, as was Curry (22 points with generally absurd 3-point shooting) and Giannis Antetokoumpo (24 points on perfect shooting).

The Thunder may not have an All-Star in this year’s game, but at least the fans get a little reminder of Paul’s performance last year.

This post originally appeared onĀ OKCThunderWire.Ā Follow us onĀ Facebook!

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WATCH: Jaylen Brown guarded by Jayson Tatum in 2021 All-Star Game

The Boston Celtics teammates squared off for a moment in the annual exhibition.

Hopefully, the only game we ever see Boston Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum defending his Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown is the All-Star Game, but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t here for it.

In a defensive sequence in the game’s second frame, Brown ended up squaring off with his Boston teammate Tatum, the latter clearly relishing in the matchup. The Duke product even went so far as to slap the floor as the elder Celtic sized up his — just for the exhibition game — opponent, a matchup both had spoken to the press about ahead of taking the floor that day.

You will have to watch the video for yourself to see how it ended up going down, but it was an instant classic worth a few moments of your time.

Watch the clip embedded above courtesy of Forbes Sports’ Chris Grenham to see how Tatum guarded Brown in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Every Boston Celtics All-Star for each season the game was played (photos)

Every single Boston Celtics All-Star in franchise history.

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game is set to kick off this evening of March 7 in Atlanta, Georgia with two new Boston Celtics suiting up to participate in the event on the seventieth anniversary of its creation, the first held in Boston, Massachusetts at the old Boston Garden of all places.

Celtics star wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will become the 57th and 58th Boston players elected to the annual exhibition game to set the Celtics as the second-most so honored team in the history of the NBA. Initially created to improve the image of professional basketball after a point-shaving scandal in NCAA ball besmirched the sport in the eyes of the public, the event has taken on a life of its own as one of the league’s most anticipated events.

Only longtime rival Los Angeles Lakers can lay claim to more all-time All-Stars, and the Detroit Pistons are now one game behind Boston with 57, per Statmuse.

C/O Statmuse

Let’s take a look at the history of the Celtics in the event from its start in 1951 right up to the present day:

2021 NBA All-Star Game: Full team lineups, start time, how to watch or stream

The Rockets don’t have an NBA All-Star in 2021, since their lone candidate (Christian Wood) has been sidelined by injury for a month.

The Rockets don’t have an NBA All-Star in 2021, since their lone candidate (Christian Wood) has been sidelined by an ankle injury for more than a month. Since acquiring James Harden before the 2012-13 season, Houston had at least one All-Star in each of the next eight years.

Nonetheless, it is the only NBA action until the 2020-21 regular season resumes on Thursday, so it may still be worth a watch. Plus, for any fans dreaming of Houston’s next contender of the post-Harden era, it could be an opportunity to watch future targets via trade or free agency.

Unlike most years, all of the All-Star events ā€” including the game, 3-point shootout, dunk contest, and skills competition ā€” are on one jam-packed Sunday night. That’s part of the NBA’s revised plan to condense activities, owing to various risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those interested in watching, here’s an itinerary:

How to watch or stream

Hereā€™s when you should tune in to see the game:

  • Date: Sunday, March 7
  • Start time: 5:30 p.m. Central for some events; 7 p.m. for the game
  • TV Channel: TNT
  • Live Stream:Ā fuboTV (watch for free)

Team LeBron

  • LeBron JamesĀ (Starter)
  • Giannis AntetokounmpoĀ (Starter)
  • Luka DončićĀ (Starter)
  • Stephen CurryĀ (Starter)
  • Nikola JokicĀ (Starter)
  • Jaylen Brown
  • Damian Lillard
  • Ben Simmons
  • Chris Paul
  • Paul George
  • Domantas Sabonis
  • Rudy Gobert

Team Durant

  • Jayson TatumĀ (Starter)
  • Kyrie IrvingĀ (Starter)
  • Joel EmbiidĀ (Starter)
  • Kawhi LeonardĀ (Starter)
  • Bradley BealĀ (Starter)
  • James Harden
  • Mike Conley
  • Zion Williamson
  • Zach LaVine
  • Julius Randle
  • Donovan Mitchell
  • Nikola Vucevic

3-Point Contest (prior to tipoff)

  • Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
  • Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
  • Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
  • Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls
  • Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
  • Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

Dunk Contest (halftime of All-Star Game)

  • Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers
  • Cassius Stanley, Indiana Pacers
  • Obi Toppin, New York Knicks

Skills Contest (prior to tipoff)

  • Robert Covington, Portland Trail Blazers
  • Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
  • Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers
  • Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic
  • Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
  • Julius Randle, New York Knicks

Rising Stars Team USA (no game)

  • LaMelo Ball
  • Anthony Edwards
  • Tyrese Halliburton
  • Tyler Herro
  • DeAndre Hunter
  • Keldon Johnson
  • Ja Morant
  • Michael Porter Jr.
  • Zion Williamson
  • James Wiseman

Rising Stars Team World (no game)

  • Precious Achiuwa
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker
  • Deni Avidja
  • RJ Barrett
  • Facundo Campazzo
  • Brandon Clarke
  • Luguentz Dort
  • Rui Hachimura
  • Theo Maledon
  • Mychal Mulder

This post originally appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown to both participate in All-Star 3-Point contest

The Jay Team will compete in — and against each other — in the 2021 NBA 3-Point Contest.

For the first time in their NBA careers, Boston Celtics All-Star wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will be competing against one another.

They’ll do it in the 2021 NBA All-Star Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest, where they will compete against former 3-Point Contest champions Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, as well as Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, according to the league’s recently-circulated press release. The event — in the 35th year of its existence — will take place at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on March 7, the day of the All-Star game.

It will be the first appearance for both Celtic All-Stars in the event, and Brown’s first All-Star game overall.

For the unfamiliar, each competitor will have 70 seconds to shoot as many of the 27 balls as they can, with a maximum score of 40 points in a round possible.

The three participants with the highest scores in the first round will move on to the championship round, where the contestant with the highest score at the end of the round will win.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Celtic Jayson Tatum elevated to All-Star starter after Durant to miss game

Tatum will now be an All-Star starter for the first time in his career.

The Boston Celtics now have themselves a 2021 NBA All-Star starter on their roster — They didn’t make a blockbuster trade to make it happen, however.

Recently-designated All-Star reserve forward Jayson Tatum found himself elevated by the league to starter status after forward Kevin Durant pulled out of the Atlanta-hosted friendly after determining the Brooklyn Nets star won’t recover from a hamstring injury in time to play in the annual star-studded event. Taking Durant’s place in the All-Star game will be Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis in what will be his second All-Star game, the first coming last season in 2020.

If not for their positional designations, there might have been an argument to give the starter status to first-time All-Star and Boston teammate Jaylen Brown.

The Georgia native was elected to the All-Star game as a guard, however.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown officially named 2021 NBA All-Star reserves

The Celtics officially have two 2021 All-Stars on their roster.

The Boston Celtics officially have two All-Stars on their team, with news that both first-time All-Star forward Jaylen Brown and second-time All-Star swingman Jayson Tatum have officially been named as reserve members of the 2021 NBA All-Star Game according to the NBA.

For Tatum, it’s a dose of validation in a season where the impact of a bout with COVID-19 and team struggles may have taken a bit of the bloom off the rose of his rise to superstardom ever so slightly. For Brown, it is the recognition of his explosive growth into one of the league’s top two-way talents. It also entails a hefty bonus per the terms of his recent contract extension.

Former Gator Bradley Beal selected as a 2021 All-Star Game starter

The Washington Wizards guard is averaging career-highs in both points and rebounds after a torrid first half of the 2021 NBA schedule.

Former Gators guard Bradley Beal was named a member of the NBA All-Star team for the third time in his career. The 27-year-old, who has been with the Washington Wizards since they selected him third overall after his freshman season at Florida in 2012, has been chosen as one of the game’s starters.

Beal is off to a strong start as we approach the halfway mark of the season. He’s averaging career highs in points per game (32.8) and rebounds per game (5.2). He’s also facilitating well, averaging 4.7 assists.

On Jan. 6, Beal scored a career-high 60 points in a loss to the 76ers, tying Gilbert Arenas’ franchise record for points scored in a single game.

Beal has been one of the lone bright spots on a struggling Wizards team. Despite his play this season, Washington has just a 7-17 record through the first 24 games.

Many thought he was snubbed from the game last season, but now he will have the opportunity to start in it for the first time in his career.

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Brown, Tatum come in 4th, 5th respectively in East All-Star final returns

There’s a good chance the Celtics end up with two All-Star reserves this year.

With the final fan, player and media voting returns in, we now know there will be no Boston Celtics among the Eastern Conference starters.

However, both first-time All-Star aspirant Jaylen Brown and his fellow Celtic wing and would-be second-time All-Star Jayson Tatum are in good position to make the team as reserves when the coaches vote on the remainder of the 2021 All-Star game roster. According to the official results, Tatum came in fourth in the fan voting, fifth in the player and fifth in media voting for fourth overall in the East frontcourt returns. Brown fared worse among fans and players alike with a fifth-place return, but rated second overall among media voters in the East backcourt race.

That placed Tatum just ahead of Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat and just behind Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Brown ahead of the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young and behind the Chicago Bulls’ Zach Lavine.

Coaches around the league will now cast their votes for the league’s reserve players, and it seems all but certain Boston will have at least one All-Star — and quite possibly two.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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