Tag: All-Star Weekend

Here’s how Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault can become All-Star head coach

Here’s how Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault can become All-Star head coach.

Entering Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder sit in first place in the Western Conference standings. This means there’s a decent chance Mark Daigneault becomes the All-Star head coach.

Usually, the head coaches of the first-place teams in each conference two weeks before the All-Star game receive the nod to be the All-Star head coach. The Milwaukee Bucks already clinched the role for new head coach Doc Rivers. The Boston Celtics coaching staff is not eligible this year because it coached last season’s game, leaving the honor fall to the second-place team in the Eastern Conference.

Considering the Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves have the same records, tiebreakers might need to get involved.

In that case, the head-to-head matchup is the first tiebreaker: OKC and Minnesota split their season series. The next tiebreaker is conference record, which the Timberwolves own.

This means the only hope for the Thunder to send Daigneault to All-Star weekend is a win over the Toronto Raptors and a loss by the Timberwolves to the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Both need to happen for OKC to send its head coach to All-Star weekend. If the Timberwolves beat the Rockets, Chris Finch will be the All-Star head coach.

Another wild-card scenario is the LA Clippers, who are one game out of first place, sending Ty Lue to All-Star weekend. For that to happen, the Clippers need to win against the Miami Heat and both the Thunder and Timberwolves need to lose on Sunday.

If Daigneault becomes the All-Star head coach, he’ll get a chance to coach All-Star starter Shai Gilgeous-Alexander along with joining Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Keyontae Johnson for the weekend festivities.

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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.

Jabari Smith Jr. to rep Rockets at NBA Rising Stars; Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson left out

Jabari Smith Jr. is among the sophomores chosen for the NBA’s Rising Stars event at All-Star Weekend, but rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore were left out.

On Tuesday, the NBA announced the 28 players who have earned spots to compete in the 2024 Panini Rising Stars challenge. The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 16, at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse as an official part of the league’s 2024 All-Star Weekend.

The annual showcase of young talent, featuring a mini-tournament with four teams and three games, airs live at 8 p.m. Central on TNT.

In selecting players for the Rising Stars event, each NBA team submitted one ballot per coaching staff.  Each coaching staff selected four frontcourt players, four guards, and two additional players at either position, in order of preference, for rookies and sophomores. Coaches were not permitted to vote for any player on their team.

The NBA participants were determined by the total points each player received from the ballots. Points were awarded based on where a player was ranked on each ballot. The player pool includes one more rookie than sophomore based on total points received.

For the Houston Rockets, Jabari Smith Jr. is the lone representative. Fellow second-year forward Tari Eason likely would have joined Smith, but he’s been out due to a leg injury for the past month and has missed approximately half of Houston’s 2023-24 season to date.

A 6-foot-11, 220-pound forward, Smith is averaging 13.8 points (47.8% FG, 38.3% on 3-pointers) and 8.7 rebounds per game this season. He’s also one of Houston’s most valuable defensive players. Smith and Eason were both on the rookie Rising Stars roster last season, while Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun were in the sophomore group.

As for 2023-24, rookies Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson have played very well in recent games, but neither was among the 11 rookies selected. Thompson missed most of Houston’s first six weeks of the season with an ankle injury, while Whitmore didn’t consistently join Houston’s rotation until approximately mid-January.

Thus, their surge may have come a bit too late for it to be properly accounted for in voting conducted by opposing coaches.

Unlike the previous two seasons, the 2023-24 Rockets (22-24) are much more competitive, which has also made it more difficult for rookies to earn consistent playing time to put up gaudy statistics.

Read on for the full rosters, teams, and more details on the format, as well as key numbers on Smith’s sophomore season in Houston.

3 OKC Thunder players to participate in 2024 Rising Stars challenge

Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace to participate in 2024 Rising Stars challenge.

The NBA announced its 2024 Rising Stars participants, and the Oklahoma City Thunder will have three representatives.

Unsurprisingly, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace were included among the 21 rookies and second-year players involved.

In 44 games, Williams is averaging 18.7 points on 53.9% shooting, 4.5 assists and four rebounds. He’s shooting 45% from 3 on 3.2 attempts.

The second-year wing has blossomed into OKC’s second-best scorer. The 22-year-old participated in the Rising Stars challenge last season during his rookie season.

In 47 games, Holmgren is averaging 16.7 points on 53.3% shooting, 7.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.6 blocks. He’s shooting 37.4% from 3 on 4.1 attempts.

The 21-year-old has had a phenomenal rookie campaign after missing all of last season recovering from a Lisfranc injury.

Meanwhile, Wallace has served a key role for the Thunder as one of their top bench options and someone who receives spot starts when needed.

In 47 games, the 20-year-old has averaged 6.7 points on 51.5% shooting, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He’s shooting 42.3% from on 2.6 attempts.

Holmgren, Williams and Wallace will join Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named an All-Star starter, for the weekend festivities. Keyontae Johnson will participate in the G League’s tournament.

The 2024 Rising Stars challenge is set to be played on Saturday, Feb. 17 in Indiana.

The full 28 players involved — 21 in the NBA and seven in the G League:

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Rockets’ Alperen Sengun rises to No. 6 in All-Star fan voting

Among Western Conference frontcourt players, Rockets star Alperen Sengun passed Paul George of the Clippers for No. 6 in 2024 All-Star fan voting.

Among Western Conference frontcourt players, Rockets center Alperen Sengun is sixth in All-Star fan voting, according to Thursday’s voting update from the NBA. Sengun recently earned West Player of the Week honors, which boosted his candidacy.

Sengun is the only Houston player in the top 10 for either frontcourt or backcourt players. After placing seventh in last week’s voting update, Sengun jumped Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George to move up to sixth and is within approximately 100,000 votes of passing Clippers co-star Kawhi Leonard for fifth place.

The only frontcourt players ahead of Sengun are future Hall of Famers: LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers; Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets; Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns; and Leonard of the Clippers.

The fan vote accounts for half of the voting that will eventually determine 2024 All-Star starters. Players make up 25%, as does a panel of media members. Since only three frontcourt players start, Sengun is a longshot to earn that honor. He already trails Durant — currently third in frontcourt fan voting — by more than two million votes.

However, Sengun could still qualify as a reserve. All 30 NBA head coaches are given a ballot to select three frontcourt players, two backcourt players, and two wild-card picks from each conference.

If selected, a reserve could become a starter this year, should one of the starters be injured or choose not to participate. The 2024 NBA All-Star Game will be held on Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.

Just 21 years old and in his third NBA season, Sengun is averaging 21.6 points (54.0% FG), 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.3 minutes. As a team, Houston (18-18) is overachieving relative to its win-loss record expectations, and that could bolster the All-Star case for its best player during a breakout season.

Fan voting for 2024 NBA All-Stars continues through Saturday, Jan. 20, and the league’s third and final interim voting update comes next Thursday, Jan. 18. Details on how to vote are available here.

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Rockets rookie Jabari Smith Jr. to participate in skills challenge at NBA All-Star weekend

#Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. will compete on a rookie team with Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Detroit’s Jaden Ivey in the NBA’s 2023 skills challenge at All-Star weekend.

With the NBA’s worst record, the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets (13-44) understandably will not have any All-Star players when the 2023 game takes place this weekend in Salt Lake City.

The Rockets will, however, be represented in related competitions. KJ Martin is competing in Saturday’s dunk contest, while Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. are in Friday’s Rising Stars challenge. Now, courtesy of an NBA announcement, we know Smith will be involved in Saturday’s festivities, as well.

Smith, Orlando’s Paolo Banchero and Detroit’s Jaden Ivey comprise a rookie team taking part in the 2023 Kia Skills Challenge. The contest puts three teams of three players through a four-round competition that tests their dribbling, passing and shooting abilities.

The two teams with the most points through the first three rounds will advance to the final round (rules). The rookies will compete with a Utah Jazz team (Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton) and the Antetokounmpo brothers (Giannis, Alex and Thanasis).

In 54 outings through Tuesday, Smith is averaging 11.9 points and 7.0 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game as a rookie.

All of the All-Star events from Salt Lake City’s Vivint Arena can be watched live on TNT on Friday and Saturday nights.

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Paul George is excited to mentor Bones Hyland: ‘We’re going to open our arms’

“He’s coming into a situation with a lot of great veterans that can help him and mentor him.”

Paul George will represent the L.A. Clippers at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This will be the eighth All-Star appearance for George, who has 23.3 points to go with 6.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. The Clippers (31-28) are three games above .500 and just two and a half games back of the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

George’s Clippers made some significant changes at the NBA trade deadline, acquiring Mason Plumlee and Eric Gordon as well as Bones Hyland. The 32-year-old wing spoke to For The Win about these recent transactions and how it impacts their pursuit of a championship.

He also caught up with us about his plans for All-Star Weekend in Utah.

George spoke about his upcoming partnership with AT&T. He and Vince Carter will star in AT&T’s Playmaker Arcade VR game, which allows fans onsite at NBA Crossover to turn themselves into a 360 avatar while fans at home can play along through a web version of the game.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. 

Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green to represent Rockets in NBA’s Rising Stars tournament

Between Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and Jabari Smith Jr., the #Rockets are the only team with three players in the NBA’s Rising Stars tournament at All-Star weekend.

Rookie Jabari Smith Jr. and second-year prospects Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will represent the Houston Rockets in the Rising Stars event, which is part of the NBA’s 2023 All-Star weekend, on Friday, Feb. 17.

The 21 NBA players (11 rookies, 10 sophomores) who were selected to the event by NBA assistant coaches will be drafted onto three seven-player teams. Seven NBA G League players selected by the league office comprise the fourth team.

To select the 21 NBA players, each NBA team submitted a rookie ballot and sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two more players of any position in order of preference. Coaches were not allowed to vote for any player on their team.

Points were awarded based on where a player was ranked on each ballot, and the players with the highest total points made the cut.

Former NBA players Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Deron Williams and Jason Terry will serve as honorary head coaches, while assistant coaches from the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will join them.

Rising Stars tournament games will be played to a target score, meaning each game will be won on a shot or free throw instead of the clock running out. The first two games will be played to 40 points, and the final game between the winners will be played to 25 points.

The rebuilding Rockets, who are among the youngest teams this season, are the only NBA team with three players in the competition.

Entering February, key 2022-23 season statistics (on a per-game basis) for Houston’s prospect trio are as follows:

  • Green: 21.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 34.6 minutes
  • Sengun: 15.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 28.0 minutes
  • Smith: 11.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, 29.6 minutes

Third-year forward KJ Martin is also expected to take part in the annual slam dunk contest.

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Josh Giddey responds back to LeBron James praising him during 2022 All-Star weekend

“He’s obviously somebody I’ve looked up to all my life, so to hear that was pretty cool.”

In a recent interview with NBA Australia’s “Courtside Huddle,” Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey publicly spoke about Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James praising him for his play during All-Star weekend.

James this past February said Giddey is really good and plays basketball in a beautiful way with his passing and vision.

“He’s really really really good,” said James. “Great vision. I’ve always loved pass-first guards who can see plays before they happen. Josh is one of those kids who can see the game a lot quicker than a lot of guys out on the floor… Just playing beautiful basketball.”

Giddey responded by saying hearing someone like James praise him was a little surreal and was really appreciative of the comments.

“It’s pretty special anytime you can have someone of that caliber to — even mention your name — but let alone to be giving you praise,” said Giddey. “He’s obviously somebody I’ve looked up to all my life, so to hear that was pretty cool.”

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