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Devin Booker Replacing Lillard In All-Star Game, 3-Point Contest

February 13th, 2020 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has announced that Suns guard Devin Booker will replace injured Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard in this weekend’s All-Star Game and 3-point contest. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 first reported (via Twitter) that Booker would be Lillard’s replacement for both events.

Booker, 23, was widely considered the most notable Western Conference snub when the 2020 All-Star reserves were revealed last month. He took the exclusion hard, publicly suggesting the picks were about entertainment, drama, and politics rather than rewarding the NBA’s best players. Now, after Lillard suffered a groin injury that will sideline him through the break and specifically endorsed Booker as his replacement, the Suns star will get a chance to play in his first All-Star Game.

In 52 games (35.9 MPG) this season, Booker has averaged 26.4 PPG, 6.3 APG, and 4.2 RPG with a shooting line of .496/.358/.920. Considering his scoring numbers are more impressive than those put up by several All-Stars, Booker presumably didn’t make the initial cut due to Phoenix’s poor record and his limitations on defense. Bradley Beal, the biggest snub in the Eastern Conference, was omitted from the list of All-Star reserves for similar reasons.

Beal was ineligible to step in for Lillard since the replacement had to come from the Western Conference, despite the fact that the All-Star Game won’t actually pit the East vs. the West. Booker will join LeBron James‘ team, since LeBron selected Lillard in last week’s All-Star draft.

Lillard had also been scheduled to put on a rap performance during Saturday night’s festivities in Chicago, but it’s safe to say Booker won’t be replacing Dame D.O.L.L.A on stage as well. Lillard still intends to perform, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

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LeBron, Giannis Draft Their All-Star Teams

February 6th, 2020 at 6:45pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Thursday night’s NBA All-Star draft has concluded, with captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo making their selections.

James surprised no one by taking Anthony Davis No. 1 overall. Giannis followed that up by selecting Joel Embiid. The two stars went back-and-forth selecting from the pool of starters with the Lakers’ star picking all of the Western Conference players that were voted in and the reigning MVP picking all of the Eastern Conference players.

In the second round, Team Giannis’ first pick was teammate Khris Middleton. LBJ’s first selection of this group was Damian Lillard, who will reportedly put on a rap performance during All-Star weekend.

Up until the selection of Ben Simmons, both Antetokounmpo and James had stayed within their respective conferences with their picks. After it was all said and done, each side will only have three players from the opposing conference. Here’s a full recap:

Team Giannis

Team LeBron

 

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NBA Announces 3-Point, Slam Dunk, Skills Challenge Participants

February 4th, 2020 at 6:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Names have been gradually trickling out, but we now have all the participants for the league’s 3-point, slam dunk, and skills challenge contests, which will take place during All-Star weekend in Chicago later this month.

The three-point contest will contain a new wrinkle. There will be a pair of extra shots, with one location at the top of the key to the left and one to the right, as shown in this diagram. Those two basketballs, which will be green, will be worth three points apiece.

The following players will complete in this new format, according to the league’s press release:

Here are the participants for the Slam Dunk Contest (press release):

Here are the participants for the NBA’s Skills Challenge (press release):

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Sixers Notes: Trade Targets, Horford, Thybulle, Smith

February 2nd, 2020 at 3:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Sixers are unhappy with the exclusion of rookie defensive standout Matisse Thybulle from the 2020 All-Star Game’s Rising Stars rookie-sophomore game, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I feel like he’s… having a real impact on a winning team,” big man Al Horford said of the 6’5″ wing from the University of Washington. “I’m disappointed about that.”

Sixers coach Brett Brown had similar sentiments: “Just look at the numbers. I think that he should have been in the game.”

Thybulle, the No. 20 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, ranks 13th in the league in steals at 1.56 a night, a category in which he also leads all rookies.

There’s more out of Philadelphia:

  • The Sixers are in search of an offensive reserve upgrade. Their bench production as of January 31 was 29.0 PPG and 5.7 APG, third-worst in the league. Three realistic targets that have been floated are Pistons guard Derrick Rose, former Sixer and current Timberwolves forward Robert Covington, and Wizards stretch four Davis Bertans. Unfortunately, the current asking price for these targets is a too-steep request of the impressive and cost-effective Thybulle and a future first-round pick, sources tell The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.
  • Horford continues to adjust to his awkward fit on his new team next to current All-Star center Joel Embiid, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The 33-year-old former All-Star big man was signed to a four-year, $109MM contract ($97MM guaranteed) this summer thanks to his offensive versatility and defensive moxie. Horford, generally a center at his last stop with the Celtics, has been featured far more at power forward for the Sixers. 32% of his minutes have been played at the position this season, as opposed to just 9% during 2018/19 with Boston. He has also been relegated to a spot-up shooting role more frequently than in years prior.
  • With the trade deadline around the corner, little-used second-year Sixers shooting guard Zhaire Smith could be an intriguing trade target for other teams, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. But would the Sixers be giving up on Smith too soon if they moved him in a trade for veteran help? The 2018 first-rounder has played just 10 games in his two seasons with Philadelphia.
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All-Star Teams To Wear Nos. 2, 24 In Honor Of Gianna, Kobe Bryant

January 31st, 2020 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2020 All-Star Game will feature Team LeBron (James) wearing No. 2 jerseys and Team Giannis (Antetokounmpo) wearing No. 24 jerseys, according to a press release issued by the NBA in partnership with the players’ union and Nike. No. 2 was the number worn by Kobe Bryant‘s daughter Gianna, while No. 24 was, of course, worn by Kobe during the second half of his career.

Kobe and Gianna were two of the nine people who died in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday. According to the league’s announcement, both All-Star teams will also wear jersey patches which display nine stars, representing those nine people who lost their lives in the crash.

For Friday’s Rising Stars game and Saturday night’s events – including the dunk contest – the participants will wear jersey patches featuring the Nos. 2 and 24 in the center, surrounded by nine stars.

The uniform changes are one of multiple tributes planned to the late NBA superstar for the 2020 All-Star weekend in Chicago. The league announced on Thursday that it’s tweaking the All-Star format to add a target score in the fourth quarter. That target score will be determined by adding 24 to the total number of points scored through three quarters by the leading team.

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Doncic, Young, Zion Headline Rising Stars Rosters

January 31st, 2020 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially announced the 20 rookies and sophomores who have been named to the league’s Rising Stars game for All-Star weekend. Those 20 players, selected by assistant coaches from around the league, will be divided into a U.S. Team and a World Team, as follows:

U.S. Team:

World Team:

Williamson’s inclusion is notable since he has appeared in just four games due to injuries. It’s not surprising that the NBA found a way to get him into the game, since he’s one of the most exciting prospects to enter the league in years, but it’s a tough break for youngsters who have been on the court since the fall for contenders, such as Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle. or Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.

Snubbed players like Thybulle, Porter, and others could eventually make their way into the Rising Stars game if players have to pull out due to injuries, or if All-Stars like Doncic and Young opt not to play in both events.

The Rising Stars game will take place in Chicago on Friday, February 14.

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NBA Announces 2020 All-Star Reserves

January 30th, 2020 at 5:50pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The NBA has announced the 2020 All-Star reserves. Let’s take a look at which players are going to Chicago from each conference.

Eastern Conference Reserves:

As a reminder, here are the starters from the East:

Western Conference Reserves:

As a reminder, here are the starters from the West:

Do you agree with the selections or should another player have gotten the nod? Take to the comment section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say!

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NBA Changing All-Star Game Format, Adding Kobe Tribute

January 30th, 2020 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Having made changes in recent years to the way that All-Star rosters are built, the NBA is now tweaking the format of the All-Star Game itself, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The league has confirmed the news in a press release.

As Reynolds explains, each of the first three quarters will essentially function as its own mini-game, with the score reset to 0-0 at the start of the second quarter and again at the start of the third quarter. The team that wins each of those quarters will earn $100K (up to $300K in total) for a Chicago-area charity of its choosing.

At the start of the fourth quarter, according to Reynolds, the cumulative game score will be restored and the team that’s ahead will need to score 24 more points to win the game, a tribute to Kobe Bryant‘s uniform number. For instance, if Team LeBron is leading Team Giannis by a 100-90 margin after three quarters, the first team to 124 points would win the game — and an additional $200K for its charity. Unlike the first three quarters, the final quarter will be untimed.

According to Reynolds, the idea of a target score at the end of the game – a variation of The Basketball Tournament’s “Elam Ending” – is something NBPA president Chris Paul has suggested in the past. The hope is that it will make the game more competitive, since there will be something at stake in each quarter and the losing team will be more incentivized to make defensive stops as the target score nears.

“We’ve been very focused on making it more competitive, making it more exciting and making it fun,” NBA president for league operations Byron Spruell said of the All-Star Game, per Reynolds. “And we’ve had a great collaboration with the union. For this year’s game, we really focused on what new things we could do to make it a really competitive game where each quarter mattered in this case.”

Tying the target score to Bryant’s number is just one of a number of tributes the NBA has planned for All-Star weekend, as the league honors Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and the seven others who died in Sunday’s helicopter crash in California.

According to Reynolds, the format change is just a one-year experiment for now. However, the NBA is hoping that both the quarter-score for charity aspect and the target-score ending will become fixtures in future All-Star Games.

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Community Shootaround: Western All-Star Reserves

January 30th, 2020 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

There was little pushback on the All-Star starter selections from the Western Conference when the NBA announced them last week, and for good reason. All five players voted in as starters from the West – Luka Doncic, James Harden, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kawhi Leonard – could end up being viable MVP candidates this season.

However, it may be a little more challenging to pick the seven Western players who will join those starters at this year’s All-Star Game. Those seven reserves will be announced on Thursday night, with two more guards, three more frontcourt players, and a pair of wild cards filling out the roster.

Before those players are announced, we want to get your thoughts on which players deserve to be included and which players don’t quite make the cut, as we did with the Eastern Conference on Wednesday.

Let’s start in the middle, where a pair of Northwest centers look like strong candidates to be named All-Stars. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) had a case to be considered as a starter, while Rudy Gobert (Jazz) looks poised to finally earn the first All-Star nod of his career.

Gobert’s teammate Donovan Mitchell has had the best year of his young career and deserves serious All-Star consideration. He’ll face stiff competition among guards though. Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers) looks like a lock to make it, and Devin Booker (Suns), Chris Paul (Thunder), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Russell Westbrook (Rockets), DeMar DeRozan (Spurs), and Ja Morant (Grizzlies) are among the other backcourt candidates.

Although they’re long shots, guards like Lou Williams (Clippers), CJ McCollum (Trail Blazers), Jrue Holiday (Pelicans), and De’Aaron Fox (Kings) probably deserve a look too.

While Holiday entered the season looking like the most obvious All-Star candidate on the Pelicans’ roster, Brandon Ingram has emerged as that player instead, enjoying a breakout season in his first year in New Orleans. Danilo Gallinari (Thunder), Bojan Bogdanovic (Jazz), and Kristaps Porzingis (Mavericks) are among the other players who are posting at least borderline All-Star numbers in their first year with a new team.

Injuries will likely have an impact on the Western All-Star selections for 2019/20. If they’d been healthy all season long, Paul George (Clippers) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves) would have strong cases, but they’ve only played in 26 and 30 games, respectively — we’ll see if that’s enough. While he’s not quite the star that George and KAT are, D’Angelo Russell (Warriors) is in this boat too. Like Towns, he’s had a good year, but has been limited to just 30 games and plays on one of the conference’s worst teams.

Finally, while I view them as long shots, Montrezl Harrell (Clippers), Jaren Jackson (Grizzlies), and LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs) have had very good years and deserve at least a passing mention in this discussion.

What do you think? Which seven players are you picking as your Western Conference All-Star reserves?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

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Community Shootaround: Eastern All-Star Reserves

January 29th, 2020 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA announced last week that Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, Kemba Walker, and Trae Young will be the five All-Star starters from the Eastern Conference this season, as selected by fans, players, and the media. That leaves seven reserve spots to fill — two more guards, three more frontcourt players, and a pair of wild cards.

Those seven Eastern All-Stars will be announced on Thursday, but before they are, we want to get your thoughts on which players deserve to be included and which players don’t quite make the cut.

Of the five starters, all but Young are from one of the Eastern Conference’s top six teams, and you could actually make a reasonable case that the seven reserves should all be from those clubs too.

Khris Middleton is a strong candidate for the Bucks, with teammate Eric Bledsoe worthy of consideration as well. Heat swingman Jimmy Butler was on a number of ballots for the starting five and looks like a lock to be among the reserves.

Big men Bam Adebayo (Heat) and Domantas Sabonis (Pacers) have enjoyed breakout seasons, playing key roles on both ends of the court for their respective teams. Sabonis’ teammate Malcolm Brogdon has also built an All-Star case, though his numbers have slipped a little as of late and he has missed some time. Even T.J. Warren deserves a look.

Elsewhere among the conference’s top six clubs, guards Kyle Lowry (Raptors) and Ben Simmons (Sixers) have been crucial to their teams’ success, with Fred VanVleet and Tobias Harris making borderline cases for consideration too. The Celtics have a pair of young wings – Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – who are candidates to join Walker in the All-Star Game.

If you’re not inclined to give an edge to players from those top Eastern teams, all of whom have at least a 9.5-game cushion on the seventh-best team in the conference, there are a handful of solid candidates in the lottery too. Bradley Beal is putting up huge numbers for the Wizards, while Zach LaVine continues to increase his scoring average for the Bulls.

Derrick Rose and Andre Drummond have had strong seasons and have helped the Pistons remain in the hunt for a playoff spot despite the roster being hit hard by injuries. Devonte’ Graham has had a breakout year for the Hornets, while Marcus Morris has been one of the few bright spots for the Knicks.

Finally, the current seventh and eight seeds in the East don’t have any All-Star locks, since Nets star Kyrie Irving has only played in 17 games. But his backcourt mate Spencer Dinwiddie has earned at least a look, as have the Magic‘s top two scorers, Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier.

What do you think? Which seven Eastern Conference players would you take to fill out 2020’s East All-Stars?

Head to the comment section below to share your picks!

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