The storylines we’re watching heading into the All-Star Game

February 16, 2020 admin

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo select their starters for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. (4:20)

NBA All-Star Weekend is here! Friday night’s action saw Team Wilbon defeat Team Stephen A. in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game while the U.S. team won the Rising Stars Challenge. Saturday finished with victories from Bam Adebayo, Buddy Hield and Derrick Jones Jr. in the skills challenge, 3-point contest and dunk contest, respectively. Captain LeBron James will look to repeat last year’s success as he faces off against Giannis Antetokounmpo in Sunday’s finale

Here’s what we’re watching as Team LeBron takes on Team Giannis in Sunday’s rematch.

MORE: Draft results & rosters | Best of All-Star | FAQs | Latest news

This year’s game features plenty of changes, from the score resetting after each quarter to the winner being decided using an Elam-style finish that will also honor Kobe Bryant.

Still, there is one important thing that will remain the same: 24 of the best players in the world will go head-to-head until one side comes out on top.

Here’s a quick look at some of the key things to watch as this year’s edition of the league’s annual midseason showcase unfolds inside Chicago’s United Center:

Matchup to watch: Giannis vs. everyone

Over his six-plus seasons in the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo has proved himself to be as competitive and driven as anyone in the sport. There’s little doubt that, over the past couple weeks, he’s heard the comments about how his team doesn’t measure up to the one LeBron James has drafted. And there is equally little doubt that if there is anyone who would play hard enough in an All-Star Game to try to overcome those doubters, it would be the Greek Freak.

The question here is whether that will be enough to overcome what is a pretty clear talent gap between the two sides. If it works out that way, however, then we all know who the MVP of the game will be.

Teammate vs. teammate!

There are only two matchups of teammates going up against one another in Sunday’s game: Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker vs. forward Jayson Tatum, and Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons vs. center Joel Embiid.

For Simmons and Embiid, this is nothing new — the two of them faced off against each other last season, after Antetokounmpo and James engineered a draft-night trade to send Simmons from Team Giannis to Team LeBron. But this is a first-time thing for both Walker and Tatum — Walker because he’s never had a teammate in the All-Star Game before and Tatum because he’s never been there at all.

Walker said Thursday that he hasn’t given Tatum any advice on how to handle it.

“It’s an experience you just have to go through,” Walker said. “Whatever he’s feeling, he’s supposed to feel that way. It’s his first time, he doesn’t know what to expect, he’s an All-Star, man. That’s it. I’m super proud of him, he deserves it. It’s going to be fun.”

Dark horse MVP pick: Trae Young

Yes, it is Young’s first time as an All-Star. But he also has the perfect game for this format: the ability (and willingness) to launch from 30 or 40 feet with abandon, as well as throwing all sorts of crazy passes to players either spotting up for 3s or flying to the basket for rim-rocking dunks (the fact that no defense is required doesn’t hurt, either).

And if you really want to go deeper down the rosters, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker — the last player into the game — is another intriguing choice. Another first-time participant, Booker might not get enough time on the court to make a run at the award. If he does, there are few guys who can score as quickly as he can — which is the perfect recipe for getting yourself in contention to win this game’s MVP award.

— Tim Bontemps

Experts’ picks: Team LeBron or Team Giannis?

Team LeBron James*
1. Anthony Davis*, Lakers
2. Kawhi Leonard*, Clippers
3. Luka Doncic*, Mavericks
4. James Harden*, Rockets
5. Devin Booker^, Suns
6. Ben Simmons, 76ers
7. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
8. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
9. Chris Paul, Thunder
10. Russell Westbrook, Rockets
11. Domantas Sabonis, Pacers

^Replaces Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard

Team Giannis Antetokounmpo*
1. Joel Embiid*, 76ers
2. Pascal Siakam*, Raptors
3. Kemba Walker*, Celtics
4. Trae Young*, Hawks
5. Khris Middleton, Bucks
6. Bam Adebayo, Heat
7. Rudy Gobert, Jazz
8. Jimmy Butler, Heat
9. Kyle Lowry, Raptors
10. Brandon Ingram, Pelicans
11. Donovan Mitchell, Jazz

* Voted in as starters

Saturday ushered in the second night of All-Star competition as players took the court to compete in the skills challenge, 3-point contest and dunk competition. Dwayne Wade and Candace Parker kicked off the night with a tribute to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

The action that followed saw all three competitions come down to the wire, including a dunk-off between Derrick Jones Jr and Aaron Gordon. Jones was one of two Miami Heat players to win on Saturday, along with teammate Bam Adebayo, who won the skills competition. Kings center Buddy Hield won the other event of the night, narrowly edging Devin Booker in the 3-point showdown.

And though he was forced to withdraw from All-Star competition with an injury, Damian Lillard made an appearance on stage.

First player to ever perform on the #NBAAllStar stage & the BEST rapper in the @NBA….Dame D.O.L.L.A.! pic.twitter.com/4ZfTWVcK4a

– Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 16, 2020

The first-round matchups featured no wins by guards: Adebayo over Spencer Dinwiddie, Pascal Siakam over Patrick Beverley, Khris Middleton over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Domantas Sabonis over Jayson Tatum.

In round two, Adebayo defeated Siakam and Sabonis edged Middleton, setting up a final between the first-time All-Star power forwards from the Eastern Conference.

Despite making only one 3-pointer this season, Adebayo defeated Sabonis to become the first Heat player to win the Skills Challenge since Dwyane Wade in 2007.

The 3-point contest featured All-Stars Trae Young and Booker, as well as last year’s champion Joe Harris. Shooting guards Devonte’ Graham, Hield, Duncan Robinson and Zach LaVine also participated, along with power forward Davis Bertans.

Booker and Hield scored 27 points in the opening round, followed by Bertans’ score of 26; those three advanced to the championship round. LaVine led all shooters that did not advance with 23 points, with Young bringing up the rear with 15 points.

Booker eliminated Bertans in the championship round by scoring 26 points, four more than the Washington big man. But Hield made his last money ball to edge Booker and become the first Kings player to win the 3-point contest since Peja Stojakovic in 2003.

This year’s dunkers included a high-rising multi-sport athlete in Pat Connaughton, “Airplane Mode” Jones, 2016 runner-up Gordon and 2008 winner Dwight Howard. The five judges: Former Finals MVP Dwyane Wade, two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker, “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman, “I Used to Love H.E.R.” rapper Common and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.

Howard was eliminated despite his return to Superman on a lob from former teammate Jameer Nelson, while Connaughton didn’t advance despite jumping over MLB MVP Christian Yelich and NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jones hit a reverse tornado through the legs for a “50” dunk, while Gordon compiled two 50s in the first round, the second coming after flying over Chance the Rapper.

Jones and Gordon scored two 50s each in the second round, forcing a final dunk-off to decide the contest. They each tallied another 50, then with their second dunk-off attempts, Jones windmilled from just inside the free throw line to score a 48, while Gordon leaped over Boston’s 7-foot-5 center Tacko Fall. But Gordon only earned a 47, giving Jones a controversial win.

* Replacing Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard

Slam dunk contest
Dwight Howard | Lakers
Aaron Gordon | Magic
Derrick Jones Jr. | Heat
Pat Connaughton | Bucks

* Replacing Pistons’ Derrick Rose

* Replacing Heat’s Tyler Herro

* Replacing Suns’ Deandre Ayton

Could anyone in the NBA sweep All-Star Saturday? We pick five superstars and one legend who are ready for action.

The All-Star draft is done, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun. Kirk Goldsberry built an All-Star mock draft that ensures the best possible game between Team Giannis and Team LeBron — one that is somewhat based in reality, and somewhat just based on our own basketball desires.

We have the official selections for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. But how well do you know these dudes? Let’s see how you fare in our third edition of shot chart trivia.

What is the new All-Star Game format?

This year’s All-Star Game will be all about honoring Kobe Bryant.

In a major change to the All-Star format, the NBA announced it will turn every quarter into a mini-game for charity before an untimed final quarter with a target score that will decide which team wins. Scores will be reset — back to 0-0 — at the start of the second and third quarters, then restored to begin the fourth quarter.

That’s where the tribute to Bryant and the No. 24 jersey he wore for the final decade of his NBA career comes into play. The team that wins the All-Star Game will be the first to reach a target score, determined by the total points the team in the lead scored in the first three quarters combined — plus 24, the obvious nod to Bryant.

How does the All-Star voting process work?

Beginning in 2016-17, current players and media joined the fans in the voting process. Fans account for 50% of the vote to determine the starters, while players and media account for 25% each. Once votes are tallied, players are ranked in each conference by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups.

Each player’s score is calculated by averaging his weighted rank from the fans, players and media. The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference are named starters. Fan votes serve as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score.

The seven reserves from each conference are selected by NBA head coaches. If there needs to be an injury replacement, that pick is determined by NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

How are captains and teams selected?

Instead of the traditional East vs. West format, the NBA moved to a new format in 2018, where two captains pick the teams from a pool of 24 players who are voted in by fans, media and players.

The captains are the All-Star starters who earn the most fan votes in their respective conferences. Alternating picks, the captains draft the eight remaining players from the starter pool in the first round and then all 14 players from the reserve pool in the second round, making selections without regard to a player’s conference affiliation or position.

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