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LeBron James came into the weekend with the hype he’s built through the monstrous 60 percent, 30-point tear that he’d been on for nearly seven straight games.
Kevin Durant dropped (another) 30-spot: It was his third straight 30-point All-Star game.
Kobe Bryant made an timely, game-sealing block with the West up 134-126 and under 2:40 seconds to play in the game.
Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade each played a well-rounded game.
Dwight Howard is the best center in the NBA. Yes, still.
He also is (a) incapable of making an elbow jumper, (b) unreliable at the free-throw line, (c) susceptible to long-term injury, (d) hypersensitive to criticism from teammates and coaches, (e) more interested in becoming the next Bill Murray rather than the next Bill Russell and (f) wondering why no one has handed him the icon status he desperately craves.
But the worst thing Howard is – and unlike the items above, this is a temporary condition – is a square peg in a round hole.
If you’re looking for a way to capture the quality of NBA All-Star Week, think Adam Sandler movies. They are meant to be entertaining. They are hectic, foolish and sometimes embarrassing. The critics hate them.
And the fans love them.
Take a look at the web site Rottentomatoes.com and find Adam Sandler movies, whether it’s as a writer, producer or star. By my count, 39 of them have been rated by critics. Of those 39, 34 of the reviews have been negative.
Safe to say Adam will not be polishing that speech for the Oscars.
Why are you trolling us again, LeBron?
For so many years, everyone – be it fans, experts or bloggers – has been calling for LeBron James to enter the Slam Dunk contest, the way other superstars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant did in their heyday.
The King never did.
Perhaps craving the attention that Dwight Howard and Nate Robinson was receiving at the time, James told the world back in the 2008-2009 All-Star festivities that he would “preliminary” put his name down to dunk in 2010. Of course, he backed out.
All the All-Star stuff came down Thursday night.
This year’s All-Star Saturday Night has a new theme of Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference. Like that’s going to turn a weekend where everyone wants to (a) party and (b) not get hurt into serious competition.
TNT personalities Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal made their picks as GMs for the Rising Stars Challenge. O’Neal had the first pick and chose Portland guard Damian Lillard. Barkley then chose New Orleans big man Anthony Davis.
Yeah, you read that right. Both guys passed on Cleveland point man Kyrie Irving, who’s in the real All-Star Game.
