New-look All-Star game format injects defense into the festivities

The once all-highlight extravaganza featured some strategy

As far as All-Star Game goes, the new format allowed current team players to be set against one another (KD vs. the Warriors, DeRozan vs. Lowry) while simultaneously pairing players that otherwise might never pass the ball to one another.

The highlight of the first hour had to be Kevin Hart’s roasting of each player during introductions. While listing their attributes, he added his own take on each player, complete with never correctly saying Giannis Antetokoumpo.

TEAM LeBRON

  • Andre Drummond– “is the only player in the NBA who spends his whole check on waxing the hair off his shoulders.”
  • Paul George– “gets mad when people say backyard wrestling isn’t real.”
  • LaMarcus Aldridge– “is also a platinum member of Beyonce’s Beyhive which means he gets a autograph photos and a plus one at the meet and greet.”
  • Anthony Davis– “refuses to turn his back on his unibrow.”
  • Kyrie Irving, “not only does he think the earth is flat, he also thinks that Elvis works at the Target down the street from his house.”
  • LeBron James “makes everyone on his team wear name tags because they’re new.”

TEAM STEPH

  • Karl-Anthony Towns “teaches classes on how to fold fitted sheets.”
  • Draymond Green “says he likes to hang out at the DMV because the chaos and the bad attitudes calm him down.”
  • Jimmy Butler “has one of the largest Tupperware collections in the U.S. He can cook it, and he can store it.”
  • Kyle Lowry “carries a lot of loose change and he’s happy as hell that fanny packs are back in style.”
  • DeMar DeRozan’s “name in Spanish means ‘of the sea of Rozan.’”
  • James Harden “has a two bedroom flat in his beard that he rents out of the Air B’N’B on the weekends.”

OBSERVATIONS

As for the game itself:

  • We saw more defense in some of the plays. Actual double-team forcing passes. Kept the scoring a little lower. Check the #1 highlight in the Top Ten below.
  • LeBron was the high scorer and named MVP. As you can see in the highlight reel, even among the league’s best, he still shines head and shoulders above.
  • Although there was plenty of alley-oops and slams, the game seemed more somber and less showy considering the caliber of superstars gracing the court.
  • LaMarucs played 4 minutes, the only player to have single-digit playing time. As a Spurs fan, that makes me happy. No reason to add miles on a joyride when there is still some driving to do on the journey.

What was your favorite NBA All-Star Game highlight? Favorite moment from any event? Or did you spend All-Star Weekend in Mexico tweeting your favorite meals instead?

Next Spurs game is Friday back in Denver. Anticipation on who will be returning to the line-up is building.

Source: Pounding The Rock

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