NBA All-Star weekend is finally here! This weekend the NBA All-Star weekend takes place in New Orleans from February 17- February 19th. NBA All-Star weekend is always exciting, but this year All-Star weekend maybe the most exciting in while due to being in one the most exciting cities the US has to offer especially with Mardi Gras still going on. The NBA All-Star weekend kicks off tonight, at 9 PM EST on TNT, between the USA vs. World game. This game was previously called the Rising Stars game which focused on rookies and sophomores who were excelling that season. However, with the NBA continuing to add overseas talent changing the name to the USA vs. the World was a more suitable name for the game.
Some players that headline the US team is Karl-Anthony Towns, who's averaging 23.1 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per game. In my eyes, he shouldn't even be playing in this game; he should be in the All-Star game for the West on Sunday. Other players who highlight the roster is the 2016 number two draft pick Brandon Ingram, 2015 second overall pick D'Angelo Russell, and 2015 third overall pick Jahlil Okafor. Jahlil Okafor has had a pretty bizarre season so far, he has had healthy DNP, not traveling with the team to road games so the team could trade him, but through all that he remained professional and still has averaged 11.7 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game off the bench. Another player that was putting up All-Star numbers on the US team is rising star is Devin Booker who is averaging 21.1 points per game for a depleted Phoenix Suns team. Myles Turner has also been progressing in his second season with the Indiana Pacers he is average 15.6 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, and 2.1 blocks per game. One notable player on this roster that may be under the radar is Michael Brogdon who plays shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks. Brogdon averages 9.4 points per game and 4.2 points per game. Those might sound like small numbers but when you're coming off the bench, and Kris Middleton starting to look like his old self after coming back from injury those are pretty good numbers.
Some players that headline the World team is 2015 fourth overall pick Kristaps Porzingis, who's averaging 18.3 points per game, 7.2 points per game, and 1.96 blocks per game for the New York Knicks. Other players that highlight this World team 2014 third overall pick Joel Embiid, 2014 12th overall pick Dario Saric, Nikola Jokic, and Trey Lyles. Unfortunately, trust the process phenom, Joel Embiid who's averaging 20.2 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, and 2.45 blocks per game for the rising Philadelphia 76ers will not be playing due to "meniscus" problem in his knee. Many might not know who Dario Saric was drafted in 2012 with the 12th overall pick by the Orlando Magic, but was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for 2014 tenth overall pick Elfrid Payton. This year is his first season because he had contract restrictions from his overseas team in Croatia. Dario has averaged 10.8 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game for the Philadelphia 76ers.
I think the World team will beat the US team and Kristaps Porzingis will win the MVP of the game.
On Saturday night, the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Shootout, and the Dunk Contest will take place. The skills challenge contestants will be Devin Booker, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, Gordon Hayward, Kristaps Porzingis, Isaiah Thomas, and John Wall. In the finals, a big man faces the guard for the Skills Challenge trophy. I pick Anthony Davis to make it to the finals to face Isiah Thomas in the finals, and Isiah Thomas wins the Skills Challenge trophy. Isiah Thomas has all the intangibles to win the challenge; he can shoot the three ball effortlessly, he can make a good bounce past, and can dribble the ball swiftly down the court yet under control.
The Three- Point Shootout contestants are Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, Wes Matthews, CJ McCollum, Kemba Walker, and Nick Young. My sleeper to win the three-point shootout is Kyle Lowry, who made the second most three-point shots at this point with 185 three-point shots made, but in reality, I think Klay Thompson will win the three-point shootout contest again.
The Dunk Contest is the final event of Saturday night, the contestants for this year's dunk contest is Aaron Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Glenn Robinson III, and Derrick Jones, Jr. In all honesty, I think they picked these names out of the hat because nobody with some sense wants to see this. If DeAndre doesn't get an alley oop or does a put back dunk, I don't see anything that will get me out of my seat from his dunks. Another thing is Derrick Jones, Jr, where did they find him under a rock? He is a D-League player how did he even get selected, but you know the unknown is the one you have to watch out for. Glenn Robinson III is in the dunk contest; I didn't even know he was still in the NBA. I predict Aaron Gordon will win the dunk contest; this is his dunk contest to lose.
On Sunday night, the All-Star game takes place. It's nice to see first-time All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Gordon Hayward. But, what everyone is looking forward to is how will Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook react to each other during All-Star weekend.
I believe the West All- Stars will obliterate the East All-Stars. The East has too
many guards as reserves and can't guard the height from the West All-Stars reserves. I know what most people would say they can out run them, and my response to that who is going to out run Russell Westbrook, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson they have endless energy. Plus what East All-Stars reserves are going to guard Marc Gasol, DeMarcus Cousins, and DeAndre Jordan. If you think Paul Millsap can guard any of those three congratulations, you played yourself.
I predict the score would be 185 West All-Stars to 164 East All- Stars. I predict Anthony Davis, will win All-Star MVP in his city, and he will score 40 points and have 12 rebounds.
