The 60th annual NBA All-Star Weekend is set to take place in Los Angles this weekend and should be filled with celebrities, rookies, dunks and skills.
The weekend kicks off Friday night with the T-Mobile rookie challenge, a game played between this year’s top rookies and top second-year players. Representing the rookies is Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin, who is also in the dunk contest and a reserve to the West All-Star Game.
Griffin has been having a sensational year for the Clippers after missing his rookie season due to injury during last year’s off season. Griffin is averaging greater than 22 points and 12 rebounds per game and has logged 47 double-doubles in 55 games.
Other notable rookies participating in the game are Wizards’ John Wall, Pistons’ Greg Monroe, Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins and Nets’ Derrick Favors, who are all having spectacular rookie seasons.
*
Eitan’s Pick: Rookies*
Following the Rookie Challenge is the BBVA celebrity game. The NBA likes to mix it up, providing two rosters full of celebrities from all industries, including NBA Hall-of-Famers.
Musically talented celebs participating this year are Grammy-nominated pop star Justin Bieber (for all the 12-year-old girls watching) and hip-hop artist Common. NBA legends Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Bill Walton, B.J. Armstrong, A.C. Green, Chris Mullen and Jalen Rose will also take the floor.
The final event for Friday night is the D-League dream factory, a game between players from the NBA’s development. Twenty of the NBA development league’s top prospects will play, including seven who have already been called up to the NBA.
Saturday kicks off with the Haier shooting stars contest. It consists of four teams, each with a current NBA player, a WNBA player and an NBA legend from a team or area. Last year, Team Texas took home the trophy when Dirk Nowitzki (NBA, Mavericks) Becky Hammon (WNBA, Silver Stars) and Kenny Smith (NBA legend, Rockets) beat out the Miami Heat when the weekend was hosted in Dallas. The completion consists of a relay of shots taken from different areas of the court. The team who sinks all the shots the fastest wins the competition. Teams completing this year are from Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston.
*
Eitan’s pick: Team L.A.*
Following the Shooting Stars is the Taco Bell skills challenge. This is set up for the all-star point guards to show off their ball handling, passing, jump shot and speed. Each player goes through an obstacle course designed to test each aspect, which once again, is timed. Last year, Phoenix Suns’ star Steve Nash took home bragging rights when he beat out Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams for his second title. Each year eight of the fastest players in the league go head-to-head in the contest, which is normally decided by less than a few seconds.
Eitan’s Pick: Derek Rose
Following the skills completion is the Foot Locker three-point contest, a highly respected competition. Participating in the contest this year is Celtics’ Ray Allen, who took the record for most three-pointers made in NBA history last week, surpassing NBA-great Reggie Miller.
Teammate Paul Pierce is looking to defend his title from last year, although he does have some threats in Miami’s James Jones and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, who have both been deadly from deep this season.
Eitan’s Pick: Ray Allen
The final event of the night is the Sprite slam dunk contest, quite possibly the most entertaining event of the evening. Never mind talent, fun and creativity gets you high marks in this contest. Four of the league’s most entertaining, high-flying, thunderous dunkers will take the floor and take on each other for the trophy. This year’s dunkers consist of Clippers’ Griffin, Wizards’ Javale McGee, Raptors’ DeMar DeRozen, and Thunder’s Serge Ibaka. Everyone knows all four players can dunk, but it really comes down to impressing the judges and the nation.
The past two years, the contest has been dominated by little-man Nate Robinson; but the big men are going to be making a statement for themselves. The average height of this year’s contestants is 6-foot-10-inches.
Eitan’s Pick: JaVale McGee
Finally, Sunday marks the 60th Annual all-star game. Last year, the Eastern all-stars won 141-139, led by Miami’s Dwayne Wade, who was named MVP. This year’s starting lineups include Miami’s Wade and LeBron James, Orlando’s Dwight Howard, Bulls’ Derrick Rose, and Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire. For the West, Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant.
Yao Ming was selected to his seventh all-star appearance in eight seasons, but being plagued with injuries forced him to sit it out. This will be his second all-star games he has missed. Kevin Love of the Timberwolves has been selected by NBA commissioner David Stern to start in Yao’s place.
Eitan’s Pick: East
