NBA All-Star Weekend Preview
By Peyton Schultze
Will Team LeBron win on Sunday for the second consecutive year?
One of the most enjoyable and exciting weekends in all of sports is almost here, as the National Basketball Association’s best travel to Charlotte for All-Star Weekend. This year’s events are sure to be nothing short of spectacular once again for fans as they are once again given the opportunity to witness some of the best basketball players on the planet come together for one great weekend of fun and competition. From LeBron’s interesting draft choices to an interesting crop of All-Star newcomers to an emotional All-Star farewell to two basketball greats, the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend is surely going to be a dazzling display of basketball greatness.
Mountain Dew Ice Rising Stars Game
Will Team World come out on top once again in the Rising Stars Game?
Another year and another battle of some of the game’s best young players. This year’s format, similar to that of the past four years, pits Team World against Team USA to see which team comes out on top. Team World has won three of the four global matchups versus Team USA since the game began, so will this year be any different?
While both teams have a surplus of great players in the exhibition, Team World may have the two best in the matchup on their side with Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks. Simmons will take part in the actual All-Star Game on Sunday and is truly one of the game’s best young players, whereas Doncic is the likely Rookie of the Year this season and seems to be a true franchise cornerstone for the Mavericks heading into the future. In addition, Team World also has the Rising Stars Game’s 2018 MVP in Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Sacramento Kings and young studs such as Lauri Markkanen of the Chicago Bulls and Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns to round out a solid squad for the World Team.
Yet Team USA may finally be in position to end their recent skid against Team World. Similar to Team World’s two best players, Team USA will suit up with the explosive Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and the speedy De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings. Mitchell was one of the true surprises of last season in helping lead Utah past the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2018 playoffs before eventually falling to the elite Houston Rockets, while Fox has emerged this year alongside Buddy Hield in the Kings’ backcourt in the pursuit for a long-awaited playoff berth. In addition, Team USA will also feature two young stars from the 2017 draft class in Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, as they look to add a possible Rising Stars Game MVP to their already-impressive NBA resumes.
As usual, the game is essentially a toss up and will likely be a highlight-filled display until the final several minutes of the game when both teams decide to play some lockdown defense on one another. With that being said, Team USA is likely more well-positioned in this year’s game in that situation, as they feature several more players that can create their own shot in the final minutes of the game than that of Team World. In a high-scoring barrage, Team USA will end Team World’s two-game win streak in the game in a battle of elite young players.
Prediction: Team USA (153) - Team World (146)
Game MVP: Donovan Mitchell
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
2018’s winner, Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets, holding the trophy after a solid win.
The Taco Bell Skills Challenge is the first star-studded event of All-Star Saturday Night and features a loaded lineup of All-Stars ready to flash their elite skills:
Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)
Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings)
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers)
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic)
Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
As it has been over the past few seasons as well, several “big men” will also be participating in the Skills Challenge in addition to the traditional speedy guards and elusive forwards. Only two power forwards/centers have ever won the contest with Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016 and Kristaps Porzingis in 2017, yet both big men in this year’s contest seem to have a great shot at doing something special with their unique skillset (especially the flashy Jokic).
But in looking at past winners, quick players with an ability to hit a automatic jump shot are often the ones who come out on top in this contest. In the event’s history, there have been three two-time winners (Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Damian Lillard) and all three have a certain quick first-step that plays to their advantage. With that being said, Conley, Fox and Young look to be among the favorites within the competition, as their uncanny speed and ability to hit a jumper separates them from the rest of the field and players such as Kuzma and Jokic.
But Fox is the clear standout with his status as one of the game’s fastest young players. If Fox can hit the top of the key jump shot on his first try, he seems to be the clear favorite with his flashy and accurate passing mixed in with his quick cuts and speed that play to his advantage. If Team USA wins in the Rising Stars Game, look for Fox to possibly go two for two in his All-Star Weekend festivities. But keep your eyes on Doncic. He has certainly surprised many people with his in-game play all year and could be looking to win an event after being snubbed from the All-Star Game.
Prediction: De’Aaron Fox
Dark-Horse: Luka Doncic
Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest
Although he was unable to win, Paul George was one of the participants in the 2018 3-Point Contest at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The modern NBA currently features some of the most lethal shooters to ever lace them up, and the 2019 3-Point Contest features just some of the game’s best in the downtown department:
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Seth Curry (Portland Trail Blazers)
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Danny Green (Toronto Raptors)
Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets)
Buddy Hield (Sacramento Kings)
Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets)
Way back in 2006, Dirk Nowitzki won the 3-Point Contest in a thrilling shootout. Now, in perhaps his final year in the NBA, Nowitzki will get an All-Star send off and participate in another 3-Point Contest at the tail end of his career. It would be a magical way to almost finalize a career, but Nowitzki will face some stiff competition in the form of some of the NBA’s best shooters.
in 2018, Devin Booker won the contest and once again returns this year. However, Booker will face some tough competition this year with Damian Lillard, one of the game’s best point guards and pure shooters, and Stephen Curry, possibly the greatest shooter to ever live. The battle of Steph vs Seth Curry will be an interesting storyline to watch during the contest and it will be fascinating to see which of the brothers winds up prevailing over the other. However, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker will likely have the home-court advantage for the contest and could feed off the energy that the crowd gives him on Saturday night, which could end with him holding up the trophy to thousands of adoring fans.
But the easy money is certainly on Steph to win it. After all, he is one of the most captivating players in the league that lives for big moments such as All-Star Weekend. However, if Steph does not have his normal superb shooting stroke on Saturday (which is unlikely), then watch out for Walker behind a possibly-rowdy home crowd. Another key sleeper could be Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets, who is quietly putting up a great season while shooting 47% from 3-point land. Harris is not a well-known name in the NBA yet, but could easily become more recognizable with a stunning shooting display on Saturday.
Prediction: Stephen Curry
Dark-Horse: Joe Harris
AT&T Slam Dunk
Donovan Mitchell put on a show in the 2018 Slam Dunk Contest behind a fascinated Los Angeles crowd filled with basketball stars and celebrities.
The Slam Dunk Contest has had its fair share of ups-and-downs in its history, but 2018 was a pure spectacle led by Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz. In hopes of another great performance in the most notorious contest of All-Star Saturday Night, the NBA is dishing out with some high flyers in 2019:
Miles Bridges (Charlotte Hornets)
John Collins (Atlanta Hawks)
Hamidou Diallo (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Dennis Smith Jr. (New York Knicks)
The Slam Dunk Contest is not full of headline names in 2019, yet could still be a great show featuring some awesome dunks. It will certainly be hard to top last year’s revitalized contest with big name players such as Victor Oladipo and Donovan Mitchell, but the show still goes on this year with some great dunkers. John Collins is one of the exciting young players in the league, and Hawks’ players have a solid history of performing in the Dunk Contest, which could bode well if Collins decides to have a throwback type of dunk to the age of Spud Webb or Dominique Wilkins. In addition, Dennis Smith Jr. or Hamidou Diallo could run the table with their gigantic hops, and look to lock up the contest with some spectacular dunks.
However, the favorite going into the contest should be Miles Bridges of the hometown Charlotte Hornets. Very often in dunk contests, hometown favorites have a loud crowd behind them and propel them to victory. This could very well be the case, especially combining with Bridges’ crazy leaping ability that is sure to get the crowd going early on.
This dunk contest is hard to predict, and certainly not one of the most exciting ones in recent memory with a lack of superstars. But that does not mean someone can’t steal the show and carry this dunk contest to glory for another year. Our guess is that Bridges is that player and that he pulls off some outstanding dunks behind a crazy home-crowd at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Prediction: Miles Bridges
Dark-Horse: John Collins
2019 NBA All-Star Game
Can Team Giannis prevail over Team LeBron and a cast of superstars?
The 2019 All-Star Game has the potential to go down as one of the great All-Star games in NBA history with two teams featuring some of the best players to ever put on a NBA uniform. With Team LeBron and Team Giannis ready to suit up on Sunday, here are the rosters for both sides:
Team LeBron
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)
Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics)
Kawhi Leonard (Toronto Raptors)
James Harden (Houston Rockets)
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)
Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors)
Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs)
Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)
Team Giannis
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
Paul George (OKC Thunder)
Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets)
Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Russell Westbrook (OKC Thunder)
Blake Griffin (Detroit Pistons)
D’Angelo Russell (Brooklyn Nets)
Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic)
Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors)
Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
Both sides obviously have some of the game’s best players, but Team LeBron seems to have a slight advantage on paper with a surplus of players that have performed at an absurd level so far this season. However, Team Giannis is no slouch. With MVP candidates across the board and especially in their starting lineup, Team Giannis can push this game down to the wire where the stars will come out to play for real in a possibly exciting 4th quarter.
After the success of the new formatting last year with the two leading vote getters picking their teams in a draft, the NBA decided to try it again and broadcast the draft where both teams picked their rosters. While Giannis chose some surprise players early on that he believed were fit for his team due to their great play so far (such as Jokic), LeBron seemed to choose his roster quite intentionally. Of LeBron’s first six players drafted, only one (James Harden) is not a free agent or has not been discussed as a possible trade candidate for James’ Los Angeles Lakers. This certainly brings even more intrigue heading into All-Star weekend. Will James be able to recruit any stars in his free time to come to Los Angeles to play alongside him, such as his old friend in Kyrie Irving or the young and often-discussed Anthony Davis? Only time will tell, but it will be interesting to see how they play together on Sunday for Team LeBron.
With the game in mind, there are a plethora of players that could take home the MVP honors. Last season in 2018, LeBron James took home his third All Star Game MVP and is always a legitimate threat. However, several players have also put on MVP-caliber seasons for their teams which could translate into the All-Star Game, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Joel Embiid and Paul George. And of course, one of the three select Warriors in the game could always walk away with the award, especially the ever-so-popular and fan-favorite in Stephen Curry.
Yet it will also be interesting to see how some of the first time All-Stars perform on the biggest stage in the NBA outside of the NBA Finals. Players such as Nikola Jokic and D’Angelo Russell have some player traits and characteristics that could translate well into the All-Star Game and bring some spotlight onto themselves that they might not always receive during the regular season. Yet out of all of the first time All-Stars, Ben Simmons seems to be the one most likely to possibly steal the MVP. With some flashy passing and high flying dunks after driving through the lane, Simmons has a great All-Star type of game that could translate well into the exhibition.
But in the end, Team LeBron seems to be the likely favorite in the game. If the game comes down to the 4th quarter, it could bode well for Kyrie Irving, one of the must-watch players in the league that possesses a certain clutch gene that is rarely seen in today’s NBA. With all of the All-Stars in the game, Irving will be the one most likely to make the big shot for Team LeBron and will help lead them to victory in a very fun and exciting All-Star Game in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Prediction: Team LeBron (156) - Team Giannis (151)
MVP: Kyrie Irving
Dark-Horses: Ben Simmons, Paul George