Travis
Spennies
Sports InsiderNBA All-Star Analysis 2008
February 19th 2008 05:54
For my first posting here at NBA Loud, I would like to get into all the festivities taking place in New Orleans. I will give you all the info you will need, from my point-of-view of course. So read on and comment if you feel the need.
Stan the Man took care of the update for the Celebrity Game. But my opinion of this game, would be better if they had a few more mega celeb's that I have heard of or some guys who could play. But they have a few decent guys and a lot of bad players. I would do very well playing in that game breaking the ankles of TV hosts on the D-list and former athletes from other sports. I was a little disappointed with the performance of former training camper in Master P, who at one point had the game to play pro. But seeing Primetime and T.O. was cool. They ended up scoring less than half of the score of the All-star game, but who's counting.
Rookie vs Sophomore Game
This is and was a preview of Sundays game an alley-ooping turnover dunking and 3pt shooting affair.
A very opposite type game for myself as I am a huge fan of defense, as I remain in the minority.
Case in point Daniel Gibson aka Boobie launched up 20 shots and made 11, okay but he didn't attempt a shot inside the arc. Rudy Gay had a solid impact in pushing the Soph's to the win and spawning the phrasesaid a few times and I quote "yet another GAY dunk!
Too funny.
Rook's lose to the second year players 136-109, which is usually predictable as the second year guys are used to being around this game as rookies and getting spanked previously.
Skills Competition
Shooting Stars - Champs = San Antonio Team of Becky Hammon, Tim Duncan and David Robinson. They were definitely not favored as they had two seven footers and lacked the range I would say to knock down those long range shots. But as they began one round with David Robinson missing a huge number of gimmes from the wing, building a house with all those bricks. They somehow managed to pull it off.
Skills Challenge - Champion is Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz with a record time of 25.5 seconds in his first year in this event beating out last years winner in Dwyane Wade.
3pt Shootout - Saw a record setting performance from Toronto's own Jason Kapono who made half of the number of three's he has made this year in the final round with 25.
DUNK - Two words Dwight Howard. Coming out party for those who haven't had the privilege of seeing this High-Schooler play. His superman cape dunk, his tap off the board and baby basket holder dunks sealed it as his charisma alone took out the reigning champ alone who did not impress with his arrogance in wanting the fans to embrace him more. Even Darryl Dawkins had enough as Green's last dunk with no shoes (which he placed on the judges table, freshly signed of course) finished, Dawkins knocked them off the table as to say 'are you serious'? Who do you think you are?
All-Star Game
Coaching these two talented teams will be Byron Scott (which I have had the pleasure of meeting through a camp I attended) and Doc Rivers who is another favorite of mine. The rosters look as such->
EAST
F-LBJ
F-CB4
C-D.Ho
G-D-Wade
G-J-Kidd
Reserves
GF-Ray Allen
PG-Chauncey Billups
SG-Rip
F-Antawn Jamison
GF-Joe Jo
FG-Paul Pierce
FC-Sheed
INJ-Caron & KG
WEST
F-Melo
F-Duncan
C-Yao
G-AI
G-Kobe
Reserves
FC-Carlos Boozer
G-Nash
FC-Disco Dirk
G-CP3
GF-Brandon Roy
CF-Amare
FC-D-West
The game starts out with some fast-paced action as the East takes the early lead with their hot shooting. Kobe Bryant exits early after word comes out that his ligaments in his finger are not healthy enough for him to play, in fact the medical staff did not clear him, but Kobe felt he owed it to the fans and inside he is still a true competitor.
Kevin Garnett on the other hand is airing on the side of caution by sitting out this game and returning to practice on Monday.
The first quarter ends with the East side winning and may I say the jerseys used in this game are not the greatest. I don't know how the players feel but each team has a white side, the back for East with a blue front and West has gold on the back with white fronts. Which makes it difficult to differentiate when players on the Eastern side run the floor you see their backs of white and the West on defense with their fronts of white. So who do u pass to? The white or white? The jerseys are nice but not practical, they do remind me of the Toronto Raptors Purple and Blacks.
The quality of play has picked up somewhat as the starters and good performers get more minutes and looks. These games are really not for a player like Allen Iverson who depends on getting to the line so much. Five players in double figures for East and West thus far. 74-65 for the Eastern Conference at the half.
The third begins and the action and score continues to rise steadily. Which will set the stage for the stretch run in the fourth.
The end of the game is near and Amare has had some massive dunks, (one on Superman D-Ho). The West have played all little guards and now all bigs and it seems to be working, taking the lead after being down for most of the game. Three minutes left and these teams are hitting everything, Ray Allen two deep three's giving him four so far, tied at 122's.
Wow Allen another three pointer, he has the smoothest stroke I have ever seen, he got game!
LBJ goes through the whole team and dunks it on all four of them and especially Dirk. It is getting serious folks.
Free throws end this one however as the Eastern Conference wins it 134-128. The MVP goes to the 'King' LeBron James 27pts, 8 reb and 9 ast.
A truly great weekend celebrating the NBA and New Orleans. There was some great entertainment and the players and fans, new and old came out for this one. I hope you enjoyed my insights and learned that these games in all sports are spectacles for all that are NOT fans of these great games and will tune out the very next games on the schedule.
Just remember I am a realist, not a cynic, well mostly.
Written by Spennies
(image credit-Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)
This is and was a preview of Sundays game an alley-ooping turnover dunking and 3pt shooting affair.
Case in point Daniel Gibson aka Boobie launched up 20 shots and made 11, okay but he didn't attempt a shot inside the arc. Rudy Gay had a solid impact in pushing the Soph's to the win and spawning the phrasesaid a few times and I quote "yet another GAY dunk!
Too funny.
Rook's lose to the second year players 136-109, which is usually predictable as the second year guys are used to being around this game as rookies and getting spanked previously.
Shooting Stars - Champs = San Antonio Team of Becky Hammon, Tim Duncan and David Robinson. They were definitely not favored as they had two seven footers and lacked the range I would say to knock down those long range shots. But as they began one round with David Robinson missing a huge number of gimmes from the wing, building a house with all those bricks. They somehow managed to pull it off.
Skills Challenge - Champion is Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz with a record time of 25.5 seconds in his first year in this event beating out last years winner in Dwyane Wade.
3pt Shootout - Saw a record setting performance from Toronto's own Jason Kapono who made half of the number of three's he has made this year in the final round with 25.
DUNK - Two words Dwight Howard. Coming out party for those who haven't had the privilege of seeing this High-Schooler play. His superman cape dunk, his tap off the board and baby basket holder dunks sealed it as his charisma alone took out the reigning champ alone who did not impress with his arrogance in wanting the fans to embrace him more. Even Darryl Dawkins had enough as Green's last dunk with no shoes (which he placed on the judges table, freshly signed of course) finished, Dawkins knocked them off the table as to say 'are you serious'? Who do you think you are?
All-Star Game
Coaching these two talented teams will be Byron Scott (which I have had the pleasure of meeting through a camp I attended) and Doc Rivers who is another favorite of mine. The rosters look as such->
EAST
F-LBJ
F-CB4
C-D.Ho
G-D-Wade
G-J-Kidd
Reserves
GF-Ray Allen
PG-Chauncey Billups
SG-Rip
F-Antawn Jamison
GF-Joe Jo
FG-Paul Pierce
FC-Sheed
INJ-Caron & KG
WEST
F-Melo
F-Duncan
C-Yao
G-AI
G-Kobe
Reserves
FC-Carlos Boozer
G-Nash
FC-Disco Dirk
G-CP3
GF-Brandon Roy
CF-Amare
FC-D-West
The game starts out with some fast-paced action as the East takes the early lead with their hot shooting. Kobe Bryant exits early after word comes out that his ligaments in his finger are not healthy enough for him to play, in fact the medical staff did not clear him, but Kobe felt he owed it to the fans and inside he is still a true competitor.
Kevin Garnett on the other hand is airing on the side of caution by sitting out this game and returning to practice on Monday.
The first quarter ends with the East side winning and may I say the jerseys used in this game are not the greatest. I don't know how the players feel but each team has a white side, the back for East with a blue front and West has gold on the back with white fronts. Which makes it difficult to differentiate when players on the Eastern side run the floor you see their backs of white and the West on defense with their fronts of white. So who do u pass to? The white or white? The jerseys are nice but not practical, they do remind me of the Toronto Raptors Purple and Blacks.
The quality of play has picked up somewhat as the starters and good performers get more minutes and looks. These games are really not for a player like Allen Iverson who depends on getting to the line so much. Five players in double figures for East and West thus far. 74-65 for the Eastern Conference at the half.
The third begins and the action and score continues to rise steadily. Which will set the stage for the stretch run in the fourth.
The end of the game is near and Amare has had some massive dunks, (one on Superman D-Ho). The West have played all little guards and now all bigs and it seems to be working, taking the lead after being down for most of the game. Three minutes left and these teams are hitting everything, Ray Allen two deep three's giving him four so far, tied at 122's.
Wow Allen another three pointer, he has the smoothest stroke I have ever seen, he got game!
LBJ goes through the whole team and dunks it on all four of them and especially Dirk. It is getting serious folks.
Free throws end this one however as the Eastern Conference wins it 134-128. The MVP goes to the 'King' LeBron James 27pts, 8 reb and 9 ast.
Just remember I am a realist, not a cynic, well mostly.
Written by Spennies
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