Good morning, it’s your NBA All-Star hangover
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
DR. K TAKES OVER: The East trailed by 18 but came back to take over in the fourth and win the highest-scoring NBA All-Star Game ever. But it wasn’t LeBron or Paul George who led the way: it was Kyrie Irving, who finished with 31 and 14 and dominated late.
Carmelo Anthony was awesome, too, setting the record for most threes in an All-Star Game with eight.
Irving took home the MVP trophy; in announcing it, Adam Silver referred to Dr. K as his “good friend.” Is there something we should know, Commissioner?
WITHOUT YOU: Kobe Bryant watched the All-Star Game from the sidelines, with his future in doubt. Somehow, the league survived. Paul Flannery puts it all in perspective live from New Orleans.
HOW WE DO: Kyrie Irving may have won the MVP, but the house organist Sir Foster stole the show. The Hawks’ regular player drew heaps of attention on Twitter for his smooth renditions of an incredible variety of pop and hip hop songs. We compiled his greatest hits.
LOLLING AROUND: Lana Berry’s travelogue from New Orleans features bacon cake, paintings of Redd Fox and the very tall Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Fun scene.
BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS: Flannery’s Sunday Shootaround focused on the generational divide among NBA stars and decided that the league’s in good hands. Plus it has tons of notes and quotes from New Orleans.
DUNK TANK: John Wall won the Slam Dunk Contest with a pretty epic reverse slam with help from a mascot, but the new format of the event was an absolute nightmare.
Still, we ranked all 21 dunks completed. Well, 20 plus a layup. Jeez, Harrison Barnes.
PLOT TWIST: Dwight Howard, usually the Clown Prince of All-Star Weekend, was far more serious in New Orleans. So serious he got in a workout Friday while most everyone else was partying. Someone finally realizes his reputation is in the tank.
NEW RIVALRY: Kings owner Vivek Ranadive talks trash about Mark Cuban. This is fantastic. Plus, on his ownership style: “We want to be like the Spurs, but exciting.” (Also some interesting nuggets about DeMarcus Cousins in there. Ailene Voisin is a great interviewer.)
MIXED ZONE: Blake Griffin is really funny. Via r/nba.
A REAL BREAK: Would the NBA benefit from having a legit, substantial break around All-Star Weekend?
CANDID BOSH: Chris Bosh talks about the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Heat. Pretty interesting answer as to why he won’t ask LeBron what LeBron gonna do.
MORE SATURDAY NIGHT: Shaqlemore is a thing that happened that hopefully we can all soon forget.
The duo of Trey Burke and Damian Lillard won the Skills Challenge by freaking 0.1 seconds.
Chris Bosh shot 2-2 on halfcourt shots to carry his team to back-to-back Shooting Stars titles. Like a Bosh.
AND FRIDAY NIGHT: The all-important Celebrity Game box score. Snoop Lion and Arne Duncan each had 11 rebounds; the latter, who is the U.S. Secretary of Education mind you, had a double-double and was given the MVP trophy by Kevin Hart.
Andre Drummond won the award for the Rising Stars Challenge, but the trophy crumbled in his hands, like so many Pistons possessions.
OKAY!: The Timberpuppy Bowl. Yes. This is good.
Happy Monday. See you next time.
