By Darnell Dinkins, Contributing Writer and Brittany Webb, Sports Editor
Posted 04:45 PM EST, Sun., Feb. 26, 2017
This past Sunday, Feb. 19, the NBA hosted the 2017 All-Star game in the city of New Orleans. Some of the best players in the game came together for a game filled with many highlights and jaw-dropping moments. The arena was packed with fans and celebrities like Beyonce, Jay-Z, Michael B Jordan, Spike Lee and many more. Singer John Legend was also in attendance and performed a melody during halftime.
There was a lot of speculation heading into the game regarding former teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, with many fans watching to see how they would react with each other if at all. Golden State Warriors coach and Western Conference All-Stars coach Steve Kerr put Westbrook in the game with Durant, and the first play he through an alley-oop to Westbrook, which made crowd erupt.
When asked about the play after the game Westbrook said, “He threw a lob, and that’s all that happened…it’s basketball.”
Although they seemed to have not solved the issues between them, the play was still exciting for fans to see and even surprised sports commentators Chris Webber, Reggie Miller and Marv Albert, who were questioning how the two would play together after Durant left the Thunder for the Warriors.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Eastern All-Stars with 30 points, while Anthony Davis stole the show scoring 52 points with a 20 point burst in the 4th quarter for the West. He broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record for the most points in the All-Star game. Many questioned whether this feat is attributed to Davis’ greatness or the lack of defense being played during the game. This has become a ritual in the all-star game with players being allowed to go directly to the lane without even a swipe at the ball.
Miller, a former All-Star and player of the game, was one of the critics of how the game has been played during All-Star weekend, having seen it played for years.
“What we saw last night was a video game,” Miller said Monday morning on The Dan Patrick Show. “That’s all it is. It’s all scoring and there’s no defense. So yes, the younger generation, the millennials, [think], ‘Oh, that was a fantastic All-Star Game.’ Guys of our generation, we’re like, ‘This is a joke, this is an absolute joke and mockery of the game.’”
Miller wishes that players would play real basketball, with real competition for at least “eight minutes in the fourth.”
Kerr agreed with Miller, saying he would like to see the game be more competitive, but lacks knowledge of how to do it.
Regardless, Davis did have an amazing night, which got better after the game when he received news he would be playing with his All-Star Demarcus Cousins, who was traded from the Kings to the Pelicans without knowledge on Sunday night.
All-Star weekend left fans with plenty to look forward as the second half of the season begins. It also left all the players injury-free.
“I think the biggest thing coming out of the game is that everybody leaves injury-free,” returning All-Star and NBA champion LeBron James said Sunday night, via Cleveland.com. “We gave the fans what they wanted to see and everyone left injury-free.”
