With the busy personal schedule I have been having over the past few weeks, I was unable to write the NBA weekly blog for the past few weeks. Well, today here is a special edition of the NBA weekly blog, the 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend Special!
The West defeat the East 143-138 in 2013 All-Star Game.
Chris Paul crowned All-Star Game MVP
Photo ©NBA.com
For the third straight season, the Western Conference All-Stars defeat the Eastern Conference All-Stars at the 2013 NBA All-Star Game held at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas with the score of 143-138.
Leading the way for the West was Clippers point guard Chris Paul who came up with a double-double 20 points and 15 assists, together with 4 steals. Paul was also crowned the All-Star Game MVP. Thunder forward Kevin Durant led all scorers with 30 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Paul's Clipper teammate Blake Griffin added 19 points while James Harden of the host team the Houston Rockets scored 15 points off the bench.
The East were led by the Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony who finished with a double-double 26 points and 12 rebounds. Heat guard Dwayne Wade added 21 points, 7 assists and 2 steals. While his teammate LeBron James added 19 points and 5 assists. Pacers guard Paul George came off the bench and scored 17 points.
Box Score:
WEST 143 - Durant 30, Paul 20, Griffin 19, Harden 15, Westbrook 14, Parker 13, Bryant 9, Howard 9, Randolph 6, Lee 6, Duncan 2, Aldridge 0
EAST 138 - Anthony 26, Wade 21, James 19, George 17, Irving 15, Deng 10, Noah 8, Chandler 7, Bosh 6, Holiday 6, Lopez 3, Garnett 0
Meanwhile, on a revamped All-Star Saturday Night festivities, the West led by captain Chris Paul also knocked off the East led by captain Dwayne Wade 140-125 and came home with US$350,000 for their chosen charities, the East came home with US$150,000 for their chosen charities.
In the Sears Shooting Stars, Team Bosh composed of Chris Bosh, Swin Cash and Dominique Wilkins defeated Team Westbrook composed of Russell Westbrook, Maya Moore and Robert Horry with the time of 1:29 in the Championship Round which gave the East 10 points. However, the West composed of Team Westbrook and Team Harden composed of James Harden, Tina Thompson and Sam Cassell won the Team Round which gave them 20 points over the East teams of Team Bosh and Team Lopez which was composed of Brook Lopez, Tamika Catchings and Muggsy Bogues.
SCORE AFTER THE Sears Shooting Stars: WEST 20, EAST 10
In the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Trail Blazers rookie guard Damian Lillard defeated 76ers guard Jrue Holiday in the Championship Round with the time of 29.8 seconds to give the West 10 points. However the East team composed of Holiday, Pistons guard Brandon Knight and Hawks guard Jeff Teague defeated the West team of Lillard, defending champion Tony Parker and Rockets guard Jeremy Lin to give the East 30 points in the Team Round.
SCORE AFTER THE Taco Bell Skills Challenge: WEST 30, EAST 40
In the Foot Locker Three Point Shootout, Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving defeated Spurs forward Matt Bonner 23-20 in the Championship Round to give the East 10 points. However the West team composed of Bonner, Hornets forward Ryan Anderson and Warriors guard Stephen Curry defeated the East team of Irving, Knicks forward Steve Novak and Pacers guard Paul George to give the West 40 points in the Team Round.
SCORE AFTER THE Foot Locker Three Point Shootout: WEST 70, EAST 50
In the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, Raptors guard Terrence Ross got 58% of the vote as he defeated defending champion Jeremy Evans of the Utah Jazz which gave the East 55 points for the championship round. However The West dunkers of Evans, Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe and Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried however came up on top in the Team Round as they defeat the East dunkers of Ross, Pacers guard Gerald Green and Knicks guard James White to score 50 points in the Team Round.
FINAL SCORE: WEST 140-125 EAST
*Faried and Bledsoe who scored two 50 dunks for the West gave the West 20 bonus points
*Ross and Green who scored two 50 dunks for the East gave the East 20 bonus points.
Lastly, in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, Team Chuck defeats Team Shaq for the second straight season with the score 163-135.
Nuggets sophomore Kenneth Faried led Team Chuck with a double-double 40 points and 10 rebounds and was crowned the game MVP. Spurs sophomore Kawhi Leonard and Cavaliers sophomore Tristan Thompson each scored 20 points for Team Chuck while Kings sophomore Isaiah Thomas added 18 points and 10 assists.
Cavaliers sophomore and last year's game MVP Kyrie Irving led Team Shaq with 32 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Irving's rookie teammate Dion Waiters added 23 points. Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard added 18 points while Rockets sophomore Chandler Parsons added 13 points.
Box Score:
TEAM CHUCK 163 - Faried 40, Leonard 20, T. Thompson 20, Thomas 18, Vucevic 15, Beal 12, Shved 12, Davis 11, Knight 10, Rubio 5
TEAM SHAQ 135 - Irving 32, Waiters 23, Lillard 18, Parsons 13, Barnes 12, K. Thompson 11, Walker 8, Kidd-Gilchrist 8, Nicholson 6, Zeller 4
Before the season resumes tomorrow, here are the standings from across the association after the All-Star break:
Western Conference:
1. Spurs (42-12), 2. Thunder (39-14), 3. Clippers (39-17), 4. Grizzlies (34-18), 5. Nuggets (33-21), 6. Warriors (30-22), 7. Jazz (30-24), 8. Rockets (29-26), 9. Trail Blazers (25-28), 10. Lakers (25-29), 11. Mavericks (23-29), 12. Timberwolves (19-31), 13. Hornets (19-34), 14. Kings (19-35), 15. Suns (17-36)
Eastern Conference:
1. Heat (36-14), 2. Knicks (32-18), 3. Pacers (32-21), 4. Nets (31-22), 5. Bulls (30-22), 6. Hawks (29-22), 7. Celtics (28-24), 8. Bucks (26-25), 9. 76ers (22-29), 10. Rapotrs (21-32), 11. Pistons (21-33), 12. Cavaliers (16-37), 13. Wizards (15-36), 14. Magic (15-37), 15. Bobcats (12-40)
K-Smoove
