NBA All Star Weekend predictions

The NBA’s All Star weekend is upon us on February 24th-26th. All the competitors are set for the Dunk Contest, 3 point shootout, and BBVA Rising stars challenge. It should be a interesting weekend.

Friday Night Events:

Celebrity Game:

Now, I’m not going to send too much time on this event, but I am interested to see celebs like Vinny from “Jersey Shore”, Kevin Hart, and being a WNBA fan, seeing 2011 WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings. Last year, Justin Bieber won the MVP, so I have to pick an MVP for this year. I have to go with Ne-Yo. I hear he can play some ball.

BBVA Rising Stars Challenge:

Now, lets have some fun. On Thursday, Feb. 17th, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley of  TNT’s Inside the NBA had the opportunity to pick their teams for the first time in the history of the event.

Team Shaq:

Blake Griffin, LA Clippers
Jeremy Lin, NY Knicks
Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns
Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats
Landry Fields, NY Knicks
Norris Cole, Miami Heat
Brandon Knight, Detroit Pistons
Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers
Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons

Team Chuck:

Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
Derrick Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves
Paul George, Indiana Pacers
MarShon Brooks, NJ Nets
John Wall, Washington Wizards
Tiago Splitter, San Antonio Spurs
Evan Turner, Philadelphia 76ers
Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

Now if I have to choose the team to win, I am without a doubt picking Team Shaq. He has Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Jeremy Lin, and Kemba Walker. End of story. Charles picked a good team to build a team for the future if he owned a franchise, but for one game in a fast break, up and down game, I’m taking Blake, and Rubio running the floor.

Saturday Night Events:

3 point Shootout:

Competitors:

• Joe Johnson, ATL
• Ryan Anderson, ORL
• Kevin Love, MIN
• James Jones, MIA
• Anthony Morrow, NJN
• Mario Chalmers, MIA

As, James Jones is the defending champion, I have to go with him at least making the final round, but I’m going with Ryan Anderson from the Orlando Magic. I think he is just such a smooth shooter, that he has to win this. He also has a very quick release where Johnson, Love, Morrow, and Chalmers have much slower releases. Ill take Jones, and Anderson in the final, and Anderson pulls it out by a hair.

Dunk Contest:

Competitors:

• Derrick Williams, MIN
• Chase Budinger, HOU
• Iman Stumpert, NYK
• Paul George, IND

With a new format that the dunk contest is taking on, where the dunkers have only 3 dunks, and 1 round, and their are no judges. The voting will be the fans going onto NBA.com to vote on who they think had the best dunks, which I am not a fan of. If they do this, it will become nothing more than a popularity contest, where the most popular will win. I think if Stumpert has 1 or 2 good dunks, Knicks nation will come out and vote just for that reason alone even if someone else was better. I liked having judges like Tom Chambers, and Dr. J. When the guy won the contest, it gave the award or trophy a meaning where some of the best dunkers in NBA history think that you were the best on that night. This way, I do not like. I’m picking Chase Budinger to win it. I love the underdog story, and Chase is a underrated dunker. I’ll take a C Bud for the win.

Sunday Night Events:

61st annual NBA All Star Game:

Eastern Conference All Star Roster:

Starters:

G: Derrick Rose, CHI
G: Dwyane Wade, MIA
F: LeBron James, MIA
F: Carmelo Anthony, NYK
C: Dwight Howard, ORL

Reserves:

G: Deron Williams, NJN
G: Joe Johnson, ATL
F: Andre Iguodala, PHI
F: Luol Deng, CHI
F: Paul Pierce, BOS
F: Chris Bosh, MIA
C: Roy Hibbert, IND

Western Conference All Star Roster:

Starters:

G: Chris Paul, LAC
G: Kobe Bryant, LAL
F: Kevin Durant, OKC
F: Blake Griffin, LAC
C: Andrew Bynum, LAL

Reserves:

G: Russell Westbrook, OKC
G: Steve Nash, PHO
G: Tony Parker, SAS
F: LaMarcus Aldridge, POR
F: Kevin Love, MIN
F: Dirk Nowitzki, DAL
C: Marc Gasol, MEM

I like most of the All Stars this season, I like the reps from the 76ers and Pacers as they are at the top of the East, and being represented by Andre Iguodala, and Roy Hibbert. I like the respect for Paul Pierce. The duo if Dirk and Nash off the bench. The coaches seeing that Tony Parker deserved an All Star appearance this season. I love the starters, with the tandem of Kobe and KD, and the LeBron and Dwight Howard duo. I think it will be a game of fast breaks, and Bynum, Dirk, Nash, and Pierce will not play too much because of the age factor, and rest. So it will be fun to watch. Sadly, we saw a lot of streaks end this season with Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, and Pau Gasol. The team I like to win this game is the Western Conference, just on the fact that they have Kobe, who always comes to show off in the All Star games, along with KD, and Blake. Human highlight reel. Not saying that the East isn’t, but the West has the edge with the better bench as well. The MVP will be Kobe Bryant, as I think he will look to break the tied for the most in history, and go for number 5.

None the less, this should be a great weekend, and it will live up to the hype.

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