Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
The NBA All-Star Game will be officially happening three Sundays from now.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images.)
So it’s official. March 7 in Atlanta. Here are the details of that night from Marc Stein of the New York Times:
So those are the deets.
I still don’t feel comfortable that the NBA is having an extra game after nearly 30 games have been postponed for various reasons (but especially for virus reasons). With that said, no one is going to stop them. Whatever I say NOW isn’t going to stop me because who the heck am I? So what we can only do is hope for the best.
The game will have the “Elam Ending” like last season where there’s a target score. The target score would be the leading team’s score in the third quarter plus 24 (to honor Kobe Bryant once again). It proved wildly successful last year and at this point, I think this will be a staple at all-star games.
What’s different this year is that they’re having all the festivities on Sunday. I really hope people can just stay home and find out that this isn’t a party night. Either way, the 3-point shootout and skills challenge will go before the game itself. Then at halftime, the much-loved dunk contest will go on. You just hope it doesn’t go forever, right?
So yeah. It’s official. We can’t stop it. But I guess we’ll enjoy it and hope that they all stay safe. They will name the starters later on today. And we know that will be another riot on social media.
Bullet Passes
The Orlando Magic showed such promise but injuries to their roster (namely Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac are out for the season) really affected them. Their defense is not as great as last season’s but they did show some of that over their big win against the Knicks. Nikola Vucevic should get consideration for an all-star berth with that career season of his.
Why I’m so cautious about the extra game in Atlanta? Jayson Tatum is still affected by COVID. He doesn’t have it anymore but the virus can do some damage to the body. This really sucks.
The Clippers were shorthanded so they didn’t have a real fair fight against the powerful Utah Jazz. But no one’s going to feel sorry for teams that have missing players. But good grief. Utah, Utah, Utah. They’re so good right now.
Jerami Grant scored a career-best 43 points in a loss. With Derrick Rose (yeah, yeah) gone and Blake Griffin soon to follow, this team is now his, per se. He might be able to win Most Improved Player, too.
Dame Time continues to push through. Damian Lillard made a clutch three-point play to give Portland their 6th straight win as they are the hottest team outside of Utah.
NBA Scoreboard
Feb. 17, 2021
Watch This Play
ANTHONY EDWARDS. TOP GUN.
ANTHONY EDWARDS GOT UP. pic.twitter.com/YnNcOmcv4y
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 18, 2021
HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONE.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.