All-Star Game Observations
Added on Feb 18, 2013 by Scott in
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Unlike the Pro Bowl and MLB incarnation, the NBA All-Star game is normally a watchable event. Sure, there isn’t much defense or physical play, but the fast and furious style makes for solid post-football entertainment on a Sunday in mid February. The Western Conference won its third straight meeting last night by a score of 143-138. The results and final stats should be taken with a grain of salt, but a few interesting things stood out that may shed some light on the strengths of each conference.
Heat on ice – The East starters weren’t very impressive from the opening tip, but the trio of Heat players were particularly poor on the defensive end. The Big Three combined for a -36 in the +/- department. Again, it’s an All-Star game, so the sky isn’t falling. However, the Heat’s tendency to fall asleep on defense remains a concern in their bid to win back-to-back titles.
On point – Led by MVP Chris Paul’s 15, the Western point guards combined for 23 assists. Meanwhile, their Eastern counterparts dished only a dozen dimes. Granted, they were playing from behind most of the night, but there were too many jumpers and not enough distribution by the East backcourt.
Melo makes his mark – The Knicks Carmelo Anthony was by far the best player on the Eastern squad, with a team high 26 points and 12 rebounds. And unlike some others, he appeared to be having actual fun. Why so serious, LeBron?
Kobe the Glove – Kobe Bryant requested to guard LeBron down the stretch and he responded by pitching shutout against his rival, including blocking a jump shot with less than three minutes left. It was refreshing to see Bryant take the assignment so seriously, even though it means very little in the grand scheme.
Duncan’s swan song? – Was this the last All-Star appearance for Tim Duncan? At 36, his resurgence in 2012-13 has been somewhat surprising, but he was certainly deserving of a spot on the West, especially considering San Antonio owns the league’s best record.
