Kevin Durant and LeBron James, the floor is yours. The familiar NBA foes were the top All-Star vote-getters in their respective conferences, and as such they will be responsible for captaining rosters they'll draft at a later date...
CJ McCollum, Kevin Love React to Damian Lillard's 2021 NBA All-Star Game Snub
Feb 18, 2021
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) moves the ball up court in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard wasn't named to the Western Conference All-Stars' starting five, and a pair of NBA players are among those in disbelief after thefan votebroke the tie between Lillard andDallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic.
Trail Blazers teammate CJ McCollum and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love tweeted their support for Dame following the announcement of the All-Star Game starters Thursday night:
Anyone else have Dame as early favorite for ASG MVP??? 🍿🍿🍿
Lillard is averaging 29.8 points, 7.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 27 games for Portland this season, while Doncic's averages of 29.1 points, 9.4 dimes and 8.6 boards are slightly better overall. However, it's Lillard whose short-handed Blazers squad is 18-10 and fourth in the West. Doncic's Mavericks are on the playoff bubble at 13-15.
Lillard will have to wait until All-Star reserves are announced Tuesday to hear his name called. All-Star Weekend festivities will take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, with the All-Star Game set for Sunday, March 7.
Luka Doncic Named NBA All-Star Starter over Damian Lillard Due to Tiebreaker
Feb 18, 2021
Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard (0) defends against Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (77) during an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
In NBA All-Star voting, fans' ballots serve as the tiebreaker.
That rule just cost Damian Lillard All-Star starter honors.
The Portland Trail Blazers guard and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks garnered an equal number of votes overall, but Doncic got the nod because he finished ahead of Lillard in fan votes.
Doncic was second among Western Conference guards in the fan vote, while Lillard was third. Lillard finished second in the media and player components of the voting, with Doncic finishing third.
Steph Curry led all three components of the selection process.
This is a hair-splitting process that ultimately doesn't matter much. Lillard will be among the All-Star reserves in the West. His contract does not contain any All-Star starter stipulations tied to his selection, and few people actually remember who started the game over the long term.
That said, it's fair to assume Lillard feels slighted.
Lillard is in the midst of an MVP-worthy campaign, keeping the Blazers afloat despite extended absences from CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic. The Blazers are a surprising 18-10 and five full games ahead of the Mavericks in the standings.
Lillard also has a better advanced statistical case.
Doncic has the advantage in traditional stats, thanks to his gaudy rebounding and assist numbers, but has been a less efficient shooter from three-point range.
The fact is that both are overwhelmingly deserving All-Stars, and neither is a particular "snub" by starting over the other. This is just a rare case when the media and players represent one side of the argument, with the fans on the other side.
Given that it's a spectacle specifically for the fans, Doncic was probably the right call.
NBA All-Star Game 2021 Rosters: Captains and Starters Revealed
Feb 18, 2021
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks are seen during the second half of the NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)
It will be Team LeBron James against Team Kevin Durant at the 2021 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta on March 7.
The two captains, as well as their fellow starters, were announced Thursday on TNT following a process that was determined by a combination of voting from fans (50 percent), media (25 percent) and players (25 percent).
The top two vote-getters were deemed captains and will draft their teams from the pools of starters and reserves. The reserves will be announced Tuesday on TNT, which will also broadcast the draft on March 4.
Here is a look at the starters LeBron and KD will be choosing from when it's time to draft.
While there was some uncertainty about whether there would even be a traditional All-Star Weekend this season with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting so much, the league confirmed Thursday that it would hold the event. What's more, the three-point contest and skills challenge will happen during the pregame, while the dunk contest will happen at halftime.
Thursday's announcement noted the event "will highlight the importance of HBCUs and raise awareness around the disparate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. In addition, All-Star will feature special performances by HBCU musical groups and unique storytelling and content by distinguished alumni and students."
The game will also feature the Elam Ending once again following last season's success.
NBA All-Star Game Format:
The game will follow the same format as last year, with the teams competing to win each quarter and playing to a Final Target Score during the untimed fourth quarter. https://t.co/jk8pxZqyZI
The Elam Ending turns off the clock in the fourth quarter and sets up a scenario wherein the two teams play toward a target score. Ideally, that eliminates late-game fouling as a means of stopping the clock and adds more excitement to the conclusion.
It worked last year, as Team LeBron defeated Team Giannis 157-155 in a thriller in Chicago.
While the first three quarters of that contest unfolded like many All-Star Games do, with alley-oops, lackluster defense and a barrage of three-pointers, the fourth quarter was defined by intensity and the league's best players trading eye-popping plays with the outcome on the line.
Anthony Davis iced it with a free throw for Team LeBron.
Fans couldn't ask for much more out of this year's game, and they now know the starters they will be watching lace it up for Team LeBron and Team KD.
Damian Lillard Tweets About Foul Called on Him While Defending Luka Doncic
Feb 15, 2021
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) watches as Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) makes a basket as ande is fouled by center Enes Kanter during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Was it a soft foul? Absolutely. But if a ref is clearly monitoring your hand-checking outside of the post and you don't adjust, you probably shouldn't be too surprised when the whistle is blown.
Lonzo Ball Talks 'Difficult Night' for Pelicans After Luka Doncic's Career High
Feb 13, 2021
New Orleans Pelicans' Lonzo Ball (2) defends as Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (77) handles the ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Doncic scored a career-high 46 points and Porzingis added 36 as the pair accounted for more than half the Mavs' total in their shootout victory.
"Luka and Porzingis, that's a tough guard," Ball said. "Either way, if you wanna blitz the ball, then Porzingis is gonna be on the pop. If you wanna play and drop, Luka's gonna get you on his back and do what he wants. If you wanna switch, it's a mismatch. You know, so it's just a difficult night."
The Pelicans had two standout performances of their own as Zion Williamson (36 points) and Brandon Ingram (30) tried to help them keep pace.
New Orleans head coach Stan Van Gundy lamented the team's poor defensive effort as Dallas shot 58 percent from the floor and knocked down 25 three-pointers.
"It's because we're playing abhorrent defense," Van Gundy told reporters. "Our defense is ridiculous. We tried everything tonight. Two games in a row like this is inexcusable for me as a coach, and for the players it's inexcusable."
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are starting to pick up some serious steam with four straight wins while averaging 130.5 points during the streak.
"We got rolling," Doncic said. "That's four in a row. We get paid to win the games, and that's what we're doing right now. We've just got to keep going like this."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QWgxsg9m3A
The Mavs improved to 13-14 with the victory, while the Pelicans dropped to 11-14.
Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson Drop Career Highs as Mavs Outlast Pelicans 143-130
Feb 12, 2021
New Orleans Pelicans' JJ Redick, left, and Josh Hart defend against Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (77) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Luka Doncic scored a career-high 46 points and Kristaps Porzingis hit eight three-pointers to propel the Dallas Mavericks to a 143-130 home win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday at American Airlines Center.
Doncic added 12 assists and eight rebounds for his near triple-double, and Porzingis finished with 36 points. The Mavericks also combined to make 25 of 45 three-pointers.
Zion Williamson, who made all 10 of his first-half shots en route to 23 points by halftime, also registered a career-high scoring total with 36. Brandon Ingram complemented Williamson's effort with 30 points.
The Mavs led 69-65 at halftime after Porzingis made 7-of-11 three-pointers, including one at the halftime buzzer.
Dallas and New Orleans both crossed 100 points before the third quarter, with the Mavs leading 108-101. However, Dallas used a 15-4 run early in the fourth to help put the game away.
The 13-14 Mavericks won their fourth straight game. The 11-14 Pels dropped their second game in a row.
Notable Performances
Pelicans PF Zion Williamson: 36 points, 4 assists, 2 steals
Pelicans F Brandon Ingram: 30 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds
Mavericks PG Luka Doncic: 46 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds
Mavericks C Kristaps Porzingis: 36 points, 7 rebounds
Mavericks G Jalen Brunson: 13 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds
Doncic and Porzingis Crush Pelicans
There was no stopping Doncic and Porzingis on Friday evening. It's hard enough to stop a 7'3" big man who can shoot three-pointers from halfcourt logos, but it's another to slow down one of the NBA's best players in Doncic, whose arsenal of moves makes him near-invincible on occasion.
Porzingis was almost unstoppable from deep, starting the Mavs' scoring with a three en route to making four of his first five three-pointers:
Mavs digital content manager Bobby Karalla also posted this mind-boggling stat on Doncic, who had set a career-high in scoring with 43 points just six nights ago:
Doncic and Williamson even managed to make history together:
According to @EliasSports Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson are the 2nd pair of opposing players, each 21 or younger, to both score at least 35 points in the same game in NBA history.
Kevin Durant (46 pts for Thunder) and Eric Gordon (41 pts for Clippers) did this on Jan. 23, 2009 pic.twitter.com/sDc0kobOS2
Williamson was fantastic in his own right, but the Mavs are finally hitting their stride after a slow start to the season hampered by numerous absences.
Doncic and Porzingis are primarily to thank for that resurgence, and now the Mavs will look to continue their hot streak as the end of the NBA's first half approaches.
Zion Perfect in 1st Half; Ingram Posts 30 Points
It wasn't meant to be for the Pels on Friday, but the Ingram-Wiliamson combination had a great day of their own, scoring 24 combined points in the first quarter:
As for Ingram, the ex-Los Angeles Laker slowed down a bit after a hot first quarter, but he still excelled overall. He got things going with a pair of threes early on:
The fourth quarter belonged to the Mavs, as the Pels' defense scuffled for the second straight game after allowing a combined 76 points to Zach LaVine and Coby White in a 129-116 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
But the future is still bright in New Orleans thanks to Williamson and Ingram, who form one of the game's most exciting and explosive young duos.
What's Next?
Dallas will stay home to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET. New Orleans will visit the Detroit Pistons on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.
Luka Doncic: 'I Don't Believe I Should Be in the MVP Conversation This Year'
Feb 11, 2021
Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic handles the ball during an NBA basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks in Dallas, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is having a solid start to the NBA season, averaging 27.8 points, 9.3 assists and 8.7 rebounds through 25 games.
And while those numbers rank him toward the top of the leaderboards, he doesn't expect to be honored for his performance with the game's top award.
"Honestly, I don't believe I should be in the MVP conversation this year," he told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith (9:10 mark).
The 21-year-old's reasoning has less to do with his individual performance and more with his assessment of his team.
The Mavericks are just 12-14 this season, ranking 11th in the Western Conference. Dallas is entering Friday's tip against the New Orleans Pelicans off a three-game winning streak that saw it defeat the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks, but all were tight affairs. The largest margin of victory came against Minnesota, when the Mavs won by five points.
Bookending that were the two-point victory over Golden State and a one-point win over the Hawks.
While the Mavericks are an average team at this point, Doncic's success shouldn't be overlooked. On Wednesday against Atlanta, he reached 30 career triple-doubles in the second-fewest number of games in league history. It took him 146 games, 44 fewer games than it took Magic Johnson (190 games).
The record set by Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson (75 games) is safe, though.
His strong 2019-20 season, when he came close to averaging a triple-double (28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 8.8 assists) had him in contention before the award went to Giannis Antetokounmpo for the second consecutive season.
This could be his year, but in his view, the Mavericks have to step it up first.
Luka Doncic, Mavericks Hold off John Collins, Trae Young, Hawks for Win
Feb 10, 2021
Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (77) works against Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young (11) for a shot opportunity in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks defeated Trae Young's Atlanta Hawks, 118-117, on Wednesday at American Airlines Center in a matchup between two stars who were traded for each other on draft night in 2018.
Doncic is now 3-1 against Young to start their careers. Dallas (12-14) has won four of its last six games, including three straight, and leapfrogged the Houston Rockets to get out of last place in the Southwest Division and two games out of first place.
The Hawks, meanwhile, continue to slide. Atlanta (11-13) has lost four of its last five games, though it entered Wednesday in a tie for first with the Charlotte Hornets (12-13) in the lackluster Southeast Division.
A fully healthy Mavericks team wore down the Hawks late in the second half.
In a rivalry that started on draft night three years ago, Doncic continues to hold the upper hand.
Young was apoplectic at the final buzzer as Danilo Gallinari's 20-footer clanked off the rim. Not because the Hawks didn't get a good look on their last shot, but because they were prevented from getting the ball in Young's hands on the inbound.
The guard was knocked to the ground by a hard screen from Dallas center Willie Cauley-Stein as he tried to break free for a catch-and-shoot. While Cauley-Stein's elbow appeared to graze Young's face, the referees chose not to call a foul, effectively allowing the Mavs to eliminate the threat of a game-winner from Atlanta's best playmaker.
"... As I was on the ground, the ref was looking right at me," Young continued. "And didn't say nothing or didn't call anything. So that's what happened."
The Hawks couldn't keep up with a barrage of made threes from Jalen Brunson and Tim Hardaway Jr. despite building a 13-point lead. Especially with Young unable to hit anything from the field in the second half. After dropping 19 points in the first 24 minutes, Young went cold after halftime and didn't hit his next shot until there was 1:05 left in the fourth quarter.
Even then, Young stayed aggressive, drawing the defense toward him on the perimeter and dishing to open teammates across the floor. Young's 15 assists were his second-highest total of the season and just three shy of his career-high.
Doncic had to take a similar route to keep his club in the game when he started off cold in the first quarter. After opening 1-of-5 from behind the arc, Doncic attempted only two more threes on the night and instead drove the lane off the dribble to get points at the rim. When he couldn't, he usually had a teammate nearby for a quick assist.
That's how he picked up his eighth triple-double of the season and brought home a win to keep his team rolling and added another chapter to one of the league's more entertaining rivalries.
Hawks and Mavs Headed In Different Directions
Atlanta and Dallas essentially used Wednesday as an opportunity to wave at each other as one team continued to rise following a brutal start to the year and the other kept falling after opening up 4-1.
Fortunately for the Hawks, they don't appear to have much competition in the Southeast to make these losses hurt even more. With the Miami Heat (10-14) still trying to rediscover their rhythm after reaching the Finals last year and the Charlotte Hornets (12-14) still coming along in their rebuild, it seemed like the Hawks were in a position to take advantage of the division's weaknesses and build a solid lead.
That didn't happen, and the Hawks may come to regret it.
Getting swept in a two-game season series by the Mavericks wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't incredibly winnable games. Before losing by one point Wednesday, the Hawks fell to the Mavs by six on Feb. 3.
The Mavericks entered both games under .500. They're now three victories away from a winning record after a stretch of seven losses in eight games at the end of January.
The Hawks were supposed to take their next step as a contender this year—and they still could—but the stumbles along the way prove they still have plenty of work to do until they reach sustainable success.
The Hawks return home for back-to-back games, beginning with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday followed by a meeting with the Indiana Pacers on Saturday at the same time. The Mavs remain home for three more games as the New Orleans Pelicans arrive on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff on ESPN.
Thisarticle will be updated shortly to provide more information on this game.
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Building an NBA All-Star roster is a simple task on paper. Find 12 deserving players from the Eastern Conference, separate them into starters and reserves—don't forget to split ...
