Team LeBron vs Team Giannis – NBA All-Star Game

Line-ups

Starters for each team (NBA.com, 2019)

Reserves for each team (NBA.COM, 2019)

Quarter 1 reaction

The first quarter of the All Stars game did not disappoint. this being the 68th All Star game had all, Alley Oops, 3 pointers and some monster dunks. it led to Giannis team leading at the quarter with Dirk Nowitzki throwing down some vintage 3 pointers in what will be his last season in the NBA with him retiring at the end of the season. With a load of Alley oops from Durant, Griffin and Giannis and Curry with some slick behind the back passes it had everything I could of asked for at the start of the game.

Quarter 2 reaction

Giannis’s team continue to dominate. Dirk carried on his 3 point rain and Steph Curry made an incredible bounce pass Alley Oop to Giannis which is a highlight play of the game in my opinion for sure. In this quarter you could see how this game was going to change though with Anthony Davis and Karl Anthony Towns making some huge plays for Team Lebron and you could really see them coming into there own. Lebron was also showing off them warning signs with 6 unanswered points on his own showing why he was voted as captain with them huge dunks.

Quarter 3 reaction

Quarter 3 saw some good plays from Giannis’s team like Paul George using Hardens trademark step back 3 point shot against him while sinking a 3 early on in the quarter. However the highlight move for me and all I could think about in this quarter was Dwayne Wade. With how well he has done with the Miami Heat on a personal level it was a shame that he is to retire at the end of the season (like Nowitzki) and the fact that how him and LeBron would never make a trademark play together again, how we were wrong. They made basically the same Alley Oops that the did all them years ago whilst both at the Heat, only difference was with Wade knowing this would be the last he couldn’t resist the temptation to look. (See images below). 1st picture reference –
(Neuharth-Keusch, 2018) . Second picture reference – (Admin, 2019).

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Quarter 4 reaction

The 4th quarter saw Lebron’s team take the lead. Despite the efforts from team Giannis there was one ,an that seemed to be the difference, that being Kevin Durant. It seemed that all the Golden State boys had a great game and with Durant taking MVP off Giannis from this quarter alone, the man looked like he was on a different planet. The game finished Team Lebron 178 and Team Giannis on 164, meaning Lebron took the W and Durant snatched away the MVP from Giannis. Overall I thought it was thoroughly deserved with the performances from the team and especially Durant and LeBron. It was a good send of for Nowitzki and Wades last season and I’m excited to see the teams and also the captains next year.

References

Admin (2019). WATCH: Team Lebron spoils Giannis Antetokounmpo’s monstrous NBA All-Star performance. [online] The Summit Express. Available at: https://www.thesummitexpress.com/2019/02/team-lebron-walloped-team-giannis-in-2019-nba-all-star.html [Accessed 20 Feb. 2019].

NBA.com. (2019). NBA All-Star 2019 | Roster | NBA.com. [online] Available at: https://www.nba.com/allstar/2019/roster#/ [Accessed 18 Feb. 2019]. – this reference for both line-up pictures and statistic

Neuharth-Keusch, A. (2018). Dwyane Wade wants iconic photo with LeBron James signed, framed in his house. [online] Eu.usatoday.com. Available at: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/05/22/dwyane-wade-wants-iconic-lebron-james-photo-signed-framed-house/632790002/ [Accessed 18 Feb. 2019].

NBA – Round Up – 05/02/19 – 15/09/19

Teams of the week

Lets start talking about the Pacers

In the last week and a half whilst keeping in touch with the NBA the team that most surprised me was the Pacers. On face value the team doesn’t seem to have that ‘All-Star’ player but the team works extremely well together. The team is overall 3rd in the Eastern Conference and with players performing the way they currently are they have a great chance at reaching the finals as the only team they were to lose against were the Milwaukee Bucks and with them being majorly ahead anyway it is a minor blip it what looks like a strong finish to the season.

It really does look like a Golden State

Unlike the Pacers the Golden State Warriors have a team full of superstars and this would explain there dominance in the Western conference, dominance that exceeded expectations this week with them winning 4 out of 5 games played (the only game they lost was to the Trail Blazers who are having a finals push). This to me seems incredible and are undoubtedly my favourites to win the playoffs this year.

Looks like magic to me

Orlando Magic may have not been the nest this season but over the recent week and a half have exceeded all expectations. With the only games they have lost being against the Oklahoma City Thunder they have excelled and also beat tough competition in the Milwaukee Bucks (conference leaders) and the New Orleans Pelicans –  I believe they have took advantage of the disgruntled Pelicans form the Anthony Davis trade rumours (a blog post on this will be done at a later date). Even though the Magic may be too late for a playoff push they can still have a strong end to the season and build towards next year.

Room for improvement…

The sun hasn’t risen in Phoenix

At the moment the Suns look like they are never going to get out of this slump, currently on a 15 game losing streak, thus not winning a game at all within this round up. Even with Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker, they seem to be the only two that are consistently performing eith the rest of the team letting them down and therefore it makes you think where thye might be this season or who the Suns need to draft in to try and compete as if you had a season ticket at the Suns this season id be asking for a refund.

Will the Knicks ever get better?

Before the last game of this week where the Knicks were against Atlanta Hawks they were on an 18 losing streak and are at the bottom of their respected conference and have the same amount of wins as the Suns do. The question will always remain if the Knicks will ever return to the glory days of Patrick Ewing or whether they are to be firmly positioned at the bottom of the conference https://yarn.co/yarn-clip/75d5ae1e-382f-4afe-95cd-c77d4dad9afb

https://yarn.co/yarn-clip/75d5ae1e-382f-4afe-95cd-c77d4dad9afb (Nine-Nine, 2019)

The best player this week – IMO

The NBA chose Toronto Raptors Khawi Leonard and Utah Jazz’s Donavon Mitchell for this weeks NBA player of the week, this is understandable due to the form that both teams are in sand that they are the stand out players. However I want to highlight the efforts of Rajan Rondo. Since leaving the Celtics Rondo has had a difficult times and has now found himself at the Lakers. With finding it difficult to get into the first team with the injury of Lonzo Ball he seems to be trying to prove himself. His last gasp winner against Oklahoma City Thunder, taking it on himself rather than giving it to Lebron James, was a big call which ultimately paid off. Hopefully he can carry on this run of form and make himself a staple at the Lakers.

New Blog post on All Star NBA reactions on March 1st and another roundup on the March 5th which will be another week and a half round up due to the interference in NBA fixtures from the all star game!!!

References

ESPN.com. (2019). NBA – National Basketball Association Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings, Rumors – ESPN. [online] Available at: http://www.espn.com/nba/ [Accessed 19 Feb. 2019]. – This reference for all statistics

Nine-Nine, B. (2019). and I’m scared that the Knicks might never be good again,. [online] Yarn. Available at: https://yarn.co/yarn-clip/75d5ae1e-382f-4afe-95cd-c77d4dad9afb [Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].