You Missed So Much About The All-Star Weekend, Get Caught Up Here!
The NBA All-Star Weekend is one of basketball’s most highly anticipated events. Every year, fans from around the world tune in to see the biggest stars in the game come together for a weekend of fun and exciting activities. This year’s All-Star Weekend was no exception, with many events and competitions throughout the weekend.
During the Celebrity Game, which took place on Friday night, DK Metcalf demonstrated his exceptional athletic abilities, which were easily transferable to the basketball court. As a member of Team Dwyane, the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver contributed significantly to his team’s 81-78 victory over Team Ryan. He was awarded the MVP title for his impressive performance, which included scoring 20 points, grabbing ten rebounds, and blocking four shots. The teams were led by honorary captains Ryan Smith, the governor of the Utah Jazz, and Dwyane Wade, a 13-time NBA All-Star and minority owner of the Jazz.
During the 2023 Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night, which showcased the most talented young players from the NBA and G League, a player went undrafted and emerged as the event’s star. Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado was awarded the MVP title after hitting the game-winning shot for Team Pau in the final round against Team Joakim. Before the decisive possession, Alvarado even predicted that he would hit the clutch shot, making a bet with All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who was in attendance at Vivint Arena.
Josh Giddey and Mojave King, former Adelaide 36er teammates, were a part of the Rising Stars Challenge. Mojave King was a part of the G-League stars team, with Jason Terry as the team’s coach. Giddey and King went against each other in the night’s first game. King’s team lost, but he could grab two rebounds, dish out one assist, and score two points. Giddey, drafted by Joakim Noah, was a part of the TNT broadcast as he was mic’d up. While talking to the crew, he dropped three points, three rebounds, and six assists, with an impressive +20 plus/minus. Team Joakim reached the finals but lost on a Jose Alvarado three-pointer.
The 2023 NBA All-Star Saturday Night’s 3-Point Contest lived up to its reputation of being an exciting event. The contest followed the familiar format, featuring eight participants competing in two rounds, with the three highest scorers from the first round progressing to the finals.
After a center won the competition last year, Trail Blazers’ superstar Damian Lillard claimed the title of 3-point contest champion for the first time in his career. Lillard emerged victorious in the final round, scoring 26 points and defeating Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton to secure the win.
The highly anticipated Slam Dunk Contest closed out NBA All-Star Saturday, and Mac McClung put on an impressive display, earning three out of four perfect scores to secure the 2023 championship in style.
The event featured four participants: Trey Murphy III, Jericho Sims, Kenyon Martin Jr., and McClung. Each player received four total dunk scores over two rounds, with the five judges scoring each dunk out of 50 and the average five scores added to make up the individual dunk score for each player.
After the first round, McClung, with a composite score of 99.8, and Murphy (96) advanced to the final round, where they each had the opportunity to showcase their skills with two more dunks.
Murphy went first in the final round, nailing his dunk on the first attempt for a score of 48.8. McClung followed and delivered a remarkable performance on his first try, earning his second perfect night score.
In the final round, Murphy’s second dunk earned him a score of 49.2, while McClung’s second dunk was his third perfect score of the night, which ultimately clinched the victory for the newly signed Philadelphia 76er.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team defeated Team LeBron in the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Jayson Tatum, the first pick of Antetokounmpo, broke the All-Star Game scoring record with 55 points in the 184-175 win. Despite injuring his wrist, Antetokounmpo started the game and scored the first basket before being taken out promptly. In the first half, both teams were tied, but Team Giannis won the second quarter and the first $100,000 prize. After injuring his hand before halftime, LeBron James did not return to the game. In the second half, Tatum and Donovan Mitchell scored the first 28 points for Team Giannis, building a significant lead that led to another winning quarter. Tatum scored 55 points on 22/31 shooting and was named the MVP of the All-Star Game.