All Things All Star - Discussion Thread.

[AdamTheGreek]

WHAT:












WHERE:




TIMES AND EVENTS FOR FRIDAY:

http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/ ... index.html
NBA's Day of Service in Phoenix 2 p.m. EST

A highlight of All-Star 2009 activities takes place on Friday, Feb. 13 with the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service. Members of the NBA Family, including current and former players, business and media partners, and guests will roll up their sleeves and participate in an afternoon of hands-on service, refurbishing places where kids and families can live, learn or play in the Phoenix community.

In addition to the Day of Service, the NBA Cares Community Caravan is holding events during All-Star week throughout Phoenix. Among these events are visits to local elementary schools and hospitals; basketball clinics with the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA , the National Wheelchair Basketball Association and Special Olympics and the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam, featuring 3,500 Phoenix students who are being honored for their achievements.

http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/ ... index.html
McDonald's NBA All Star Celebrity Game 7 p.m. EST on ESPN

Basketball Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Dominique Wilkins join actor/comedian Chris Tucker, Desperate Housewives' James Denton, and Scrubs' Donald Faison along with other stars of Hollywood, music and sports in the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday, Feb. 13, in association with 2K Sports, Cisco and T-Mobile USA. The game will be televised live on ESPN (7 p.m. ET) from Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas.

Basketball Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (ESPN analyst) and "Dr. J" Julius Erving, who combined for 23 NBA All-Star appearances and who each earned two All-Star Game MVPs, will serve as coaches for the star-studded teams. Other celebrities-turned-hoopsters competing include Dallas Cowboys All-Pro receiver and Terrell Owens (last year's Celebrity MVP), Chuck's Zach Levi, and Prison Break's Michael Rapaport.

2009 Celebrity Game Participants

Clyde Drexler (NBA legend)
Dominique Wilkins (NBA legend)
Chris Tucker (Actor/comedian)
James Denton (Desperate Housewives)
Donald Faison (Scrubs)
Terrell Owens (Dallas Cowboys receiver)
Zach Levi (Chuck)
Michael Rapaport (Prison Break)
Dan Majerle (Phoenix Suns legend)
Rick Fox (L.A. Lakers legend)
Lisa Leslie (L.A. Sparks)
Kara Lawson (Sacramento Monarchs)
"Wildkat" Edgerson (Harlem Globetrotters)
"Special K" Daley (Harlem Globetrotters)
"Scooter" Christensen (Harlem Globetrotters)
"Handles" Franklin (Harlem Globetrotters)



http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/ ... index.html
T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam 9 p.m. EST on TNT

The Participants
Rookie Team Roster
Player (Team) Position Height Weight School/Country
Michael Beasley (Heat) F 6-9 245 Kansas State
Rudy Fernandez (Trail Blazers) G-F 6-6 185 Spain
Marc Gasol (Grizzlies) C 7-1 265 Spain
Eric Gordon (Clippers) G 6-3 222 Indiana
Brook Lopez (Nets) C 7-0 260 Stanford
O.J. Mayo (Grizzlies) G 6-4 210 USC
Greg Oden (Trail Blazers) C 7-0 285 Ohio State
Derrick Rose (Bulls) G 6-3 190 Memphis
Russell Westbrook (Thunder) G 6-3 187 UCLA

Head Coach -- TBD
Assistant Coach -- Dwyane Wade
Sophomore Team roster
Player (Team) Position Height Weight School/Country
Aaron Brooks (Rockets) G 6-0 161 Oregon
Wilson Chandler (Knicks) F 6-8 220 DePaul
Kevin Durant (Thunder) G-F 6-9 215 Texas
Jeff Green (Thunder) F 6-9 235 Georgetown
Al Horford (Hawks) F-C 6-10 245 Florida
Luis Scola (Rockets) F-C 6-9 245 Argentina
Al Thornton (Clippers) F 6-8 220 Florida State
Rodney Stuckey (Pistons) G 6-5 205 Eastern Washington
Thaddeus Young (Sixers) F 6-8 220 Georgia Tech

Head Coach -- TBD
Assistant Coach -- Dwight Howard

http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/2009_dream_factory.html
NBA D-League Dream Factory Friday Night 9 p.m. EST

Twelve NBA D-League players, including six with NBA experience, four who were drafted by NBA teams and two returning champions from the 2008 NBA D-League Dream Factory Friday Night, will showcase their skills during the evening’s competitions. This year’s event includes a Slam Dunk Competition, a Three-Point Shootout featuring an all “money-ball” rack and the NBA D-League’s second annual game of H.O.R.S.E.

Brent Petway, the 2008 NBA D-League Slam Dunk Champion and a member of the Idaho Stampede, will defend his title against first-time NBA D-League Slam Dunk competitors Patrick Ewing, Jr. (Reno), Keith Clark (Tulsa) and James White (Anaheim). Ewing Jr. and White both participated in NCAA Slam Dunk competitions. Ewing Jr. finished as the runner-up in 2008 while White was a finalist in 2006. The competition will consist of two rounds of two dunks each with the two top scorers from the first round advancing to the championship round.

TIMES AND EVENTS FOR SATURDAY:


http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/allstar2009.html
NBA D-League All Star Game 4 p.m. on NBA TV

Three replacement players were named to the rosters for the third annual NBA D-League All-Star Game which will be played on Feb. 14 at the NBA's All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas. The game tips off at 2 p.m. MT on Jam Session's Center Court and will air live on NBA TV.

Twenty of the NBA D-League's top players were selected to be All-Stars by a combination of fan balloting on nba.com/dleague and voting by the League's 16 head coaches. The selections were divided up into two 10-man teams, the Red Team and the Blue Team, by members of the NBA and NBA D-League's Basketball Operations staff. The Red Team will be the home team, while the Blue Team will be the visitors.

http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/ ... index.html
Haier Shooting Stars 8 p.m. EST on TNT

San Antonio is gunning for a third crown and the Shooting Stars' first repeat. The squad from the Alamo City is comprised of some heavy hitters -- All-Star and three-time Finals MVP Duncan, one of the league's 50 greatest players in Robinson and four-time WNBA All-Star Hammon.

Team SA had a record-setting time of 25.1 seconds in winning the 2006 event with the trio of Tony Parker, Steve Kerr and Kendra Wecker. Kerr will be in Phoenix this weekend, but his loyalties have shifted. Now the general manager of the Suns, Kerr is pulling for his hometown team.

The Participants
Team San Antonio: Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Becky Hammon
Team Detroit: Arron Afflalo, Bill Laimbeer and Katie Smith
Team Los Angeles: Derek Fisher, Michael Cooper and Lisa Leslie
Team Phoenix: Leandro Barbosa, Dan Majerle and Tangela Smith

http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/ ... index.html
Playstation Skills Challenge 8 p.m. EST on TNT

The PlayStation Skills Challenge will be the second of four events on All-Star Saturday Night (8 p.m. ET, TNT). The event debuted during 2003 All-Star weekend in Atlanta with Jason Kidd beating Gary Payton in the finals. Miami's Dwyane Wade is the event's only two-time champion.
The fastest two times advance to the finals where the fastest time will determine the winner.

Also, players could be subject to disqualification (at the final discretion and judgment of the referee) for failure to attempt all of the challenges as they are designed and intended to be completed.

SKILLS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
Devin Harris (Nets), guard, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Wisconsin:

Tony Parker (Spurs), guard, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, France:

Derrick Rose (Bulls), guard, 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Memphis:

Mo Williams (Cavaliers), guard, 6-foot-1, Alabama:


Note: Nelson (torn labrum in shoulder) replaced in field by Williams:




http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/02/ ... index.html
Foot Locker 3-Point Shootout 8 p.m. EST on TNT

The Toronto Raptors' Jason Kapono will seek to become the third player to capture three consecutive titles in this year's Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14, at US Airways Center, as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
Kapono, who tied Craig Hodges for most points in a single round (25 in the final round last year), will look to join Hodges (1990-92) and Hall of Famer Larry Bird (1986-88) as the only three-time winners of the event. Mark Price, Peja Stojakovic and Jeff Hornacek each won two titles. Kapono will be joined by Eastern Conference All-Star reserves Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers and Rashard Lewis of the Orlando Magic, Mike Bibby of the Atlanta Hawks, Roger Mason of the San Antonio Spurs and Daequan Cook of the Miami Heat.

3-POINT SHOOTOUT CONTESTANTS AND SEASON PERCENTAGES:
Jason Kapono 41.9%:

Danny Granger 40.1%:

Rashard Lewis 41.9%:

Mike Bibby 40.9%:

Roger Mason 45.0%:

Daequan Cook 41.0%:




http://www.nba.com/dunk/
Sprite Slam Dunk 8 p.m. EST on TNT

SLAM DUNK PARTICIPANTS:
Dwight Howard:

Rudy Fernandez:

J.R. Smith:

Nate Robinson:



Hedo: "It's ok Dwight, I'll protect your dunk title."


Jameer: "OK Dwight, since sex sells, I want you dress up like Ron Jeremy and have Stan stand under the basket while you jump from the free throw line."
Dwight: "LOL, if I win again Mighty Mite, I want you to do that victory fist pump."


TIMES AND EVENTS FOR SUNDAY:

http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/01/ ... index.html
NBA All-Star Game - East vs. West


STARTING LINEUPS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Allen Iverson:

Dwayne Wade:

LeBron James:

Kevin Garnett:

Dwight Howard:


EAST RESERVES:







SELECTEES INJURED AND NOT PLAYING:





>>>



WESTERN CONFERENCE
Chris Paul:

Kobe Bryant:

Amare Stoudemire:

Tim Duncan:

Yao Ming:


WEST RESERVES:










>>>



INFO SUBJECT TO CHANGE
And yes, this took a lot of time in between my busy test schedule.
Now obviously as far as Saturday night's events go, the Dunk Contest will be starting by all assumptions way after 9 (so don't let those 8 p.m. times fool you).
Make your picks for events, games. Put in your rumors and comments relating to Dwight in the Dunk Contest and Rashard in the 3-point Contest. Give me your best Mo Williams whiny b*tch impression.

[EasternMagic]

great thread! only i wont be able to relax cause this will just re introduce my sadness that Jameer is out

[SOUL]

im literally going to miss every event due to work... do they replay any of it later at night?

[Devin 1L]

Awesome thread!

Nice Rudy Fernandez video, by the way.

[craig01]

great pics.

[U Gotta Play JJ]

You get the best pics!

I have to agree, the past few losses suck, but everyone should relax, we are 38-13 after all!

[Potterman]

Well we did as good as we could with what we have thus far I think. So there is no reason for me to feel bad. Happy weekend.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

I dont think I"m going to watch the events. They are pretty meaningless and I'm too frustrated over our recent play to care enough.

[Howard Mass]

Adam,

I could not agree with you more especially given the Nelson injury and recent slump.

It's going to be exciting to see Shard in the three point contest and Dwight in the dunk contest before the big game Sunday night.

It's the one weekend each year where I'm sure to stay home the entire nights.

Let's enjoy this.

[maginno]

I normally look just for the saturday night festivities but I am really looking forward to Dwight's impersonation of Stan. He's still coaching right?

[AdamTheGreek]

Well today was all about the kids as Dwight was at a Wrigley Double Mint Clinic on the Where Amazing Happens Court at Jam Session:

[AdamTheGreek]

LOL at the Around The Horn guys calling us "The Orlando."

Jameer can't stop playing NBA Live it seems. From last night at the EA Sports NBA Live Late Night Lounge with Danny Granger:

[AdamTheGreek]

And if you didn't notice in my initial post, Dwight, Rashard, and Jameer were joined by Keyon Dooling in their photoshoot last night. Also, Jameer and Dwight were interviewed by Craig Sager:





Nice shoes, Craig:

And it wouldn't be Dwight if he didn't run into Bosh in some sort of way:

[Diehardmagicfan]

Great post
This is the one weekend where I don't get upset when watching basketball.

[AdamTheGreek]

F*ck Stu Scott for yelling at Jameer on that putt.
Chris Tucker is mic'ed up and hilarious as expected.

[AdamTheGreek]

Rick Fox feeling up Lisa Leslie down low.
Mike Breen not that good of a ref.
Meanwhile, what's with a Globtrotter missing 2 freebies.

T.O. can play in the league if he can be consistent with that midrange jumper.

[AdamTheGreek]

Thunder Dan is heating up.
Nancy Lieberman is getting fancy with it.

[AdamTheGreek]

3rd quarter about to start, East up 4. Michael Rapaport (a.k.a. Brian Scalabrine Sr.) 2 points and 7 fouls. "No blood, no foul."

Greg Oden is out for the Rookie-Soph game:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazer ... _game.html

[AdamTheGreek]

Great game, East down 3 going to the 4th as 'Nique and Nancy Lieberman getting serious late in the 3rd.
I liked 'Niques, quadruple pump fake turnaround jump hook that he banked in.
Nancy Lieberman plays too hardcore for the Globetrotters. Breen looking to tap Lawson, good for him.
In for a good finish to this one.

[Devin 1L]

Mo Williams just guaransheed that the Cavs would be in the NBA Finals.