2012 All-Star Weekend News & Updates

[mkwest]

Vote Here

With the shortened season, there will only be 27 days to vote. You can vote once a day on NBA.com (under normal circumstances )

Clippers on the ballot are Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and DeAndre Jordan.

[LOJ]

Didn't see the thread, definitely show our players some support! Every day

[mkwest]

Howard leads all players in first All-Star Ballot returns

The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Amway Center in Orlando -- on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

Howard paces centers in the East, followed by the Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah (75,038). James leads Eastern Conference forwards with 640,789 votes, followed by Carmelo Anthony (496,351) of the New York Knicks. Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls leads Eastern Conference guards with 640,476 votes, followed by Miami's Dwyane Wade (637,912).

Bryant's 690,613 votes leads Western Conference guards, with the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul placing second (540,173). Durant's 633,538 votes lead forwards in the West, with Blake Griffin of the Clippers next in line with 394,264 votes. The Lakers' Andrew Bynum paces Western Conference centers with 496,597 votes, followed by the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan (134,961).

Western Guards
Kobe Bryant (LAL) 690,613
Chris Paul (LAC) 540,173
Ricky Rubio (Min) 133,520
Steve Nash (Pho) 118,922
Russell Westbrook (OKC) 107,197
Kyle Lowry (Hou) 90,725
Monta Ellis (GS) 63,696
Manu Ginobili (SA) 50,765
Jason Kidd (Dal) 49,596
Chauncey Billups (LAC) 42,657

Western Forwards
Kevin Durant (OKC) 633,538
Blake Griffin (LAC) 394,264
Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 231,832
Pau Gasol (LAL) 185,428
Kevin Love (Min) 143,814
LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 118,268
Tim Duncan (SA) 81,783
Lamar Odom (Dal) 59,686
Metta World Peace (LAL) 39,006
Danilo Gallinari (Den) 34,438.

Western Centers
Andrew Bynum (LAL) 496,597
DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 134,961
Marc Gasol (Mem) 102,116
Nenê (Den) 94,167
Marcin Gortat (Pho) 62,631
Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 41,579

[mkwest]

DJ is really benefiting by playing in LA with CP3 and BG. I really didn't expect him to be in 2nd place ahead of Gasol. Rubio is pretty high as well, which is surprising. Gordon has less votes than Billups. Blake has a sizable lead over Dirk, but it is the closest race so far. The Eastern Conference is pretty much etched in stone with Howard, James, Anthony, Wade and Rose. The West will probably be 4 LA players and Durant.

[thanumba2clippersfan]

DJ is really benefiting by playing in LA with CP3 and BG. I really didn't expect him to be in 2nd place ahead of Gasol. Rubio is pretty high as well, which is surprising. Gordon has less votes than Billups. Blake has a sizable lead over Dirk, but it is the closest race so far. The Eastern Conference is pretty much etched in stone with Howard, James, Anthony, Wade and Rose. The West will probably be 4 LA players and Durant.

That's the funny with with the West lineup, I was thinking two Lakers, two Clippers, and Durant. I wasn't sure who the starting Center in the West would be since Yao retired but it will probably be Bynum at this point.

[mkwest]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjrYPWYMvts[/youtube]

[mkwest]

Howard continues to lead in second All-Star Ballot returns

Howard paces centers in the East, followed by the Bulls' Joakim Noah (141,683). LeBron James of the Miami Heat leads Eastern Conference forwards with 972,580 votes, followed by Carmelo Anthony (779,945) of the New York Knicks. Rose leads Eastern Conference guards with 1,040,210 votes, followed by Miami's Dwyane Wade (972,015).

Bryant's 1,110,379 votes leads Western Conference guards, with the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul placing second (835,026). Durant's 973,152 votes leads forwards in the West, with Blake Griffin of the Clippers next in line with 619,913 votes. The Lakers' Andrew Bynum paces Western Conference centers with 777,365 votes, followed by the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan (214,883).

NBA.com

Western Forwards
Kevin Durant (OKC) 973,152
Blake Griffin (LAC) 619,913
Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 354,434
Pau Gasol (LAL) 327,596
Kevin Love (Min) 232,656
LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 188,829
Tim Duncan (SA) 133,575
Lamar Odom (Dal) 96,080
Metta World Peace (LAL) 63,055
Danilo Gallinari (Den) 59,646

Western Guards
Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,110,379
Chris Paul (LAC) 835,026
Ricky Rubio (Min) 248,423
Steve Nash (Pho) 188,537
Russell Westbrook (OKC) 167,996
Kyle Lowry (Hou) 132,972
Monta Ellis (GS) 105,926
Manu Ginobili (SA) 79,821
Jason Kidd (Dal) 79,783
Chauncey Billups (LAC) 73,429

Western Centers
Andrew Bynum (LAL) 777,365
DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 214,883
Marc Gasol (Mem) 182,992
Nenê (Den) 144,066
Marcin Gortat (Pho) 92,511
Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 66,380.

[mkwest]

No surprises here

West
Paul
Bryant
Durant
Blake
Bynum

East
Rose
Wade
Anthony
James
Howard

Congrats to Blake and CP3 for being named starters. They are the only Clippers/Braves to be named starters to the All-Star Game other than Bob McAdoo (1975, 1976, 1977) and World B. Free (1980).

[scratch21]

Congrats guys for representing Clip Nation

[madmaxmedia]

That's crazy, 4 LA players starting for the West...

[scratch21]

Shaq had 4 clippers alone hahaha

[thanumba2clippersfan]

I knew that Blake and CP3 would be starters. I'm proud of those guys, it's great to have Clipper players as all star starters.

[areg789]

Congrats to Cp3 and Griffin! Reserves will be announced next week.

[LOJ]

Congrats to our boys!!

[mj_shoefanatic]

Kudos to the obvious picks but even more kudos to DJ for being 2nd best C in the wild wild west!!!

[WenningtonGuy]

No surprises here

West
Paul
Bryant
Durant
Blake
Bynum

East
Rose
Wade
Anthony
James
Howard

Congrats to Blake and CP3 for being named starters. They are the only Clippers/Braves to be named starters to the All-Star Game other than Bob McAdoo (1975, 1976, 1977) and World B. Free (1980).

If your view of the All-Star game means having the best players then Blake and Melo shouldn't be starting. If it is for the show and excitement, then yes it is correct.

[mkwest]

If your view of the All-Star game means having the best players then Blake and Melo shouldn't be starting. If it is for the show and excitement, then yes it is correct.

Just as in any other year, there will be players that make it and those that are snubbed. The starters are always the most popular of the best players (not simply the best player at their position) in the NBA because the All-Star Game is an exhibition for the fans. So the starters that have been selected, whether you personally feel they are or aren't deserving, are deserving for that reason. The Reserves as selected by the coaches is where the arguments should be made, not the starters.

[mkwest]

Rising Stars Challenge Sophs: Griffin, Cousins, Fields, George, Hayward, Monroe, Splitter, E. Turner, Wall

John Schuhmann

I'd rather him decline the invitation. I'm sure there has been some pressure on him to participate in some of these events. He recently backtracked on participating in the Dunk Contest. He was stretched very thin last All-Star break. His best friend died on Wednesday or Thursday. On Friday, he was in the rookie game. Saturday it was the press events and the Dunk contest. Sunday, the Magenta Carpet and the game. That night he flew to Oklahoma to be a pallbearer on Monday morning.

With the compressed schedule of the season, I'd rather him enjoy a few days off, play in the All-Star game and then get back to business.

[mkwest]

NBA Rookie Challenge

NBA All-Star 2012 will play host to the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, which will introduce an exciting new format to a game that has historically featured NBA rookies facing off against sophomores. For the first time, rookies and sophomores will be mixed together on teams.

Reigning Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, and Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Ricky Rubio, who ranks third overall in assists, lead a list of 18 players selected for the 2012 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge to be held on Friday, Feb. 24, in Orlando during NBA All-Star 2012.

TNT Analysts Mike Fratello and Steve Kerr will be part of the coaching staffs for the teams, with Fratello joining TEAM CHUCK and Kerr joining TEAM SHAQ. The Head Coaches for both teams will be the lead assistant coaches from the 2012 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs. The East and West coaching staffs will be determined by the best record in each conference through games played Feb. 15.

The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge will be televised live nationally on TNT at 9 p.m. ET and also will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio, while NBA.com will make live audio available to fans in multiple languages. NBA games are broadcast to 215 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

Inside Hoops

Rookies
Marshon Brooks (New Jersey)
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland)
Brandon Knight (Detroit)
Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio)
Markieff Morris (Phoenix)
Ricky Rubio (Minnesota)
Tristan Thompson (Cleveland)
Kemba Walker (Charlotte)
Derrick Williams (Minnesota).

Sophomores
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento)
Landry Fields (New York)
Paul George (Indiana)
Blake Griffin (Los Angeles)
Gordon Hayward (Utah)
Greg Monroe (Detroit)
Tiago Splitter (San Antonio)
Evan Turner (Philadelphia)
John Wall (Washington)

[jflipclip]

As expected.

I would be lying if I said I didn't want him to play. Him + Rubio or Irving (or even Wall again) would be fun to watch!