The 63rd All-Star weekend was anything but boring. New Orleans got lit up this thanks to the talented NBA players that were there to perform and filled with past and current Stars.
Records were broken. It started with the always fun filled Celebrity Game, where Arne Duncan earned MVP honors. With the night ending Detroit Pistons forward Andre Drummond won the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge MVP award. Saturday nights competitions were just as much fun to watch, this time there were four games being featured.
Cleveland’s own point guard Kyrie Irving won the 2014 All-Star Game MVP Award.
Getting back to the Celebrity Game, for example stars like Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon, Snoop Dogg, Arne Duncan, Erin Heatherton, Terrence Jenkins, Skyler Diggins, Bruce, Bowen, Tamika Catchings, Romeo Miller and Michael B. Jordan were all participants. The game featured a fun free flowing game with Cannon and Hart. In the end U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan for the East played extremely well scoring a record 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out six assists.
Fans actually voted for Hart to win the MVP, yet he graciously gave it up to Duncan.
In the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge offered a chance to see Cleveland’s Dion Waiters have a spectacular night facing off with Tim Hardaway Jr. Arguably the best game featuring the rookies and sophomores of the NBA. Waits got put 0n Team Hill coached by Grant Hill and Hardaway Team Webb coached by Chris Webber.
Both players lit it up from beyond the arc. Yet, it was Waiters making a defensive play that clinched the game. Drummond earned the MVP award setting a record 25 rebounds and scoring 30 points of his own. There was a comical moment awarding the trophy when BBVA president Angel Cano accidentally dropped the trophy.
Saturday offered the Skills Competition and it was another dynamic night. Team East and Team West participated in four competitions with winners playing for charities of their choosing. The grand total handed out $500,000. For each competition $100,000 went to the team with the winning challenge and $25,000 went to the team that lost the challenge.
Team’s East Caption was Paul George and at the end of the nigh, $250,000 will be divided up and given to the American Heart Association and U.S. Fund for Unicef. Team’s West Captain, Stephen Curry and at the end of the night, $250,000 will be divided up between Teach for American and The Wounded Warrior Project.
The first competition was Sears Shooting Challenge and this challenge was to see which team was the fastest in the designated area, where the basketball would be thrown. There were two teams each for East and West. The best of each side would compete in the final rounds. Eastern Conference Team Bosh had the fastest time and defeated Team Durant.
It’s the second straight year that Bosh’s team won. The team featured Dominique Wilkins, Swin Cash and of course Chris Bosh. On Durant’s team Karl Malone, Skylar Diggins and Kevin Durant.
Taco Bells Skills Challenge is the event where each team navigated the course that tested agility, speed, passing and shooting in the fastest team. Team West Utah Jazz rookie point guard Trey Burke teamed up with Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard.
One of the closest competition in the competitions history as Burke and Lillard defeated their east counter part by one tenth of a second narrowly beating point guard Philadelphia 76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams and Victor Oladipo the Orlando Magic point guard.
Irving got his chance to defend his Three-Point contest title, yet got knocked out in the first round with a score of 17. Bradley Beal and Marco Belinelli ended up tied after the second round and with a one minute tie-breaker Belinelli wound up on top with a score of 24.
The Sprite Slam Dunk contest got won by John Wall. He defeated Ben Mclemore who jumped over Shaquille O’Neal who was sitting on a throne.
On Sunday the 2014 NBA All-Star game got played for the 63rd time. where the Best of the West were playing against the Beast of the East.
Early in the game the East led, yet by halftime the West were in control. The combined 165 points set a record for most total points and points scored by one team by the West. in a half, which was 89 points. Blake Griffin added 20 points at the break to go along with three rebounds and eight dunks.
Yet, the West in the second half ended up blowing the game and the East came back from an 18 point deficit to win. The final score was 163-155. Irving dominated the game ending with 31 points and 14 assists on 14-17 shooting and for his play earned the All-Star MVP Award. Cleveland Cavalier PG Kyrie Irving dominated the second half, he had a total of 31 points, 14 assists and 14-of-17 shooting, naming him the 2014 NBA All-Stars MVP. Great game and great job Kyrie.