NBA All-Star Weekend gets underway from New Orleans on Saturday. Most teams welcome this mid-season break as a time to rest and refocus for the season’s final stretch. Meanwhile, others use the weekend as a platform to showcase their other-worldly skills. While the skills competition, dunk contest, and three-point shootout will be Saturday’s main attractions, the NBA All-Star game itself takes center stage Sunday.
Ahead of Sunday’s offensive showcase, here are a few storylines to watch for.
What to Watch For at NBA All-Star Weekend
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s All-Star Debut
After coming into his own this season, the “Greek Freak” is ready to showcase his talents to the basketball world. Giannis, listed at 6’11, has averaged a career-high 23.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 54 games for the Milwaukee Bucks this season. He encapsulates what it means to be a “do-it-all” player, leading the Bucks in blocks and steals as well.
What Giannis does on a basketball court has simply never been seen. Don’t believe me? Look at this. The Greek Freak’s abilities are utterly jaw-dropping. We’ve never witnessed a player that can effortlessly glide across the court the way Giannis does. NBA fans should be in for a huge treat on Sunday. After all, he’s starting for the Eastern Conference All-Stars.
Will Russell Westbrook Earn All-Star MVP Honors?
When Russell Westbrook participates in an All-Star game, it’s safe to say he’s going to go full out. In Westbrook’s past two all-star games, the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar has averaged a whopping 36 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Those numbers helped Westbrook become a back-to-back All-Star game MVP. By the looks of it, Westbrook uses the All-Star game as a way to measure himself against the rest of basketball’s greats.
Ahead of the 2017 NBA All-Star game, Westbrook has more motivation to dominate than ever before. He’s looking to prove that not only was he snubbed of a starting spot in Sunday’s showcase but that he has what it takes to become a three-time All-Star game MVP. Only five players have done so in NBA history (Bob Pettitt, Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal). None of those five won the award in three consecutive years. Westbrook could become the first.
Russell Westbrook – Kevin Durant Dynamic
Speaking of motivation for Westbrook, after Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors in the offseason, the two former Thunder teammates have had a highly-publicized feud throughout the season. When the Warriors and Thunder play, fans have witnessed not-so-subtle displays of animosity from Westbrook towards Durant. Westbrook’s anger with Durant isn’t exactly helping his team on the court, though. In the teams’ first three meetings this season, the Warriors have dominated the Thunder to the tune of three double-digit wins.
On Sunday, the two former teammates will be on the same team once again, representing the Western Conference All-Stars. Western All-Star Head Coach Steve Kerr has a tough decision to make on whether to play the two together.
It will be interesting to see how the two stars coexist. Will Westbrook even pass Durant the ball, or look to take over the game himself? Will the two stars even talk to or look at one another? Those questions and much more will be answered this Sunday.
