Just My Opinion: the 2013 NBA All-Star Game

10:16 PM | 02/17/2013

It’s been a long while since the last time I wrote something about sports. If you used to follow me before here at my blog site, I am a total-amateur guy in making my own NBA analysis from its word structure to making my own points.

So, there goes the central festivity once again, eh? Fans from the basketball world will witness another thrilling action as players from the different National Basketball Association clubs will showcase their talents at the annual NBA All-Star Game. East meets West for the 62nd time since the mid-season party was established at 1951.



The Eastern All Stars are aiming for their 37th victory over their western counterparts – despite that the West actually has been dominating over their eastern rivals for the past few years.

Well, they’re clashing again at another western territory – Houston, Texas. And come to think that it’s actually at Houston where LeBron James scored 29 points made his mark of being then the youngest player to win the Most Valuable Player award. That came on a huge rally by the East (as far as I remember, it’s a 21-point deficit), resulting to a 122-120 win over the Western All-Stars. That was barely 7 years ago.

Well, he got a younger and even an athletic rival out there by the name of Kevin Durant, whom just won his own share of All-Star MVP last year at Orlando, Florida. And let me guess, there’s a guaranteed of scoring spree for everyone out there, just like what Kobe Bryant had done at the mid-season event last year. Bryant had just surpassed Michael Jordan for leading the all-time career scoring record on the All-Star games when he dunked one of his 3rd quarter baskets. He’s got 27 for that game, and a total 271 markers under his belt already, just 9 points over Jordan and still has a chance to go even beyond.

On the other hand, James joined His Airness as the only players to compile a double digit marks in 3 statistical categories – something that even the “Mr. Triple Double” Oscar Robertson hadn’t achieved way back then in his appearances.

Well, the good news though is that I don't think MJ have to worry about his previous marks since it's his birthday at the 17th, and that Sunday night at 8PM ET as the main event.

If 1992 was the last time Magic Johnson participated at the mid-season festivity, 2012 was also the last All-Star appearance for Dwight Howard as a player for an Easter conference club. And both of them happened, at Orlando, Florida (at a different arena, of course).

Howard will be the starting center for the West, alongside teammate Bryant, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin from their city-counterpart Los Angeles Clippers and Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gregg Poppovich is up to it’s another star-studded coaching, while Erik Spolestra scored a bragging right to coach the Eastern All-Stars for this season.

Meantime, the fab 4 of batch ’03 will reunite again, as James and his teammate Dwyane Wade will be at the starters for the Eastern Conference, alongside fellow draft-mate Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks and one-time MVP Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics. His teammate Rajon Rondo was supposed to be the starting point guard for them. However, an ACL injury screwed the plan (and most likely will be out for the season just like what happened to Derrick Rose at the last year’s playoffs). Miami Heat’s forward-center Chris Bosh, the fourth overall pick on the 2003 draft will join in Rondo’s behalf.

A lot of youngsters were joining the party for the East while I used to spot for both squads having a bunch of big men.

Let me give my take for this matter. It’s going to be another tough game I guess. Either team will win as long as they hold on to the last minute.

The only difference is this – The West used to score a series of huge margins all thought out the game for almost all of the previous years.

Meantime – the East have a lot of elite players to turn up the tide plus they have a lot of younger legs to run than their opponent.

One this is for sure though – it is gonna be a high-scoring ball game. Seems fun to watch, eh? From slam dunks to rainbow bombs, from introductory dance moves to star-studded halftime celebrity performances.

Most chances are the West will take home the victory though I have to admit – I’m rooting for the East.

Nah, either team will be fine. At least it was a package, action-packed, full-of-artistry, and entertaining as well.

Sources:
http://www.nba.com/allstar/2013/players/index.html

http://www.nba.com/history/allstar/index/index.html
http://www.nba.com/history/allstar/2006-all-star-game-recap/index.html
http://www.nba.com/games/20120226/WSTEST/gameinfo.html

Author: slickmaster | © 2013 september twenty-eight productions