NBA All-Star Weekend Recap: Kevin Durant, Kryptonite, CP3

McDonalds Celebrity All-Star Game

This event was basically Terrell Owens and the Harlem Globetrotters. The Globes were obviously the only one who had touched a basketball lately and they did most of the scoring. Terrell Owens was the game MVP, finishing with 17 points.

Rookie Challenge (Rooks vs Soph)

It was the Kevin Durant show in this game. The Sophomores won 122-116, mostly because of Durant’s 46 points on 17 of 25 shooting. Those 46 points were ten more than the record previously held by Amar’e Stoudemire. Durant on the game:

“I had a blast,” Durant said. “I’m just happy I’m here and I’m glad I won MVP … to have Jeff [Green] and Russell [Westbrook] there to watch me hoist the trophy felt great. It shines a lot of light on the organization.”

Michael Beasley was the star for the rooks, scoring 29 points.

GEICO Competition (HORSE)

Kevin Durant took home another trophy here, except this time, it was a plastic horse. Durant was one letter away from elimination for most of the competition. At one point, Durant had four letters, O.J. Mayo had two letters, and Joe Johnson didn’t have any. However, Kevin got hot from behind the arc and ended up winning. Mayo was kind of upset at the end, calling KD’s shots basic.

Playstation Skills Competition

Derrick Rose didn’t look like he was even trying, but as TNT’s Kenny Smith explained, “Maybe his nonchalant is better than everybody else.” At least in this competition it was.

Rose finished his final run in 35.3 seconds, which beat out Devin Harris’ run of 39.7 seconds. Derrick completed his first run in 33.3 seconds, which was the best run of the day. Tony Parker took over 50 seconds to finish the course, the worst of the day.

Devin Harris’ consolation prize was setting a world record for running up and down the court, doing so in 3.9 seconds.

Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout

Miami Heat guard Daequan Cook ended Jason Kapono’s shot at a three-peat in the three-point competion. Cook and former Floridian Rashard Lewis went at it in a shootout, after the two tied with a score of 15 in the finals. Cook finished with 19 points on his finals rack.

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

Nate Robinson was simply fantastic in this year’s dunk contest. The hops he has at 5′9″ is unbelievable. His best dunk was a reverse off a bounce, but his “Kryptonate” dunk was a close second.

Dwight Howard had two amazing dunks. One was a simple two-handed slam, but on a 12-foot hoop. His other highlight slam was a one handed throw down after catching the ball off the side of the backboard. If he threw that ball at someone, he would have killed them

TNT also brought us the news the LeBron James will be in the 2010 dunk contest in Dallas.

2009 All-Star Game

The West took this one 146-119. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal took home Co-MVP honors in their first game together in five years. Kobe had 27 points and Shaq had 17 while coming off the bench. Shaq had two of the best performances of the night, dancing with the “wacajobies” and passing the ball between Dwight Howard’s legs for the give-and-go with Chris Paul.

Even though Kobe and Shaq were the sexy pics for MVP, it was no doubt Chris Paul. Paul had 14 points, 14 assists, and seven rebounds, exactly the type of performance you want to see in an ASG. CP3 had some of the prettiest passes and the sickest crossovers I have ever seen, and it is a shame that he didn’t get the trophy.

Paul was also on the receiving end of an alley-oop. This time Tony Parker was in Paul’s position and Chris finished with a nice jam. Unfortunately, later in the game, Paul was all alone on a fast break and he missed a dunk.

LeBron James was the high man for the East. With about 19 seconds left, the West defense conceded to LeBron, giving him a shot to give fans a preview of the 2010 dunk contest. James responded to the crowd’s cheers with an off-the-backboard monster jam to close out the game.

Joe Johnson was the only player in the game not to score.