2014 NBA All-Star Saturday Predictions
Firstly, what ever happened to the NBA's H-O-R-S-E Competition?
Kevin Durant won it twice in 2009 and 2010, then it was scrapped. With better rules it might have been something worth looking forward to. It was certainly better than Chris "Birdman" Andersen missing 10,377 dunks.
Bring it back, Adam Silver!
Anyway, digressing to this weekend's festivities:
This event isn't the most lauded; but watching retired NBA greats and WNBA players cannoning balls from half court is rather amusing.
The NBA has enlisted Stephen Curry, Dell Curry and Becky Hammon on the West's first team, with Kevin Durant, Karl Malone and Skylar Diggins composing the West's second outfit.
The Eastern Conference's first team boasts Tim Hardaway Jr., Tim Hardaway Sr. and Elena Delle Donne, with last year's winners Chris Bosh, Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash making the East's second squad.
While the grouping of Durant, Malone and Diggins looks the best on paper, the half-court shot could give them issues. The Currys and Hammon should be the favorites from the West; they all can shoot the ball from anywhere—Mars if need be.
Their competition in the final looks to be the Hardaway's and Delle Donne for much the same reason—can Bosh and 'Nique make outside shots? Sure, but not as quickly as the Hardaway's and the 2013 WNBA Rookie of the Year can.
In the final, Curry and Curry will steal the show with their shooting prowess and Hammon with seal their victory with the all-important half-court shot.
Predicted Winners: Stephen Curry, Dell Curry and Becky Hammon
The semifinals of the skills competition will feature Goran Dragic and Reggie Jackson facing off against Damian Lillard and Trey Burke for the West's crown. In the East, Victor Oladipo and Michael Carter-Williams will take on DeMar Derozan and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The West will be competitive, but the slight edge goes to Lillard and Burke based on shooting ability and Lillard being the defending champion.
The East looks like a rout. Oladipo and Carter-Williams should easily advance, as the 6'7" Derozan and the 6'9" Antetokounmpo might labor to get through the weaving sections—then there's the whole shooting-the-basketball thing.
Lillard and Burke should coast to a win, and they look primed to give the Portland guard a back-to-back victory in the event.
Predicted Winners: Damian Lillard and Trey Burke
In the second most prestigious event of the night, Arron Afflalo, Bradley Beal, Marco Belinelli, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Joe Johnson, Damian Lillard and Kevin Love will take to the racks and let fly from deep.
Belinelli, Curry, Lillard and Love will shoot it out for the Western Conference, and Afflalo, Beal, Johnson and the defending champion Irving will do the same in the East.
The top scorer from each conference will face off in the final round.
Curry, having lost this competition last year, will right his past performances and hoist the shootout’s trophy.
Predicted Winner: Stephen Curry
Much is made about the format, contestants and actual dunks this contest provides us year to year. The history behind the event is both legendary and legendarily horrible.
On one hand you have Spud Webb in 1986, Dominique Wilkins vs. Michael Jordan in 1988 and Vince Carter in 2000. On the other hand, there are unmentionables not worth your time reading.
That being said, this year looks to be memorable for positive reasons, as three All-Stars are in the contest.
The Eastern Conference's Paul George, John Wall and Terrence Ross compete against each other for the right to take on one of the West's Damian Lillard, Harrison Barnes or Ben McLemore.
Lillard should be gassed in his third event of the night, so that leaves Barnes or McLemore to battle one of the East's trio.
Wall is the outside favorite of the East's three, with Ross in second and George the most likely to advance.
Predicted Winner: Paul George
Regardless of the results, there isn't a better All-Star experience as far as the four major sports go; so here's hoping we get the showcase the NBA normally delivers.
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