5 Key Takeaways from NBA All-Star Weekend

As usual, the NBA’s All-Star Weekend brought jaw-dropping feats of athleticism, perplexing publicity stunts and a complete lack of defense. It’s time to look back on what happened, with an eye toward the final two months of the regular season. Here are five takeaways from the weekend’s action:

Do Not Sleep on Russell Westbrook’s Three-Point Shot

While Russell Westbrook is clearly an offensive powerhouse, he is actually a below-average three-point shooter. But on Sunday, Westbrook scored 41 points and went 5-of-9 shooting from behind the arc, winning his first All-Star Game MVP award. It was a convincing reminder that when Westbrook gets hot, he is unstoppable. 

In one second-quarter sequence, he drilled three consecutive shots from far, far beyond the three-point line. In the game’s final moments, he purposely tried to miss a free throw; it still went in. “I guess I couldn't miss tonight, huh?” he told ESPN.com after the game.

Oklahoma City can expect the usual barrage of acrobatic dunks and reckless fast breaks from Westbrook. But if he starts to catch fire from deep, its title hopes will become far easier to realize.

Carmelo Anthony Likely Done for Season

Last week, rumors emerged that the New York Knicks planned to shut down Carmelo Anthony—battling a left knee injury—for the remainder of the season. Judging from his performance in Sunday’s All-Star Game, that would be a smart decision. In 30 minutes on the floor, Anthony went 6-of-20 shooting from the field (including two of 13 from three-point range) and finished with 14 points. It was an historically poor performance, as no one has scored fewer points in the NBA All-Star Game when shooting at least 20 times, according to Dan Feldman of NBCSports.com.

Anthony is clearly not himself. But when healthy, he remains one of the league’s four or five best offensive players. This season is already a lost cause, and Anthony is signed through 2019. If the Knicks hope to contend in the near future, they should play it safe and give Anthony plenty of time to heal. However, Anthony said that no final verdict has been reached. “I haven’t made that decision yet," he told reporters during media availability. "I haven’t talked to anybody.”

Adam Silver Has Big Plans for the Future of the NBA

Adam Silver has quickly earned a progressive reputation as NBA Commissioner. His remarks last weekend did little to discourage that perception. In his annual All-Star Weekend press conference, Silver tackled a broad range of subjects, including the current playoff and lottery systems, the league’s minimum age requirement and the NBA’s lengthy 82-game schedule, all of which have drawn criticism in recent years.

On each, Silver appeared open to reform. “I recognize it’s time to take action on a lot of the things that we’ve been discussing extensively,” he told the press. "I believe we can improve.” 

Prior to last weekend’s press conference, Silver had already banned an owner from the league, expressed his support for legalized sports betting in an article for the New York Times and worked to overhaul the NBA’s domestic violence policies. He is clearly not bogged down by attachment to the past.

For good or for bad, it appears likely that important changes are coming to the NBA. It would not be surprising, for instance, if the draft lottery looked very different by 2018. 

LaVine Rejuvenates Slam Dunk Contest

Zach LaVine is here to save the Slam Dunk Contest. 

For years, basketball fans—including NBA legend Julius Erving—have watched the once-iconic dunking competition decline, as fewer and fewer star players take part. But LaVine, a rangy, bouncy point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, had no second thoughts about participating. “I got a lot of dunks for y’all,” he said at a photo shoot for Complex last summer. That proved to be an understatement.

Wearing a Michael Jordan jersey from the movie Space Jam, LaVine threw down one ridiculous dunk after another, earning two perfect scores and providing a week’s worth of memorable GIFs and Vines. His second dunk, in particular, drew raves from observers.

The good news for fans? LaVine is only a rookie, 19 years old and plenty confident. Asked if he could outdunk LeBron James on ESPN's Sportscenter after the contest, LaVine responded firmly in the affirmative, “I never go against my own talent, so I’ve got to say me.”

Weak Eastern Conference Hangs Tough With West

For most of the past decade, the NBA’s Eastern Conference has lagged behind its Western counterpart. The West routinely trots out a deeper lineup of more talented teams, and this year is no different. As of right now, only two Eastern teams—Atlanta and Toronto—would make the playoffs in the West. Six of the league’s best eight teams (by winning percentage) are Western Conference teams.

Luckily for fans, the imbalance has not prevented NBA All-Star Games from going down to the wire. Despite a dearth of competitive teams, an early double-digit hole and a superhuman performance from Russell Westbrook, the East managed to hang tough until the game’s final minutes. The past five NBA All-Star Games have been decided by an average of less than six points.

Of course, All-Star Weekend is about the fans, and players care more about having fun than playing defense or winning. But in a season full of losing, the overmatched East put up an admirable fight.