Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 21 February 2017
Lots of points, lots of dunks,

not a lot of All-Star defense

TIM REYNOLDS beat the Eastern in the game, sure, but
AP Basketball Writer Conference 192-182. And it most of those were the
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — It prompted some questions byproduct of bad passes
was the fourth quarter of afterward on whether the than picked pockets.
the All-Star Game, and glorified exhibition really There were 16 fouls, mainly
a few fans started yelling needs to see at least the ones players were taking
loudly enough for DeAndre appearance of defense to stop the clock and
Jordan to hear them from return. allow substitutions; only
his spot on the Western “All-Star is about offense four were of the shooting
Conference bench. and giving the crowd a variety. Stephen Curry
Their cry: “De-fense! De- show, but if they want to laid down on the court at
fense!” see a little more defense one point while Giannis
Jordan’s shout back: “No, as fans and everything — I Antetokounmpo was
no, no!” mean, nobody wants to go driving in for what became
The moment was both out here and get hurt,” said one of his 12 dunks.
hilarious and fitting. Davis, the game’s MVP “I’m going to play
Defense was in short supply in his home arena. “It’s all hard no matter what,”
on Sunday night during the about fun. ... I love it. I don’t Antetokounmpo said.
NBA’s showcase game, really care. I’ll go out there “That’s the only thing I
one where Anthony Davis and have fun. I didn’t play know how to do.”
Western Conference forward Anthony Davis of the New Orleans smashed a 55-year-old any defense.” Davis took 39 shots, making
Pelicans (23 ) holds up his MVP trophy after the NBA All-Star
basketball game in New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017. record with 52 points and Few did. 26, both of those now All-
Associated Press the Western Conference There were 33 steals Star records. The game
also established records for
total points (384), most field
goals (162), most assists
(103), most assists by one
team (West with 60), most
points in one quarter (101,
first) and so on. The East set
a rather dubious record,
establishing a new high
score by a losing team
for the third consecutive
season.
Put simply, it’s not a real
game, and real-game
thinking doesn’t apply.
LeBron James made a
shot from nearly half-
court, something he would
never try in a competitive
situation.
He loves defense. He
wasn’t missing it on Sunday.
“I think the biggest thing
coming out of the game
is that everybody leaves
injury-free,” James said.
“We gave the fans what
they wanted to see and
everyone left injury-free.
Another successful All-Star
weekend for myself and
everyone.”
West coach Steve Kerr
said he and East coach
Brad Stevens had jobs on
Sunday night akin to the
person who played the
role of the title character
in “Weekend at Bernie’s,”
that being a deceased
man who gets dragged
from place to place and
propped up to somehow
give others the illusion that
he’s still actually alive.q