The Rookie Challenge isn’t always the most fun thing from All-Star Weekend. A lot of times, the players try to hard to be fancy and flashy and forgo anything that resembles basketball. But last year’s game was a ton of fun. But that probably has something to do with Kevin Durant going nova during it and dropping an All-Star Weekend record 46 points.
Last year, I did a live diary for the game. I’ll actually be in the building computer in hand this year, so no witty commentary on commercials or announcers. I know you’re bummed. I’ll just comment on the crazy vendor behind me that keep yelling “POPCORN” in a high pitch voice. So follow along and refresh this page for some live updates from the American Airlines Center. Sunday I’ll actually live diary the thing for real, but I’ll definitely have some updates from the arena tonight.
So hang around, talk a little and enjoy All-Star Weekend.
7:59 PM CST: And we’re like ready to start. The screaming children are everywhere and it’s deafening even though the arena is two-thirds empty.
8:00: James Harden has the headband on. LOOK OUT SOPHOMORE TEAM.
8:18: Yeah, this isn’t good defense.
8:22: James Harden in, Russell Westbrook out. What fun is that?
8:33: I’m quickly realizing that with no TV announcers to comment on, a live blog becomes somewhat difficult. But here’s some info from the arena: American Airlines Center has microphones on the rims so everything is loud either clanking the iron or swishing through. It sounds like a video game.
8:38: James Harden and Russell Westbrook are turning it on. At this rate, they might together catch Kevin Durant’s 46 points, which he scored by himself.
8:45: DeJuan Blair bringing the house down. Very nice. Very, very nice. But right before that, Westbrook had what might be the game’s only hustle play, by throwing it off Blair whilst diving out of bounds.
8:47: Tyreke Evans is absolutely ridiculous in every way possible. I shutter at the possibilities of him game three years from now.
8:53: Halftime! The Rookies are scoring at will. I know, I know. Who isn’t? But Kevin Durant is coaching these boys up evidently.
9:05: I think we’re all losers in that dunk-off. No creativity from DeRozan, which is disappointing because he has unreal leaping ability.
9:12: DeRozan won before the dunk-off even started. His Thriller Dunk has everyone buzzing. Smart move.
9:19: Russell Westbrook has taken two 3s tonight. That’s 20 percent the amount he’s taken the last 41 days.
9:31: Another hoist from Russ. He’s got a game-high 22 though.
9:39: James Harden from deep. He’s got 14. IT’S ALL IN THE HEADBAND.
9:43: At this point, with 7:29 left in the game, Westbrook has 34 points and is scoring at will. I would say he cares less about the Sophomores winning and more about sniffing KD’s record 46.
9:49: I’m sure Coach Durant is getting a little concerned at this point. He was up off the bench there either chatting up his team or Westbrook. Either way, Westbrook just ripped two straight 3s and has 40 with 5:30 left.
9:50: Russ checked out and when he did, KD stood up and clapped.
9:54: Westbrook was sat right next to Pat Ewing when he checked out and was in Ewing’s ear the whole time. Two and a half minutes, still needing six.
9:56: PUJIT 3 rims out for Westbrook. Darn it all. Durant clapped.
10:02: The Rookies pull through and win one by a score no one cares about, but another great showing from the Thunder in the Rookie Challenge. Westbrook finished with a game-high 40 and James Harden flashed some serious ability, netting 22.
I’m headed to the locker room and I’ll have some video and quotes to share here in a bit.
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Hello Everyone!
My name is OrdefsAnerper and I'm from Skive, Denmark. I do sales (internet) for a living however I like auto racing and motor cross. I have two beaufiful childeren Sasha and Melia. I'm looking forward to being a member of this board.
Love,
OrdefsAnerper
This is my first time posting so I wanted to take a moment and say hello to everyone!
@Mark!
Thanks for clearing that up. Now I really agree that eliminating MLE would be really helpful.
Bird Rights transferring with a trade isn't really that big of a deal. You still have to operate under the cap to make the trade in the first place. Then it's just a matter of whether or not that team wants to pay to keep its current players.
The MLE isn't a contract, i.e. Artest does not have an "MLE Contract." The Lakers don't have to wait for his contract to expire before they can reuse their MLE.
The MLE is an exception clause that only applies to teams over the cap. If your team is over the cap at the beginning of the year, then you're allowed to spend up to the mid level exception that year on acquiring new players. You can sign that player (or players... you can split the MLE among multiple players) to as many years as you like, but the current year's salary can't exceed the MLE.
So next year, if that team is over the cap again, then they have another full MLE for that year to use to sign new players. It doesn't matter if they used their MLE the prior year or not or if the players they used it on are still on the team.
Make sense?
@Mark!
Great points.
I am also in favor of the Bird Rights, but I'm not so much a fan of those rights following a player when he is traded.
I would also be in favor of removing the MLE. There is one aspect of MLE's that I do not understand. How often can an MLE be used? For example, do the Lakers have to wait until Artest's contract expires before using MLE again?
Lowering the overall cap and keeping the max contract percentage the same will lower the amount of money being paid to super-stars, but it won't change the current state of "bigger bank roll = better roster".
@DizzyDai
I don't want a hard cap. I think Bird Rights are a good thing (and so did Stern when he helped develop them.) I wouldn't mind seeing the MLE go away though. For example, this year that would've forced LA to resign Ariza instead of taking Artest. They probably would've had to sign Ariza for an extra year or two longer than Artest. That would've been fine, I'm sure, but it would've tied them up a bit more on the financial end and ruined some of their flexibility.
Teams can really only overpay their players AFTER they've acquired their Bird rights. They still have to work under the cap to acquire new players. Removing the MLE will remove the room they have to operate while over the cap.
I think the Bird, Rookie and Minimum Player Exceptions are good things.
My list of changes I'd like to see in the CBA (because I know everyone cares):
*Salary Cap dropped to 47.5% of Basketball Income (This should still net over 50% of BRI being paid to players because teams spend over the actual cap... this year the amount spent on players is around 57% when the cap is set at 51%) Also still high enough that the change isn't outlandish
*Max contract scale can stay where it is (25-35% of cap deoending on years in league). Of course the $ will change based on reduced % of BRI for cap.
*Max contract length needs to cap at 4 years
*Contracts are only half guaranteed
*Remove the MLE
All that only helps owners make their business more profitable and the NBA more competitive. Of course, it's probably too much of a hit for players + union, but it's a lot friendlier than the CBA that was just ripped up.
Oh yeah, I'm fine with Westbrook preformance last night. He tried to past at first, but his teammates were not converting. When that happens RW0 tends to force his game. By the end of the game, I noticed the Sophomores were passing to Russell.
Speaking of the Sophomores, I was pretty dissappointed in Lopez and Morrow. How about you guys?
Concerning the CBA, I would love to see a hard cap. Big spenders like Mark Cuban and Jerry Buss should not be able to buy a team by overpaying for players. The Lakers are spending something like $91 millon on salary this year, plus something like another $31 million in Lux Tax. That is ridiculous. Speaking of ridiculous, Adam Morrison gets paid $5.2 million to bench ride, but the Lakers end up spending 10.4 for his contract.
One thing I don't understand about the current NBA structure is that teams get penalized (lux tax, no free agents) for going over a $59 million soft cap. Aren't most stars paid $15-20 million? So that leaves $39 million to pay 14 other teammates. Are they going to take 2.8 million each? Heck no!
The stars are overpaid to make sure they stay with their teams, but the teams run into the soft cap penalties because they have to fairly compensate the rest of the roster. These stars make a ton of money in endorsements should settle for a more modest salary for the sake of the team. Or the NBA should raise the cap (and preferably make it a hard cap).
@Mark!
I hope the CBA does get a little messy. Player salaries are out of hand and it is crimping the style of the league. Then again, teams should be forced to work harder on finding good management, not just having a redo or small contract to waive whenever they want. I think both sides are going to have to make some serious concessions. A hard cap isn't feasible, but max contracts and probably contract length should be less. Teams should have greater ability to trade around cap rules, but they should also be held accountable for the contracts they give/trade for.
It wasn't necessarily an owner, just some executive. I don't know what the writer of the article (or the person who heard it from the source if that person wasnt also the writer) considers an "executive". Maybe an owner, maybe someone way down the tree.
But yeah, it could get messy. Or not? Who knows.
This CBA thing is going to get out of hand one owner told lebron he can play football and another told D.Wade he can be a fashion model
about that sonics fan...
thats the first one in a long time i can remember being so hateful on here... ahh gotta love all star weekend when people that don't care enough to have nba league pass get to see the thunder ;)
I am the DON :
Seattle has BY FAR the most fairweather fans EVER. Believe me, i lived there.
The piece of filth Schultz and that incompetent waste of flesh Wally Walker, both Seattelites, destroyed the franchise and ran it straight into the ground. The fans then abandoned the team. Then, the SEATTLE politicians all but said the sonics meant nothing to the city and losing them would mean nothing to the region.
Yet you slimy latte sipping pricks want to point your fingers at others? Point that finger back at yourself Seattle
You have the best quotes
@I am the DON
Seattle's a great city, the 'disloyal citizenry' has subsidized some high priced buildings for the Seahawks and Mariners. It stinks that the Sonics left, and the circumstances definitely reflect poorly upon some of the civic leaders. I don't know how you could say the state of Washington didn't support the Sonics, though, especially if you were a fan during their heydey, or even as recent as the 2004-2005 playoff run. It didn't work out in the end for a lot of factors, please don't disparage an entire population based on some stupid trolls.
KD for sure will be picking on RW for as long as they are teammates, about him owning RW for these two games... Ha, ha...
josh :
i never felt bad about them leaving i was sonics fan to but im not from there so i dont care
I am EXACTLY like you. I was a die hard sonics fan but I had NO loyalty to that city. The seattle people and fans actually made me sick, for reasons I already mentioned. Thank god this team is now in the hands of a competent GM and what seems like an ownership that is committed to putting together a winner. Also, the people of OKC have been very supportive. These are all things seattle did not bring to the table. All seattle brought to the table was horrific ownership, even worse management, and disloyal citizenry that didn't have the guts to stick with their team through tough times.
Tough luck Seattle. Cry me a river.
And KD even put that logic into the Rookies Team (which supposed to be not as good indiviual talent than the Sophomores, and one year less experience) to beat RW and the Sophomores Team... Ha, ha...
Just kidding. Well, this kind of game is really for individual glory only anyway...
@555
You are absolutely correct.
Thats what a lot of people on this site do not understand because they are so obsessed with stats and box scores.
The numbers do NOT tell the real story. Yo can have a player go 20 for 25 from the field and score 50 and have another player with an identical stat line but those two performances could be polar opposites. It's all about HOW you do it
i never felt bad about them leaving i was sonics fan to but im not from there so i dont care
Thats right DON they re just mad because our team is successand theres wasnt and probably still pist when they were at the portland game
Keith :@555The question is why can’t Russ do that all the time? Well, no one was really trying on defense, sure, but he can drive through good defenses too. Russ needs to tone down the heroics in regular games, but he would be a terror if he could consistently finish at the rim like he did tonight.
Exactly! One major different between what KD did last year and what RW did was, KD played with the team with his skills to score 46 pts but RW took away his teammates from the game to score 40 pts.
One of the problem for RW is, he always want to put on a show himself and forgot that basketball is a 5 on 5 game. Always want to show that he is better than everybody. Nothing wrong with that, when he has something to back it up and win the game. KD did it and won the game, RW didn't.
When RW realized that and play with the flow, understand what's good for the team and what's not, then he will be a great player. And he is improving, too.
Seattle has BY FAR the most fairweather fans EVER. Believe me, i lived there.
The piece of filth Schultz and that incompetent waste of flesh Wally Walker, both Seattelites, destroyed the franchise and ran it straight into the ground. The fans then abandoned the team. Then, the SEATTLE politicians all but said the sonics meant nothing to the city and losing them would mean nothing to the region.
Yet you slimy latte sipping pricks want to point your fingers at others? Point that finger back at yourself Seattle
Sonics fans r nothing but a bunch of pricks thats why they lost the team in the first place
Sonics Fan :
Suck My big hairy balls you fukin theives u roughened my childhood know i have sworn my life to bring them back or die trying GO Supersonic s!just give them back
How about we revise your proposition slightly? How about instead, you drop dead and OKC keeps the team you soft tender little dweeb? Deal?
9:50: Russ checked out and when he did, KD stood up and clapped.
That's what you called "Supporting your teammate"... :)
@555
The question is why can't Russ do that all the time? Well, no one was really trying on defense, sure, but he can drive through good defenses too. Russ needs to tone down the heroics in regular games, but he would be a terror if he could consistently finish at the rim like he did tonight.
Royce, I think we need a ban here. I know you don't like it, and I think even posters here are normally ok with a little embitterment from Sonics fans, but the language and obvious disregard for composure or class cannot be ignored.
Do what you feel is right, but the last thing I want is for this to degrade into a profanity contest.
KT :Russ is gunning for KD award.
Close, but no cigar... Lol... :)
But, really... Thunder should be attracting a lot of eyes now since KD last year and RW this year putting on their great indiviual great shows.
Suck My big hairy balls you fukin theives u roughened my childhood know i have sworn my life to bring them back or die trying GO Supersonic s!just give them back
The soph team was pathetic, and russ was shooting 18-29. Nothing wrong with that. Although he did force a few ugly jumpers
Damn harden had 22pts on 9-14 shooting in 23 mins
Someone had to hog the ball for the Sophs, no one else was stepping up to the plate. Further, no one else really seemed to have the capacity to take it over. The only thing I don't like about this is that it's going to overhype the rookie class. As much as I love Harden, and as good as Tyreke is, last year's class is way better than this year's overall.
@Fantasmagorasm
Whoops, that was a reply to I am the DON.
@clarkem
lol, I'm sure a few teams are thinking that.
Russ shouldn't ball hogg so much but ehh w/e
@clarkem
If he really had class he would've shared it with russ
At least Tyreke had some class sharing it with Blair.
fan voting sucks.....
Do you think Traber will rip RW for taking 78 shots?
Serge should be in this game next year over Jonas Jerekbo.
I am SO GLAD we drafted Mullens over Blair
What a huge error it would have been for us to have gotten Blair.
He brings nothing to the table we need
wow a 20 20 game. at least he does it to someone other than us.
Brooke Lopez is cursed.
@clarkem
Hahaha, he has. :-)
j hard with the dunk
Has anyone noticed the couple times that Russ reverts backt o the shell defense. He auto switched onto Beasly's man one time and has collapsed to the post on some possessions.
Russ is everywhere he really wants this.
Lol at KD cheering when the took RUss out.
Harden is lookin to score as well