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Monday, February 16, 2026

The 2026 Legends Brunch Honors Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Candace Parker, Baron Davis, and Jamal Crawford While Featuring a Panel Discussion With Olympians Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Pau Gasol

The Legends Brunch is the highlight of NBA All-Star Weekend, a celebration of the great players who built the NBA from a fledgling league into a global enterprise. I cherished covering the Legends Brunch in person from 2005-2010, and every year that was my favorite All-Star Weekend event, along with attending the ABA Reunions in 2005 and 2006.

NBC is covering the NBA this season for the first time since 2002, so for the first time in more than two decades TNT's Ernie Johnson was not the host for the Legends Brunch telecast. Bob Costas, who served as NBC's main NBA host the last time that the network had an NBA contract, hosted the 2026 Legends Brunch. His communication style is different than Johnson's--Costas did not lead things off with a poem he wrote--but Costas is every bit as informed and talented as Johnson is.

Costas began the telecast by providing a brief recap of NBA All-Star Saturday Night, and then he introduced NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Silver acknowledged the presence of the family members of Chuck Cooper (the first Black player drafted by an NBA team), Earl Lloyd (the first Black player to play in an NBA game), and Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton (the first Black player to sign an NBA contract). Then, he presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar said that he is "deeply humbled, filled with gratitude for a league that gave me far more than a career. It gave me a home, a purpose, and a family." Abdul-Jabbar thanked all of his coaches and teammates collectively, but he singled out one coach by name: Farrell Hopkins, who he credited with impressing upon him the importance of being able to score effectively. Abdul-Jabbar took that advice to heart, eventually breaking Wilt Chamberlain's NBA career scoring record in 1984 and then holding the mark until LeBron James surpassed him in 2023. Abdul-Jabbar expressed gratitude that the NBA provided "a platform to stand for something larger than myself," namely social justice and community service. He emphasized the importance of what an athlete does beyond the basketball court: "Greatness is not measured in points only or in wins, but in the impact we leave behind."

Magic Johnson presented the Pioneer Award to Candace Parker, the only WNBA player to win championships with three different teams and the only WNBA player to win the Rookie of the Year award and the regular season MVP in the same season. Parker stated that she has been inspired by NBA legends, singling out Magic Johnson and Julius Erving in particular. She also noted the strong influence that her college coach, Pat Summit, had on her.

The Legends Brunch included a special tribute to the three pioneers mentioned above: Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, and Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton. This is part of the NBA's season-long recognition of how Cooper, Lloyd, and Clifton played key roles in integrating the league.

Andre Iguodala, the President of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), spoke on a host of topics. He mentioned Chris Paul--who recently retired after being released by the L.A. Clippers--and said that Paul has a special ability to "lock in" to competition while also being able to "lock through" as a connector bringing people together. Iguodala recalled that when Paul was a rival player he did not like him very much, but that after serving as an NBPA Vice President while Paul was the NBPA President he saw firsthand how much Paul did on behalf of NBA players. Iguodala praised Abdul-Jabbar for speaking to him 15 years ago about the value of keeping up with the times to learn to speak the language of young people. Abdul-Jabbar advised Iguodala to do things like watching reality TV shows to better understand how young people think and how they communicate.

Antonio Davis, the President of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA or Legends of Basketball), spoke about the NBRPA's mandate to help Legends live with dignity and wellness so that they can prosper and can continue to make positive contributions to their communities.

The Bob Lanier Community Impact Award was first presented to Pau Gasol in 2023, and then Jalen Rose earned the honor in 2024. The award was not presented at the 2025 Legends Brunch, but it is important to keep Lanier's name alive, and to recognize players who have a positive community impact. Gasol presented this award to Baron Davis and Jamal Crawford. Davis spoke about his efforts to bridge the gap between the "privileged" and the "underprivileged." He said that he learned the importance of community while he grew up in the L.A. area. Crawford declared, "This honor truly means a lot to me. I feel so blessed because this isn't something you seek recognition for. You do what feels right to uplift as many people as possible, especially those who need it most." He thanked his grandparents, parents, sisters, and community members who inspired him. He lives by the motto, "If you can help someone, do it." Crawford added, "Giving back is not about recognition. It's about responsibility." He thanked Abdul-Jabbar and Erving for providing inspiration to him when he was a child--and even today. Crawford said that the sport's legends are the most important part of the game. 

After Crawford finished speaking, Costas mentioned the new documentary "Soul Power," produced by Julius Erving, George Karl, and Common. The four part series on Amazon Prime tells the story of the ABA. Costas noted the tremendous impact that the ABA had on basketball history--and on the way basketball is played today--with innovations such as the three point shot (which was not invented by the ABA but was popularized by the league), the Slam Dunk Contest, and a wide open style of play. Many Hall of Famers started their careers in the ABA, including four-time MVP/three-time champion Julius Erving, three-time MVP/one-time champion Moses Malone, two-time MVP/three-time champion Mel Daniels, one-time MVP/one-time champion Artis Gilmore, one-time MVP/two-time champion George McGinnis, three-time champion Roger Brown, four-time scoring champion George Gervin, David Thompson, Bobby Jones, and Louie Dampier. Costas declared, "No one personified the league more than Dr. J, one of the greatest players in the history of basketball and the greatest player in the history of the ABA."

The Legends Brunch concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Costas featuring Olympians Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Pau Gasol.

Robertson recalled Team USA's tryout process for the 1960 Olympics, which involved eight teams competing in Denver. The AAU was very powerful at that time, and tried to get as many of their players as possible on the Olympic team. Costas asked Robertson if the 1960 squad was the greatest U.S. team ever other than the fabled 1992 Dream Team. Robertson acknowledged his team's greatness but also felt that the 1956 squad led by Bill Russell should be considered.

Robertson wore a knee brace, but Costas pointed out that Robertson looks much younger than 87. Robertson explained that he is wearing the brace because old men sometimes do "foolish" things; he strained his leg trying to see how much weight he could lift over his head.

Magic Johnson said that a key moment for the 1992 Dream Team happened when Michael Jordan rejected the honor of being the only captain and insisted that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson should be co-captains with him. Johnson said that this forged team unity. He remembered that the Dream Team's scrimmages were often Eastern Conference players competing against Western Conference players, and he said that those now-legendary battles were very intense.

Johnson praised Robertson not only as a great player but also as the first player who became a "businessman outside of basketball," along with Dave Bing.

The always gracious Gasol praised Robertson, Johnson, and the other legends who came before him for paving the way for him to become an NBA player. He was 12 years old when the Dream Team won Olympic gold in his hometown Barcelona. Gasol talked about how his L.A. Laker teammate Kobe Bryant ran right through him on a screen when Team USA faced Spain in the 2008 Olympics. Gasol said that play set the tone for Team USA to do whatever it takes to win the gold medal after falling short several times in previous FIBA events when Bryant was not on the roster. Gasol recalled that Bryant later put his Olympic gold medal in Gasol's L.A. locker to send a message, noting that Bryant was very "intentional" about making sure that they were on the same page about winning an NBA championship. Gasol had an 0-3 career playoff series record before teaming up with Bryant, who led the Lakers to NBA championships in 2009 and 2010 with Gasol as the second option. If Gasol had continued to be aggressive and not been satisfied with winning two NBA championships, perhaps the Lakers would have won at least one more title.

One of Johnson's most vivid Olympic memories is how Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen made a point of taking turns guarding Toni Kukoc--their future Chicago Bulls teammate--full court when Team USA faced Croatia in the 1992 Olympics.

Johnson singled out Erving for helping him when he was weighing the pros and cons of leaving Michigan State as an underclassman. After Johnson sought Erving's advice, Erving not only counseled him but he flew Johnson to Philadelphia to stay with him for a few days to discuss matters in detail. Johnson said that this was an important time not just in his career but in his life, and he praised Erving for being such a great mentor. That story epitomizes not only how special Erving is, but also the impact that basketball's legends can have (1) when their counsel is sought and (2) when young players have the humility to realize that they don't know everything and that they can benefit from the experiences of the great players who came before them.

Selected Previous NBA Legends Recaps:

The 2025 NBA Legends Brunch Honors Oscar Robertson, Gary Payton, and Rick Barry, and Features a Panel Discussion With Run TMC (2025) 

The 2024 NBA Legends Brunch Honors Tamika Catchings, Jalen Rose, Reggie Miller, and Larry Bird While Also Featuring ABA Panel Discussion (2024)

NBA Legends Brunch Honors Bill Russell, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Pau Gasol (2023)

Jerry West Gives Powerful Speech After Being Honored as NBA Legend of the Year (2022)

Legends Brunch Honors Alonzo Mourning, Five Great Mavs (2010)

NBA Legends Brunch Honors Phoenix' Rich Basketball History (2009)

King James Reigns in Houston (2006 NBA All-Star Weekend) 

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posted by David Friedman @ 10:30 AM

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Sunday, February 15, 2026

Damian Lillard Earns Third Three Point Title, Knicks Win Shooting Stars, and Keshad Johnson is the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest Champion

NBA All-Star Saturday Night tipped off with the Three Point Contest, which has become the showcase event after living in the shadow of the Slam Dunk Contest from the 1980s through the early 2000s when Pantheon members (including Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant) strutted their high-flying stuff. Rookie Kon Knueppel started strongly with 27 points, setting a pace that few could match. Devin Booker had the highest first round score (30, surpassing his then-record 28 points from the final round in 2018 when he won this event), while Damian Lillard also scored 27 points to join Knueppel and Booker in the final round. Donovan Mitchell (24), Norman Powell (23), Jamal Murray (18), Tyrese Maxey (17), and Bobby Portis (15) failed to advance. In the final round, Knueppel slumped to 17 points, Lillard improved to 29 points, and Booker hit his first nine shots before missing his last three to finish with 27 points.  

This was Lillard's first on-court appearance in a Portland Trail Blazers uniform since rejoing the team last summer after tearing his left Achilles in his last game with the Milwaukee Bucks on April 29, 2025. Lillard played the first 11 seasons of his career with Portland before spending two seasons with the Bucks. Lillard, who previously won this event in 2023 and 2024, joins Larry Bird (1986-88) and Craig Hodges (1990-92) as the Three Point Contest's only three-time champions. I give Lillard credit for putting himself out in public view while recovering from his injury, particularly in an era when so many star players avoid participating in All-Star Saturday Night. In his remarks after winning the event, Lillard noted that fans want to see All-Stars competing hard, and he wanted to do his best to provide that. Let's hope that this spirit of competition carries over to Sunday night's main event. 

The Shooting Stars competition featured teams with a mixture of two current players plus one retired player. It is nice to see retired players have an opportunity to participate in All-Star Weekend. The retired players were Rip Hamilton (who joined Scottie Barnes and Chet Holmgren on Team All-Star), Ron Harper (who joined his sons Dylan Harper and Ron Harper Jr. on Team Harper), Allan Houston (who joined Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on Team Knicks), and Corey Maggette (who joined Jalen Johnson and Kon Knueppel on Team Cameron). The event's format requires each team member to shoot in the same order from seven different marked spots within 1:10.

Team Knicks posted the first round's highest score (31), and then topped that with 47 in the final round to defeat Team Cameron, which had 38 points in the final round. Houston was also a member of New York's winning team in the 2012 edition of this event, which returned to All-Star Weekend after previously being held from 2004-15.

The Slam Dunk Contest featured four first-time competitors, none of whom have ever been selected as an NBA All-Star: G League player Carter Bryant, the Miami Heat's Keshad Johnson, the L.A. Lakers' Jaxson Hayes, and the Orlando Magic's Jase Richardson (whose father Jason won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2002 and 2003).

The Slam Dunk Contest judges were Dominique Wilkins (Slam Dunk Contest champion in 1985 and 1990), Dwight Howard (2008 Slam Dunk Contest champion), Corey Maggette (2001 Slam Dunk Contest participant), Brent Barry (1996 Slam Dunk Contest champion), and Julius "Dr. J" Erving (1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest champion, 1984 NBA Slam Dunk Contest runner-up to Larry Nance). 

Full credit to each of the four young players who did their best to put on a show, but neither the dunks nor the star quality come close to matching the entertainment that the Slam Dunk Contest provided during its glory years. Johnson danced and strutted his way to the crown, walking out with Bay Area rap legend E-40 to get the crowd hyped up, soaring over over E-40 on his first dunk, and clinching the title with a between the legs reverse dunk on his final attempt. Bryant earned the lone perfect 50 of the night before falling flat in the final round with a pedestrian dunk after repeatedly missing the fancier dunk that he had originally prepared.

Erving presented the Julius "Dr. J" Erving Slam Dunk Contest trophy to Johnson:

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posted by David Friedman @ 12:11 PM

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Monday, February 17, 2025

The 2025 NBA Legends Brunch Honors Oscar Robertson, Gary Payton, and Rick Barry, and Features a Panel Discussion With Run TMC

The Legends Brunch is the most meaningful and special NBA All-Star Weekend event; it is important to acknowledge and honor the people who built the sport. I had the privilege of covering the Legends Brunch in person from 2005-2010, and every year that was the highlight of All-Star Weekend for me, along with attending the ABA Reunions in 2005 and 2006. 

Ernie Johnson is the perfect host for the Legends Brunch, and he consistently hits the right notes in terms of when to be serious and when to be humorous. This year ends TNT's four decades of covering the NBA, and during his traditional Legends Brunch poem Johnson expressed gratitude for TNT's long run, and appreciation to the production crew behind the scenes that makes sure everything runs smoothly.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Oscar Robertson. Silver called Robertson "A man of dignity, character, and respect." During a video tribute for Robertson, John Havlicek said that Robertson is the best player he ever played against, quite a statement from a Hall of Famer who spent 16 NBA seasons playing against many of the greatest players of all-time, including Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Julius Erving. Abdul-Jabbar, who played with and against Robertson, termed Robertson a "pioneer in the game of basketball."

During his acceptance speech, Robertson emphasized that his guiding thought has always been, "Situations in life should be as fair as possible." Robertson said that this principle impacted both how he played the game--keeping his teammates involved--and how he worked to represent the players' interests when he served as the President of the Players Association from 1965-74; his friends Jack Twyman and Tommy Heinsohn persuaded him to accept the latter role, and Robertson was one of the "NBA 14" who filed a lawsuit that paved the way for the huge guaranteed salaries that today's NBA players take for granted. Robertson, Archie Clark, Dave Bing, Dave Cowens, and Dave DeBusschere later founded the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA). Robertson said that as a player and as a retired player he sought to partner with the NBA team owners as opposed to having an adversarial relationship with them. Robertson thanked Chris Paul for his role with the Players Association to help the retired players finally obtain health insurance in 2016. Recalling the Legends Brunch's humble beginnings, Robertson looked at the large assembled audience and concluded, "This is magnificent!"

Damian Lillard presented the Hometown Hero Award to Gary Payton. Lillard is a Bay Area native who said that when he was a kid he was inspired by Payton, who was already an established NBA player. Payton said that he is sad that his mother and father did not live long enough to see this moment. He acknowledged that other Bay Area natives--including Jason Kidd, Antonio Davis, and Brian Shaw--could have received the honor instead of him. Payton emphasized the importance of giving back to the community, mentioning that the reason that he took the head coaching job at College of Alameda is that he seeks to positively influence the community, particularly young people.  

Stephen Curry introduced the program's always poignant "In Memoriam" segment. He spoke briefly about Jerry West, Bill Walton, Dikembe Mutombo, and Al Attles. Then, a video tribute accompanied by live music honored other Legends who passed away within the past year. I was a Philadelphia 76ers fan growing up, so three names in particular caught my attention and brought back memories: Pat Williams (the general manager who built the 76ers' 1983 championship team), Joe "Jellybean" Bryant (Kobe's father, who played for the 76ers from 1975-79), and Harold Katz (the 76ers' majority owner from 1981-1996).

Julius Erving, the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1977 and 1983 and an All-NBA First Team member for the 76ers' 1983 championship team, presented the Legend of the Year award to Rick Barry, who spent nine of his 14 professional seasons playing in the Bay Area (eight during two separates stints with the Warriors, plus one with the ABA's Oakland Oaks). Erving said that Barry is "as iconic for his scoring ability as for his style" and that Barry was "a player ahead of his time." Erving added that Barry, who is six years older than he is, "was one of my heroes, and he is still one of my heroes." Erving noted that Barry shared the proceeds from his 1967 All-Star Game MVP award with his teammates, inspiring him to do the same thing. Erving mentioned how often he and Barry spent time together, including going to Israel, coaching in the "Big Three," and doing Spalding commercials. 

During the video tribute to Barry, one of the clips showed Barry saying that he wanted every game to come down to the last 10 seconds with the ball in his hands. Barry also declared that you play the game to be a champion.

After Barry joined Erving on stage, Barry mentioned that his speech was supposed to last just four minutes, and he scoffed that asking him to limit his remarks that way is like asking him to only take 10 shots in a game because he would just be warming up by that point. Barry said that he feels an "extreme sense of gratitude" for receiving the Legend of the Year award. He looked around the crowd, and singled out several people from his journey, including his wife Lynn, who he credited for helping him mellow out during the past 34 years. He also mentioned his oldest son Scooter, who was born just a few months before he won the 1967 All-Star Game MVP. Barry pointed out Clifford Ray, the starting center on Golden State's 1975 championship team, and he said that there is "no one in the world I would rather run the pick and roll with." 

Barry recalled that his father once told him "The older you get the faster the years go by," and he said that those words have proven to be true. Barry reflected on how it feels to be an octogenarian, and he reminisced about the 1967 NBA All-Star Game. Barry did not mention that he scored a game-high 38 points on 16-27 field goal shooting, but he focused on the overall talent level present in that contest and how competitive the players were. Barry noted that 13 of the 20 1967 NBA All-Stars are on the NBA's 50 Greatest Players List; that group includes Pantheon members Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, and Jerry West. Barry recalled that East Coach Red Auerbach was ejected. It is also worth emphasizing that the East attempted 37 free throws and the West attempted 26 free throws in a 135-120 West win. The concept of the league's best players playing hard, playing defense, and committing fouls in an All-Star Game is unimaginable to a generation of players who have been led astray on All-Star Weekend by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry (as correctly emphasized by Sirius XM NBA Radio host Brian Geltzeiler during the Saturday morning show that he hosts with Sam Mitchell).

Barry said that he can't stand load management and he mentioned that he hated blowouts during his playing career because his minutes would be limited in such games. Barry still misses playing because he loves to compete, and he said that the NBA should add a designated free throw shooter rule so that he can make a comeback (Barry led the league in free throw shooting seven times, and currently ranks eighth in career free throw percentage at .893). Barry's competitive fire is limited these days to fly fishing and pickleball.

The Legends Brunch concluded with a panel discussion with Run TMC hosted by Bob Costas. Ernie Johnson introduced the discussion by saying that he always wanted to be like Costas but never quite measured up. Costas returned the compliment by noting that Johnson had carved his own path as one of the best of all-time.

Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin only spent two years together as Golden State teammates (1989-91) but during that short time they formed lifelong friendships while etching a permanent place in the hearts of fans who fondly recall their on court exploits. The trio's name--a play on words combining the first letters of each of their first names along with the name of legendary rap group Run DMC--was chosen as a result of a fan voting contest. During the panel discussion, Mullin noted that he had "seniority" and knew as soon as he heard the Run TMC option that it was by far the best one. Mullin, who is from Brooklyn, went to high school with Run DMC founding member Darryl McDaniels.  

The trio's short tenure ended when Coach Don Nelson traded Richmond for Billy Owens. Costas recalled that Nelson later called the deal a "no brainer--I had no brain when I made the trade." The Warriors reached the second round of the playoffs in Run TMC's final season together and they did not advance that far in the postseason again until 2007, when Nelson--during his second stint with the franchise--coached the "We Believe" squad that upset the number one seeded Dallas Mavericks. The players were understandably upset that Nelson broke up their trio, but Mullin noted that Nelson "was a visionary" who played small ball and exploited matchup advantages in unconventional ways that he learned during his playing days with the Boston Celtics when the Celtics had a fast team featuring the relatively undersized Dave Cowens at center. Mullin also praised Al Attles for being a mentor to everyone in the Warriors organization, and he spoke about how much he cherished the "brotherhood" that he shared with Hardaway and Richmond through good times and bad times. Mullin said that he felt like he never had an athletic advantage at any level during his basketball career, so he had to rely on his teammates to help him. Hardaway said that Mullin is way too modest, noting that Mullin was a three-time Big East Player of the Year during the Big East's glory years. Hardaway said that Mullin's work ethic and superior conditioning set a great example for him and for Richmond. Hardaway gave a shout out to Archie Clark as the inventor of the crossover move that Hardaway made famous as the "UTEP two step" or "killer crossover." Richmond is the most soft-spoken of the trio, but he told a funny story about receiving some trash talk from Hardaway after he had a poor shooting night and then returning the favor a short while later after Hardaway had an even worse shooting night--0-17 from the field in a December 27, 1991 game versus Minnesota. Hardaway emphasized that the Warriors won that game anyway, and then he had a big performance in his next game (30 points on 13-21 field goal shooting as the Warriors beat the Lakers).

The 2025 NBA Legends Brunch hit the ball out of the park (to use a mixed metaphor), but here is one suggestion for the 2026 edition: resume giving out the Bob Lanier Community Impact Award, named in honor of the Hall of Fame center who played for Detroit and Milwaukee. That award was first presented to Pau Gasol at the 2023 NBA Legends Brunch, and then Jalen Rose received the award last year, presented by Hall of Famer Dave Bing. It is not clear why that award was not presented this year. Lanier devoted his post-playing career to community service and to encouraging players to participate in community service, and his legacy deserves to be honored and remembered.

Selected Previous NBA Legends Recaps:

The 2024 NBA Legends Brunch Honors Tamika Catchings, Jalen Rose, Reggie Miller, and Larry Bird While Also Featuring ABA Panel Discussion (2024)

NBA Legends Brunch Honors Bill Russell, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Pau Gasol (2023)

Jerry West Gives Powerful Speech After Being Honored as NBA Legend of the Year (2022)

Legends Brunch Honors Alonzo Mourning, Five Great Mavs (2010)

NBA Legends Brunch Honors Phoenix' Rich Basketball History (2009)

King James Reigns in Houston (2006 NBA All-Star Weekend)

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posted by David Friedman @ 10:24 AM

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Sunday, February 16, 2025

Cavaliers, Herro, and McClung Take the All-Star Saturday Night Trophies

NBA All-Star Saturday Night is not likely to ever recapture the glamour of its glory years, an era from the 1980s to the early 2000s when Pantheon members Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant competed against other Hall of Famers. The first official Slam Dunk Contest took place at halftime of the 1976 ABA All-Star Game, and four of the five participants became Hall of Fame inductees: Julius Erving (the winner), David Thompson, George Gervin, and Artis Gilmore (the fifth participant was Larry Kenon, who made the All-Star team five times in his ABA/NBA career). Some fans may scoff at what they consider to be the pedestrian nature of some of those 1976 dunks, but keep in mind that no one at that time was thinking about jumping over props; rest assured that Erving and Thompson--both of whom had vertical leaps in excess of 40 inches--could have done any dunk that we have seen in the "modern" era: after all, Erving did his trademark free throw line dunk in games, which is more difficult and impressive than dunking over any prop.

Now, the NBA cannot beg, borrow, or steal enough money to induce the elite players to deign to participate in what is supposed to be one of the league's showcase events.

So, we have to settle for what we can get, because there is no point to living in the past or complaining too much about the present.

The highlight of the Skills Challenge was the San Antonio Spurs team of Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama being disqualified after trying to circumvent the rules; to shave seconds off of their time, the Spurs did not even attempt any shots during the shooting portion of the obstacle course, and just focused on the passing portion of the obstacle course, drawing boos from the crowd and a prompt disqualification from the officials. The Spurs' shenanigans are much like tanking and load management, odious practices that not only don't work but cheat the fans from seeing legit competition. You might say that what the Spurs did does not matter because few people care that much about the Skills Competition, but a major reason that people don't care about the Skills Competition--and care less about the NBA in general than they did before--is that the players' focus has shifted from trying to compete to trying to find shortcuts and excuses to not compete. Here is a novel idea: spend some time practicing the shots from the Skills Challenge--shots that could also be useful in real games--instead of trying to figure out how to win an event while exerting as little energy as possible. 

Paul's career Skills Challenge resume--a record six appearances but no wins--now rivals his playoff resume, which includes the most blown 2-0 leads in NBA postseason history. Hopefully for Spurs fans, Paul is only teaching Wembanyama how to lose in the Skills Challenge and not how to lose 2-0 leads in the playoffs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA this season, and their team--featuring Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley--won the Skills Challenge, defeating the Bay Area's home team, the Golden State Warriors (Draymond Green and Moses Moody).

Ten of the NBA's top 25 leaders in career three point field goal percentage are active players--including future Hall of Famers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson--but none of them participated in the Three Point Contest. Just one of the players who ranks in the top ten in three point field goal percentage this season--Cleveland's Darius Garland--participated in the Three Point Contest. In the first round, Golden State's Buddy Hield--who ranks 97th in three point field goal percentage this season, and 58th all-time--tied Stephen Curry's Three Point Contest record with 31 points. Two-time defending Three Point Contest champion Damian Lillard failed to advance. Garland and and the Miami Heat's Tyler Herro joined Hield in the final round. Herro set the bar with 24 points, Garland scored 19 points, and Hield fell just short with 23 points. This was Herro's first All-Star Weekend event win, and tomorrow he will make his first appearance in the All-Star Game (or games, depending how one prefers to describe the NBA's new format, colloquially known as the "Adam Silver begs, hopes, and pleads that at least a few NBA All-Stars will pretend to care" All-Star Game).

The Slam Dunk Contest lacked drama--the eventual winner was obvious immediately--but was yet another showcase for Mac McClung's surreal athleticism. The two-time defending Slam Dunk champion jumped over a car and executed a two-handed reverse dunk for his first dunk, setting a standard right from the jump (pun intended!) that the other competitors could not match. After McClung jumped over an assistant, grabbed the ball and did a spinning two-handed dunk for his second dunk, TNT's Kenny Smith said that the event should just be McClung doing five dunks with music playing in the background--an acknowledgment that this contest was no contest. McClung lived up to that praise by receiving a perfect score of 50 on all four of his dunks. McClung is the first "three-peat" winner in Slam Dunk Contest history. Nate Robinson is the only other three-time champion (2006, 2009, 2010).

Julius Erving--who not only won the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest, but was runner up (at age 34!) to Larry Nance in the 1984 NBA Slam Dunk Contest--presented the Julius "Dr. J" Erving Slam Dunk Contest trophy to McClung:

 


 

It would be interesting to see some of the NBA's All-Stars who are great leapers--Anthony Edwards comes to mind--challenge McClung, but don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen. 

It is what it is, to borrow a (too often) used phrase, but we should not let those who did not appear cast too big of a shadow over those who did appear: congratulations to Mitchell/Mobley, Herro, and McClung for doing their best to put on a great show during All-Star Saturday night.

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posted by David Friedman @ 1:28 AM

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Monday, December 25, 2017

Magic and Isiah Reminisce and Reconcile

NBA TV's recent Players Only Monthly "Isiah and Magic" episode featured a heartfelt conversation between two of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Unless you are at least 40 years old and/or a student of basketball history, you probably do not understand either the impact that both Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas had as players or the full nature of their deep friendship that suffered a very public feud.

Johnson won five championships while capturing three Finals MVPs and three regular season MVPs before retiring as pro basketball's all-time assists leader (he now ranks fifth on that list); Thomas won two championships and one Finals MVP and he ranked third all-time in assists when he retired (he is now seventh on that list). Johnson mentored Thomas and Thomas' childhood friend Mark Aguirre. Thomas and Aguirre, as young NBA players, went to the NBA Finals and observed Johnson win titles and the three of them also worked basketball camps together.

Johnson may be better known to younger NBA fans than Thomas is but--as Johnson noted in his words and as highlight footage shown during the episode confirms--long before Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving or even Tim Hardaway were breaking ankles Isiah Thomas was a magician who had the basketball on a string and who could finish in traffic during an era when driving to the basket inevitably meant encountering heavy physical contact.

The Johnson-Thomas friendship initially became a bit strained during the 1988 NBA Finals, the first time that the two players faced each other with a championship directly on the line. Johnson's L.A. Lakers won that title--Johnson's last championship--and then Thomas' Detroit Pistons won the next two titles, beating Johnson's Lakers in the 1989 Finals and then defeating a strong Portland team in the 1990 Finals. Aguirre played a key role for both Detroit championship teams.

The rift widened in the early 1990s, after Johnson announced that he had contracted HIV. Johnson later publicly stated that he believed that Thomas had spread rumors that Johnson is homosexual or bisexual. Thomas has always denied that assertion and Johnson never offered any proof that Thomas had done this. The final blow came when Thomas was left off of the 1992 Dream Team and Johnson later rubbed salt in that wound by stating that Thomas had alienated so many people that no one wanted him on the squad. Thomas' on-court accomplishments should have made him a lock for the team and Thomas was hurt by his omission and further wounded by Johnson's harsh words.

Johnson and Thomas never publicly talked about these matters with each other until the filming of the NBA TV show, during which Thomas (an NBA TV commentator) ostensibly interviewed Johnson but--as the two joked--they in fact interviewed each other. The show charted the arc of their friendship and their Hall of Fame careers, focusing on how Johnson mentored Thomas (and Aguirre) and on how battling for championships forced Johnson to choose between the Lakers and that friendship. Johnson now freely admits that he chose the Lakers, something that Thomas says that he understands but that he found very hurtful at the time.

Johnson and Thomas studied winning--both as basketball players and as businessmen--in a way that should be a model for the NBA stars who came after them. Johnson recalled that the 1984 Finals--when he made several key mistakes as the Lakers lost to their hated rivals the Boston Celtics--was the first time that he failed as an athlete in the sense that he was a major reason that his team lost. "Self evaluation is the hardest thing," Johnson told Thomas.

Johnson realized he was not as good as he had thought he was and thus during the 1984 offseason he devoted himself to improving his game. Thomas and Aguirre were right alongside Johnson both as consoling friends and as sparring partners. Johnson and Thomas recalled a time that Johnson and Aguirre almost came to blows during a pickup game, with Thomas noting that Johnson acted like that was game seven in the Boston Garden.

Johnson's Lakers won the 1985 championship and thus exorcised not only the demons from the 1984 Finals but also decades of frustration that the Lakers had faced versus the Boston Celtics.

By 1987, Thomas' Pistons had emerged as legitimate championship contenders and they likely would have faced Johnson's Lakers in the Finals if not for Thomas' costly turnover versus Boston in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals. Just as Thomas had been there for Johnson after Johnson's 1984 miscues, Johnson was there for Thomas three years later.

In 1988, the Pistons toppled the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals and Boston's Hall of Fame power forward Kevin McHale--as he left the court near the end of the last game of the series--exhorted Thomas to not be happy just reaching the Finals but to do everything necessary to win the title.

Thomas admitted to Johnson during the NBA TV show that he heard McHale's message but in the moment he did not really understand it. Johnson certainly understood; he told Thomas that at the time he realized that the Pistons posed a different challenge to the Lakers than the Celtics because of the Pistons' youth/athleticism, their deep bench and their physicality. It became apparent to Johnson that he had to choose between his friendship with Thomas and his loyalty to the Lakers. Thomas noted that he was still learning "the formula" to win a championship while Johnson already knew that formula. The 1988 Finals started with a pre-game kiss between Johnson and Thomas but in game three Johnson delivered a forearm shiver to a driving Thomas, who came up swinging. The Pistons built a 3-2 series lead and looked poised to win the championship as Thomas scored a Finals record 25 points in the third quarter of game six--despite playing on a badly sprained ankle--but the Lakers won 103-102 and then won game seven 108-105.

Much like the 1984 failure fueled Johnson, Thomas was motivated by the painful losses to Boston in 1987 and L.A. in 1988. He led the Pistons to the league's best record in 1989 (63-19) and Detroit won the championship by sweeping the Lakers. Johnson went to the winners' locker room to congratulate Thomas. During the NBA TV show, Johnson stated that he was happy that Thomas had won a title because Thomas and the Pistons had earned it.

No NBA team had won three championships in a row since Bill Russell's Boston Celtics won eight straight (1959-66). Johnson's Lakers were the first NBA team to win back to back titles since Russell's Celtics, so in 1990-91 Thomas and the Pistons were on a mission to distinguish themselves from Johnson's Lakers and from Larry Bird's Celtics, who had won three championships in the 1980s but had never won two in a row, let alone three.

Thomas told Johnson that he became "possessed" with the goal of winning "three-peat" titles and, consequently, practiced so hard during the 1990 offseason that he suffered a wrist injury that required surgery. Thomas missed 34 games during the 1990-91 regular season and he was not the same player when he returned for the postseason, scoring just 13.5 ppg on .403 field goal shooting (both playoff career-lows at that time). Thomas' Pistons were swept in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Chicago Bulls, who went on to win three straight titles with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen leading the way.

Johnson said to Thomas, "You learn from other teams to win," meaning that the Bulls learned from the Pistons much like the Pistons had learned from the Lakers and Celtics.

After reminiscing about the "joy and pain" of competing for championships while also making their marks individually as basketball players, businessmen and philanthropists, Johnson and Thomas focused on how their friendship had frayed and why this is important not just to them but also on a larger scale. As Thomas put it, "Our relationship is important to our community." Johnson added, "We helped change the All-Star Weekend. We helped change a lot of different things within the league." 

While All-Star Weekend is far from the most important subject touched upon during the show, I cannot let this moment pass without noting how different the NBA All-Star Game was in its golden years (the 1980s) compared to now, a subject that I spoke with Johnson about during the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend. In 2005, when the All-Star Game had deteriorated but not yet become the farce that it is now, Johnson told me that the current players "have to understand that there is a fine line. We wanted to put on a show for the fans--let Dr. J be Dr. J, let Dominique be Dominique, Michael Jordan be Michael Jordan, so there were some pretty dunks and pretty moves that they created. But I'm going to tell you something: at the end of the day, both teams were serious about winning. That's what we're all about, especially when that second half started--we were at each other's throats. Shots were being blocked and both teams were trying to win the game."

Johnson reiterated that point to Thomas, recalling how as point guards they set the tone in the All-Star Game by bringing the fans out of their seats with great passes while also maintaining a standard for competing to win the game.

Other than the tensions that occurred on the court during the NBA Finals, Johnson and Thomas did not directly address the controversies from the past; not one word was said about Johnson's HIV status/rumors about his sexuality or about Johnson's comments regarding Thomas' omission from the 1992 Dream Team. Both men seem to understand that the importance and enduring nature of their friendship transcends an analysis of who said what and who was right/who was wrong.

The show concluded with some heartfelt words from Johnson to Thomas: "You are my brother. Let my apologize to you if I hurt you, that we haven't been together. And God is good to bring us back together." The two men then embraced and cried, their friendship publicly renewed.

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posted by David Friedman @ 7:37 AM

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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

All-Star Weekend Impressions

NBA All-Star Weekend is by far the best event of its kind--the comparable NFL, MLB and NHL talent showcases are not nearly as entertaining--but it is not as great as it used to be or as great as it could be. The best thing about NBA All-Star Weekend is that it provides a platform to show the world just how fast, strong and explosive NBA athletes are. I am not a big fan of the Rising Stars Challenge--mainly because the event is characterized by a serious lack of defensive intensity/competitiveness--but the game provides national exposure for some talented young players who are members of small market teams. The Shooting Stars competition enables current NBA players to compete with and against NBA legends and WNBA players. The Skills Challenge is fun to watch, though during a real game one does not need to master the "skill" of passing a ball into a barrel or dribbling through cones. The Three Point Contest is a pure demonstration of a fundamental basketball skill being executed at the highest level by some of the sport's top marksmen. The Slam Dunk Contest lets fans live vicariously through the exploits of some of the league's best gravity-defying leapers. Sunday's Legends Brunch pays tribute to the players who built the sport from the ground up and was my favorite event to attend during the six years that I covered All-Star Weekend.

Team Hill defeated Team Webber 142-136 in the Rising Stars Challenge. Detroit's Andre Drummond grabbed MVP honors, leading Team Hill with 30 points and a game-high/Rising Stars record 25 rebounds--but suffice it to say that video of this game will not be used at any basketball camps as an example of fundamentally sound basketball, particularly at the defensive end of the court. Chris Bosh won his second straight Shooting Stars event, leading Team Bosh (including Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash) over Team Westbrook in the championship round. The problem with this event is that each team is required to make a half court shot in each round, which is much more a matter of luck than skill; I'd prefer that either the half court shot is scrapped or else the entire event is morphed into a HORSE contest, maybe pitting a retired player versus an active player (with no dunking allowed). Damian Lillard and Trey Burke won the Skills Challenge; it is the second such title in a row for Lillard, who took top honors last year when the Skills Challenge was a solo event. Journeyman Marco Bellinelli--who has played for five teams in his seven season NBA career--outgunned a host of All-Stars (including Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Joe Johnson, Damian Lillard and Kevin Love)--to win the Three Point Contest.

The Slam Dunk Contest is the crown jewel of All-Star Saturday night but I about fell out of my seat when I saw the TNT graphic touting the Slam Dunk Contest judges. Who is "Julius Irving"? How is it possible that one of the league's primary networks cannot properly spell the name of one of the sport's all-time greatest players? Magic Johnson and Dominique Wilkins joined Erving as judges. Team East (Paul George, Terrence Ross and John Wall) defeated Team West (Harrison Barnes, Damion Lillard and Ben McLemore) and Wall was selected by the fans (via online voting) as the Dunker of the Night. Wall's clinching dunk, a double pump after grabbing the ball out of the hands of the Wizards' mascot, was impressive but overall the event lacked star power, excitement and suspense. Almost every year, Kenny Smith, Magic Johnson and/or some other prominent figure proclaim that the Slam Dunk Contest is "back" and they once again said that after Wall's victory but I don't buy it. The reality is that there is not likely any way to make the Slam Dunk Contest as great now as it was in the 1980s. Back then, many of the league's brightest stars competed on an annual basis and a missed dunk all but eliminated a player from winning the contest; competing in the Slam Dunk Contest was like doing a trapeze act without a net but that did not deter all-time greats like Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Clyde Drexler from participating on multiple occasions. The two biggest problems now are that most of today's biggest stars don't participate and that the format removes suspense/anticipation by permitting players to miss multiple dunks without any penalty. During a recent "Open Court" program, Wilkins cut to the heart of the matter, declaring that today's players do not really want to find out who is the best dunker, because they might risk not earning that title. Erving amplified this excellent point, mentioning that players have agents and marketing advisers who tell them that the downside of not winning the contest outweighs the potential upside of emerging victorious.

Some people suggest that putting a million dollars--or some other similarly extravagant sum--on the line might motivate more stars to participate but that is ridiculous: these are highly paid professionals and if they don't want to test their skills against their peers while also entertaining the fans then that is really a shame. Erving participated in his final two Slam Dunk Contests when he was 34 and 35 years old; he did not win either event but he defied Father Time by proving that he could still take off from the foul line and dunk. There is no way that any 34 or 35 year old all-time great would compete in the Slam Dunk Contest today; even all-time greats who are in their prime--most notably, LeBron James--refuse to put their dunking reputations on the line.

In addition to being a Slam Dunk Contest judge, Erving also participated in a panel discussion honoring Bill Russell during Sunday's Legends Brunch. Erving described how much he looks up to Russell and how Russell has been providing sage advice to him since he was a student athlete at the University of Massachusetts; Russell told young Erving that the most important building on campus was not the gymnasium but rather the library and Russell told the then-50 year old Erving that as one ages one should pare down one's life to essential people and activities, focusing on what is most meaningful and letting go of that which is less meaningful.

Russell was not a great shooter, he did not possess the all-around skill set of Oscar Robertson or Magic Johnson and he was not as statistically dominant as Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan--but a strong case could be made that Russell is the greatest individual performer in team sports history; his teams won the championship in almost every season of his basketball career, extending from high school to college to the 1956 Olympics to the NBA, where he led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 titles in 13 seasons, including a record eight straight crowns (1959-66).

The All-Star Game itself was record-setting (most combined points, most points by one team, most combined three point field goals made, etc.) but watching it felt more like gorging on junk food as opposed to feasting on gourmet fare. The East's 163-155 victory over the West lacked competitive spirit. I know that this is an exhibition but I like what Kobe Bryant--who did not play due to injury--said during his in-game interview: "The fans want to see us do what we do best, which is compete hard, and to go up here and run up and down and just play the game in a silly way, I don't think that shows much respect to the basketball gods." All-Star Games are often high-scoring affairs just because both teams have so much offensive firepower but in the past players competed harder at the defensive end of the court. The previous highest scoring All-Star Game (the West's 154-149 overtime win over the East in 1987) featured a combined 63 fouls and 14 blocked shots, two indicators that the players played at least some defense; the 2014 All-Star Game included just 21 fouls and no blocked shots--that's right, in 48 minutes of action the sport's best players did not manage to block even one single shot! In 1987, the teams combined to shoot 6-17 from three point range; in 2014, the teams shot 30-100 from beyond the arc. At times, the 2014 All-Star Game looked like a very high level pickup game with players shooting uncontested three pointers and driving through the lane unimpeded, not a competition pitting the world's greatest athletes against each other.

The 2014 All-Star Game featured several outstanding individual performances, though the gaudy numbers would have meant more had they been posted against greater defensive resistance. Kyrie Irving had a fantastic game (31 points on 14-17 field goal shooting, plus a game-high 14 assists), winning MVP honors after leading the East to a come from behind win. Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points, set the All-Star single game three point field goals made record (eight) and he committed three fouls, including one to stop Blake Griffin from scoring in the open court (Anthony playing defense at any time, let alone an All-Star Game, may be a sign of impending apocalypse). LeBron James made a solid all-around contribution to the East's win (22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists). The West's Kevin Durant (38 points, 10 rebounds, six assists) and Blake Griffin (38 points on 19-23 field goal shooting) both made serious runs at Wilt Chamberlain's All-Star single game scoring record (42 points).

NBA All-Star Weekend is a lot of fun, whether one experiences it in person or just watches it on TV. If the league tweaks the Shooting Stars competition and the Slam Dunk Contest and encourages the All-Stars to elevate the competition level of Sunday's game then All-Star weekend will be even better.

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posted by David Friedman @ 7:18 PM

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Saturday, February 13, 2010

LeBron James All-Star Saturday Interview

My newest CavsNews article provides a glimpse into LeBron James' media availability session after Saturday afternoon's All-Star practice at the Jam Session Court (6/19/15 edit: the link to CavsNews.com no longer works, so I have posted the original article below):


The Cleveland Cavaliers are two games ahead of the defending champion L.A. Lakers in the race for the NBA’s best regular season record—and the Cavs’ lead is really in effect three games because the Cavs swept the head to head season series—yet the Cavs only have one participant in the various All-Star Weekend activities: LeBron James, the 2009 NBA MVP who made the All-Star team for the sixth straight year. Mo Williams is putting up roughly the same numbers he did while earning a 2009 All-Star selection (averaging slightly fewer points but slightly more assists) but his shoulder injury shortly before the All-Star break likely killed whatever opportunity he may have had to be selected as a reserve by the Eastern Conference coaches. Shaquille O’Neal’s slow start statistically damaged his chances of earning a 16th All-Star berth even though he played a major role in Cleveland’s victories over the Lakers and the Orlando Magic, last year’s NBA Finalists. While it is perhaps understandable that due to the aforementioned reasons the Cavs only have one All-Star, it is strange that the Cavs’ three point shooting prowess failed to land either Anthony Parker or Daniel Gibson in the Three Point Shootout.

In the long run, though, such perceived slights may simply provide extra motivation for the Cavs as they position themselves for the stretch drive of the regular season in preparation for the 2010 playoffs. During Saturday’s All-Star media availability session, James said, “I think that it’s just an ongoing story with our franchise being the butt of jokes…not getting the respect that we thought that we should have had last year: it took three or four injuries last year for Mo (Williams) to be an All-Star when we were the best team in the league. Once again we are the best team in the league but Mo got no consideration and Shaq got no consideration. We have three of the top three point shooters in the league but we have no three point shooters in the Three Point Shooting contest tonight. But at the end of the day we have to earn it by going out and playing basketball.”

I obtained what I like to call “pole position” (i.e., standing right next to him) during James’ media availability; unless you are a TV cameraman, you have a long boom mike or you possess exceptional hearing, “pole position” is very important. Here is a sampling of what James said about a wide range of topics. Questions that I asked directly are in quotation marks; other questions are paraphrased because it was not always possible to understand them verbatim. James’ answers are presented in bold typeface:

You have said that the Cowboys are your favorite NFL team. How much are you looking forward to playing in Cowboys Stadium?

It’s going to be fun. I think it’s exciting. I think it’s going to be electrifying. There are going to be a lot of people there, 90-100,000, so it’s going to be really exciting and really fun.

“How would you compare Cleveland’s roster this year with the roster you had when Cleveland made it to the NBA Finals in 2007?”

Oh, we’re better. I think potential-wise we’re a better team than we were in 2007 but we did catch a hot streak in 2007, got hot at the right time in the playoffs, played well in the playoffs and that’s why we were able to advance to the Finals. But, I think that potential-wise we are better than we were three years ago.

Do you regret that the All-Star break happened right as you are riding a 13 game winning streak?

Yeah, of course, you want to play well and continue to play well going into the break and after the break. We wish we could have continued to play but guys need rest. We have a lot of veterans. We had a lot of nicks and bruises, especially with Delonte (West) and with Mo (Williams), so it gives guys an opportunity to rest their bodies and get ready for after the break.

Omri Casspi is the first Israeli player in the NBA. What do you think of his game?

He’s a very good player. He’s going to continue to get better. He’s young and the good thing about their team (Sacramento Kings) is that he has young guys to grow with him, Tyreke Evans being one of them, Jason Thompson being another one—they can all grow together. He’s very athletic and he can shoot the ball extremely well, so he’s going to have a good career.

“The Dream Team is a Hall of Fame Finalist this year. What are your memories of watching that team play and what kind of impact did that have on you as a kid?”

The most obvious thing is how badly they just dominated the rest of the world and one of my real memories, though, is how they dominated teams and the teams wanted to take pictures with them. That is a memory I will never forget.

What do you like to do off of the court?

I play video games a lot. I play six, seven times a week. I play a lot of video games, a lot of hours out of my day. I play Xbox 360, Army of Two and I play NBA2K10. I just finished my season of Madden—I played three or four teams.

What do you think of the Boston Celtics this year? They have not been playing well recently.

The funny thing about it is they are still one of the top teams in the NBA. I mean, you lose a few games—people get so spoiled and think that you can win all the time, so when you lose a few games people wonder what is going on. They are a very experienced team, a great team. They’ve got three of the best players in the league on one team with Paul (Pierce), Ray (Allen) and KG (Kevin Garnett), plus (Rajon) Rondo is having an unbelievable season—he absolutely should be an All-Star. So I’m not looking too far into it (in terms) of this team going down. There is no team in the NBA as players who look at Boston and say, “They’re falling off.” That is still a team to be reckoned with.

What will it be like playing basketball in a football stadium? Have you ever done that before?

I’ve never played in one before. I watched (a basketball game in a football stadium) once before, when Davidson played Wisconsin two years ago I think it was, when Stephen Curry played in (the NCAA Tournament) in Ford Field in Detroit. I have no idea how to prepare for something like this—90,000 people at a basketball game, that will be like a rock concert…It’s going to be really loud and it’s going to be fun…It won’t take me long (to adjust); when the lights go on I’ll be ready.

Do you have any advice for Gerald Wallace in the Slam Dunk Contest?

I have no idea what to do in the Slam Dunk Contest. That is why I decided not to be a part of it but I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun. There are some athletic guys in it. I look forward to seeing it.

What kind of guy is Dwight Howard?

What you see is what you get with Dwight. People see him having fun, loving the game, laughing and enjoying life and that is exactly how Dwight is. He’s a big kid and you want to have fun when you play the game of basketball because there is so much that goes on with the game that if you take it too seriously it can definitely bring you down.

Are you concerned about the Cavs possibly peaking early?

You would rather be riding a high wave than a low wave. It’s something that you can’t control but at the same time we know that we want to play our best ball in late March, towards April, once the playoffs start. But I’m not going to say that we don’t like what is going on with our team now because I’d be lying to you but we definitely want to play our best ball in late March going into April.

After you lost your first two games people were down on your team. Talk about how you responded to that.

We lost our first two games and since then we are 42-9 (laughs). I’ll take that.

“When you lost your first two games do you think that a lot of people underestimated how difficult it is to integrate so many new people into the team in different roles?”

Well, what happens sometimes in our league and in sports in general is that people (think) that paper rosters are automatically supposed to be on the floor. People look at the roster and say, “This is who they’ve got, so this is what should happen” and automatically crown someone as the champs because of who they’ve got (on the roster). It takes time. You can’t rush chemistry. You can’t rush teamwork and things like that. It took us a few weeks. It took us the whole training camp plus two or three weeks of the regular season to finally get it going and we’ve had it ever since.

“Was part of the issue getting the newer players used to how to play in Coach Mike Brown’s defensive system?”

Early in the season it was our scoring. We got a lot of stops. The first game of the season we played Boston and we couldn’t score. Second game we played Toronto in Toronto and we couldn’t score. Defense is very easy to adjust to when you have new guys because at the end of the day it is all about communication, talking, flying around and helping each other. If you expect a guy to be in a certain place on the offensive end and he’s not there then it can result in turnovers and things like that. That’s all about chemistry, building that.

What would it mean to you to win an NBA championship in your home state?

It would mean everything. It would mean everything. I was able to do it three times in my high school career, winning three state championships and winning a national championship my senior year, so I’ve seen how the community grasps at the game at basketball. So at the professional level you can (multiply) that by 100. It would mean a lot and I’m doing whatever it takes. I work my tail off every single day to try to get better and put ourselves in position to win an NBA championship.

Who would win if you played Kobe Bryant one on one?

I don’t know, man. I’m not a one on one guy and I’ve never been a one on one guy. We are two unbelievable talents who just try to do whatever is possible to help our respective teams win every time on the court.

Who is your favorite international player of all time?

Dirk Nowitzki is my favorite international player.

“Why is Dirk Nowitzki your favorite international player?”

His abilities are unbelievable. To be 7-1 and handle the ball the way as well as he does, to post up and to shoot the ball as well as he can shoot the ball at that size—I love it. It’s effortless to him, like Kevin Durant. These guys just score effortlessly, it seems like they never sweat, they just go out there, play basketball and score 30. Those guys I love.

After the media availability ended, James stopped to give his Team USA teammate Jason Kidd a hug. James jokingly apologized to the Dallas star for bringing the cold weather from Cleveland to the Lone Star State and James told Kidd, “I had to go to the mall to get a skully and thermals.” It is a bit hard to picture James just visiting the mall to pick up winter clothes during the middle of All-Star Weekend, so Kidd kind of gave James a funny look and then James laughed and said, “Well, I sent someone to the mall.”
 

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posted by David Friedman @ 11:00 PM

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