thenorthernlight.org http://www.thenorthernlight.org/2013/02/12/overtime-ten-things-nba-all-star-edition/ Thomas McIntyre Overt ime: Ten things: NBA All-St ar Edition Predic t ing the Al l-St ar Weekend winners is my number o ne s kil l. I t’s no t lik e play ing the st ock mark et o r so mething where anyone can make guesses that result in huge paydays. It’s an art. Think Antonio Stradivari. He was a masterviolinmaker t he way I am a mast er A ll-Star Weekend oracle. Bel ow are my thought s and s poilers o n t he week end spectacle. 1. Other t han that old dude in Jiro Dreams o f Sushi , I don’t think there’s anyone who’s bet ter at his o r her craf t than LeBron James. He’ s averaging 26/8/7 on 55 percent sho ot ing. That is f reaking insane. With the year Kevin Durant is having, the MVP race should be tight. But no, Jam es has t o go and have one of the greatest s easons in l eague history. Give me the Team With LeBron James over t he West ern Conf erence All-Stars, 205-199 (many things will have to go in my f avor f or this score to occur, but YOLO). 2. The NBA has d o ne a remarkable j o b o f keeping the Al l-St ar Weekend participant s unde r wraps. I ’m writing thes e words nine day s o ut f rom the f est ivi ties, and there are only w hispers about who wi ll compete in the Sear s Shoo ting Stars event. As s t at ed be f ore, I’m the Nat e Silver o f All-St ar Weeken d pre diction, but choo sing winners witho ut kno wing who’s invo lved makes it s lightly m o re dif f icul t . Chall enge accepted, NBA . 3. S teph Curry wi ns the three-point cont est . I would consider givi ng up my prediction t alents in exchange f or his ump shot. 4. I didn’t t hink any thing could t op the im pact t he Fast & Furious 6 t rail er had o n my l if e, then Carmelo Antho ny let it s li p t hat James White wil l compete in t he dunk contes t. Jam es White is t o dunk cont est s what Vi n Di esel is to movies about t en-second cars. For an intro duction t o Whi te, watch t he 2006 NCAA Dunk Cont est . I t’s the bes t thing ever . What makes Whi te so great is that he basicall y l aunches f rom the f ree-throw line – or well behind the f ree-throw line – o n ever y dunk, which is pret ty neat . I ’d l ike to take f oo tage o f the ’06 contes t back in time wi th me so I can sho w i t t o Elgi n Baylor, who’s “the f irst man to ever play above the rim.” It’d probably cause him to have a stroke. 5. The evolution of Jrue Holi day has been wonderf ul to watch. Wi th Andr ew By num eternal ly hurt, the Sixers have gi ven Holi day f ull c ont rol. H e’s now po st ing 19. 4 points , 8. 9 ass ists , and 4. 2 rebounds per out ing. Tos s in his 46 percent cli p f rom the f iel d, and it’s clear w hy he’ ll be suiting up f or the East All -Stars . But it’s no t all goo d in Phil ly . Holiday has also do ubled his turno vers and is taking m ore lo ng two- point shots than ever befo re. Thos e numbers could be products o f his enhanc ed role, but they st ill need to come down. 6. I’m not done with the Sixers. Had Bynum been healthy (don’t laugh), chances are they’d have two All-Stars. The f uture of that f ranchise is riding on his legs.
