NBA
The Warriors Starters Shine Bright During NBA All-Star Weekend
Throughout NBA All-Star weekend, the Warriors were well represented. This year, three of their starters were selected to participate on the big stage. Kevin Durant (Team LeBron) and Stephen Curry (Team Giannis) both received enough votes to earn starting spots for their respective squads. While Klay Thompson (Team LeBron) was selected in a reserve role. Curry had additional duties on Saturday evening as he represented the Warriors in the Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest. Not only was this a chance for the Warriors all-stars to shine, but it also served as a homecoming for Curry who grew up and played his high school ball in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Curry Sibling Rivalry
Seth came into the Mountain Dew Three-Point Contest on Saturday night with the upper hand in this sibling rivalry. His Blazers recently defeated Stephen’s Warriors in the last game before the All-Star break, 129-107. Stephen was looking to even the odds by seizing his second trophy in this event. These two brothers made a unique wager prior to the contest where the loser would have to pay for their families tickets for the rest of their careers. Steph presented a compelling case by scoring 27 points in the first round — knocking down his last 10 three-pointers in a row. However, neither was victorious. A new contender entered the arena. Joe Harris proved that Brooklyn was definitely in the house by outshooting both Curry brothers and becoming the first Nets player to be victorious in the competition.
Clash of The Splash
A healthy competition was on display Sunday evening between the Splash Brothers (Thompson and Curry). This was the first time that these two went head to head in their respective careers. The trash talk between these two Warriors was real and just as intense as their play on the court. At one point, Thompson fouled Curry — sending him falling to the floor. This gave Steph a trip to the charity stripe. This also allowed Curry a chance to complete a 4-point play. In the end, Klay would have the last laugh. Thompson bested Curry with (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) compared to Steph’s (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists). However, Curry did earn more style points by scoring the games final two points with an unexpected self-pass which was completed by a reverse dunk.
KD is The Real MVP
With Team Lebron down 13 points at the half, they needed a second-half surge in order to capture the win. Luckily, James selected Kevin Durant as his first overall pick during the All-Star draft. It never hurts having the reigning Finals MVP and 2012 All-Star Game MVP as a teammate. Afterward, James shot down any accusations that he received of tampering by making this selection. Durant helped Team LeBron earn bragging rights by coming up big down the stretch with 31 points (6-9 three-pointers, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks). This not only helped Team LeBron earn a come from behind victory 178-164, but Durant also captured his second All-Star MVP award.
Thy Kingdom Come…
The Warriors will have three nights to enjoy what’s left of the All-Star break. Thursday night, they will square off against the Kings in a battle for Northern California supremacy. Will The Warriors be able to protect their home court? Or will this young Kings squad be a royal pain in the arse for the Warriors as they storm the castle known as Oracle Arena? Tune in to find out!
Written by Todd Smith
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Photo Credit @warriors via Twitter
