SneakerReporter 2023 NBA All-Star Festivities Predictions

SneakerReporter 2023 NBA All-Star Festivities Predictions

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by | Feb 17, 2023 | Featured, NBA

 

 

 

 

Rising Stars Challenge:

 

 

This Year’s Rising Stars challenge will be a little different from previous teams where there will be 3 games played. Team Pau will go up against Team Deron, and Team Joakim will go up against Team Jason. The target score this year is 25 points. Whoever is the winner of those games will go up against each other in game 3 with a target score of 40. 

Predictions: (Angel Ortiz Jr) Team Deron wins the tournament and Team Pau is the runner-up.

Predictions: (Travis Singleton) Team Joakim will win the tournament and Team Pau will be the runner-up. I feel like Mobley & Giddey have the IQ to get the job done to lead them.

 

Team Pau Gasol will feature: Paolo Banchero (Magic), Benedict Mathurin (Pacers), Jaden Ivey (Pistons), Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Jose Alvarado (Pelicans), Keegan Murray (Kings), Andrew Nembhard (Pacers)

Team Deron Williams: Franz Wagner (Magic), Jalen Green (Rockets) (injured) , Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), AJ Griffin (Hawks), Bones Hyland (Clippers), Walker Kessler (Jazz), Ayo Dosunmu (Bulls) 

Team Joakim Noah: Evan Mobley (Cavaliers), Josh Giddey (Thunder), Jalen Williams (Thunder), Jeremy Sochan (Spurs), Quentin Grimes (Knicks), Jabari Smith Jr. (Rockets), Jalen Duren (Pistons) injured,  Tari Eason (Rockets) 

Team Jason Terry: Sidy Cissoko, G League Ignite, Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite, Mojave King, G League Ignite, Kenneth Lofton Jr., Memphis Hustle, Mac McClung, Delaware Blue Coats, Leonard Miller, G League Ignite, Scotty Pippen Jr., South Bay Lakers

 

 

NBA Dunk Contest 

 

The 2023 Dunk contest will feature: Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston Rockets,  
Mac McClung, Philadelphia 76ers, 
Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans, 
Jericho Sims, New York Knicks

This will be the final event on Saturday Night and the most highly anticipated. 

Prediction: (Angel Ortiz Jr)  I believe Mac McClung could potentially win the dunk contest this year but Kenyon Martian Jr could cause some problems and take it this year. Whoever is the winner I hope this event puts on a show as previous dunk contests have not lived up to the expectations. 

Prediction: (Travis Singleton) This is a no-brainer for me with the dunk contest winner. I’m rolling with Kenyon Martin Jr. I’ve seen his hops in person and he can jump out of the gym. I’m going with the over that he dunks on his dad in the dunk contest too. The dunk contest hasn’t been very good as of late and I’m hoping he can put on a show to bring it back so I can hear Kenny Smith saying “Superman is in the building”

 

NBA 3- Point Contest

 

The 3 Point Contest this year will feature these athletes: Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers, 
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat, Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers, 
Kevin Huerter, Sacramento Kings, 
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers, 
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz, 
Julius Randle, New York Knicks, 
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Prediction: (Angel Ortiz Jr)  The 3-point contest is always a fun treat to watch as there are sometimes some upsets. I believe this year’s 3-point champion will be Damian Lillard and the runner up Jayson Tatum. Lillard has been known for his deep-range shots and there is no Klay Thompson or Stephen Curry this year to take home the trophy. 

Prediction: (Travis Singleton) The NBA 3 Point Contest should be headlining the All-Star Saturday Night in my opinion as good as it’s been in recent years. Now with that said I’m going with Buddy Hield for his 2nd 3 Point Contest Championship with Damian Lillard as the runner-up. Buddy has the experience and he’s already shown that he can put on a show with the lights on.

 

NBA Skills Challenge

 

The 2023 NBA Skills challenge will include three separate teams. This challenge includes passing, shooting, and a Team Relay. After they complete those skills challenges the winner will be determined by having the most points from completing those challenges. 

Team Antetokounmpo: 
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
, Alex Antetokounmpo, Wisconsin Herd

Team Jazz: 
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz
, Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz, 
Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz

Team Rookies: 
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic, 
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
, Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets

 

Prediction: (Angel Ortiz Jr) I believe Antetokounmpo will take this challenge as two Antetokounmpo brothers are in the NBA and have the experience to win this challenge. 

Prediction: (Travis Singleton) I’m going with Team Jazz because they all have chemistry and play together on a daily basis so they have the advantage to me.

 

 

NBA All-Star Game

 

This year’s NBA All-Star Game will be different from previous years as a draft will take place before tipoff and Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are captains for the Eastern and Western Conference. 

Team Captains LeBron & Giannis:  Stephen Curry (will miss the game due to injury, Ja Morant will take Curry’s spot in starting lineup), 
Luka Dončić
, Nikola Jokić
, Zion Williamson (will miss the game due to injury, Lauri Markkanen will take Williamson’s spot in starting lineup), Ja Morant
, Lauri Markkanen, 
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 
Damian Lillard, 
Jaren Jackson Jr.
, Domantas Sabonis, 
Paul George, 
Anthony Edwards (injury replacement for Curry), 
De’Aaron Fox (injury replacement for Williamson), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Captain), Kevin Durant (will miss the game due to injury, Joel Embiid will take Durant’s spot in starting lineup), 
Kyrie Irving, 
Donovan Mitchell, 
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, 
Bam Adebayo, 
Julius Randle, 
DeMar DeRozan, 
Jrue Holiday, 
Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam (injury replacement for Durant

Prediction: (Angel Ortiz Jr) Despite us not knowing who will have who, Giannis is determined to beat LeBron, and we could potentially see another classic All-Star Game on our hands. 

Prediction: (Travis Singleton) I’m just hoping for an EPIC game and it will be cool to see what players are joined together on the same team this year. I’m going Team LeBron because he’s been a great player selector with the 1st pick.

Feb 17, 2023 No Comments
The New Look Minnesota Timberwolves Lose To The Memphis Grizzlies (128-107)

The New Look Minnesota Timberwolves Lose To The Memphis Grizzlies (128-107)

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by | Feb 11, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

 

 

The day started off with the breaking news that Anthony Edwards was going to be in the NBA All-Star Game. Edwards was selected as an injury replacement and got the news at the shootaround today. This was also the first game after the trade and the Minnesota Timberwolves were excited to have Conley Jr and Alexander-Walker available for tonight. The new-look Timberwolves were ready for all the smoke as they were ready to go toe to toe with their playoff rivals from last postseason.

 

The Timberwolves started this game off really well as Mike Conley Jr was able to make an instant impact. The ball was flowing and he was able to get the ball in the spots that Gobert/Edwards wanted to attack from the start. You can still see that the relationship is new as they had some minor mistakes but as time goes along these small hiccups can be straightened out with ease. The Timberwolves got a true leader in Mike Conley Jr and he showed a lot of those traits tonight out there. Anthony Edwards finished the game with 17 points and couldn’t really get his offense going as he shot 8/19 from the field. Edwards was attacking but didn’t get the calls and it didn’t help that the game was played in Memphis. Sometimes stars can get a call when they’re at home so once Edwards jumper was off it threw the whole game off for him. One thing that we didn’t see tonight was the defensive Ant that can use his defense to create easy offense but he will most definitely bounce back.

 

Anthony Edwards is an All-Star now and that comes with a lot of responsibility and accountability when it comes to your team. The starters struggled in this game but it was good to see Jaylen Nowell get into a shooting groove as he was able to add 21 points off the bench to be the games leading scorer for the Timberwolves. Nowell has shown glimpses of what he can do when he gets hot so hopefully this will continue leading into other games for the Timberwolves.  You have to give the Timberwolves a lot of credit they went out there with a new point guard and tried to make the best of it against a well-oiled machine in Memphis. That Memphis squad knows each other inside out and plays together as a unit with experience together.

 

It was too much Ja Morant for the Timberwolves tonight as he was able to do anything and everything he wanted. This season the Timberwolves have held Morant in check somewhat but tonight it just got out of hand. Ja finished with 32 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds and was able to get in there for 3 steals as well. It was a game where he was able to control the pace and tempo of the game on his own. When Ja Morant gets to play comfortably and gets a lot of space to operate it’s tough for any defense. Minnesota wasn’t putting multiple bodies on Morant and it gave him a chance to set the offense up or catch the Timberwolves while they weren’t set. Memphis shot 58% from the field and when you’re that hot it’s going to be a long night for any defense.

 

 

 

 

The Timberwolves are going to throw this game out as the Grizzlies beat them in every category tonight (REBS, FT, AST, STL, BLK, BENCH PTS, POINTS IN PAINT, ETC). This is one of the reasons why it’s good to get 82 games so if you have one like this you can forget and move on. The Timberwolves will be looking to bounce back on Monday as they take on the new look Dallas Mavericks with Luka & Kyrie.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

 

Feb 11, 2023 No Comments
3 Team Trade Sends D’Angelo Russell To The Lakers & Mike Conley Jr To The Minnesota Timberwolves

3 Team Trade Sends D’Angelo Russell To The Lakers & Mike Conley Jr To The Minnesota Timberwolves

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by | Feb 9, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

 

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz were preparing to play their game yesterday as news started brewing about a potential trade in the works. The Los Angeles Lakers were trying to get their hands on D’Angelo Russell and the Timberwolves were rumored to get Mike Conley Jr. Both teams played each other but Russell & Conley Jr were ruled out as the trade chatter continued to go up until the late afternoon. The Lakers have been rumored to be trying to get rid of Russell Westbrook and they did just that as news broke out that the trade was indeed happening.

 

 

Now that the trade is finalized it’s time to talk about how this impacts all three teams involved in this trade moving forward. We will start off with the Lakers who got a great addition to the team with D’Angelo Russell who’s still got a lot to give to the team. It was just clear that he wasn’t going to get that extension money that he wanted from the Timberwolves as they had to move on. On the season D’Angelo Russell has averaged 17.9 ppg and 6.2 ast per game he will be a great help to that Lakers roster. The Lakers have acquired Russell to help with their scoring issues outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell’s only 26 years old and he has a lot to offer this Lakers team he’s already familiar with LA as he was drafted there back when Magic was in charge.

 

The Lakers get a scorer and someone that can get the ball to LeBron and Davis but also can go down the court and get a bucket when it’s much needed. Look for Russell to get more opportunities playing alongside both of them as he will have plenty of chances to score with the number of double teams they get per game. DLo was great for the Timberwolves but they chose to move on and this could be one of the missing pieces to the Lakers going far in the playoffs as Russell has a chance to showcase why he’s still an elite talent on a championship-caliber team.

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves were able to get Mike Conley Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 3 second-round picks in the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to LA. This honestly is a perfect trade for the Timberwolves because you get a Mike Conley Jr. who’s seasoned but has the court IQ that comes with winning basketball. Mike Conley Jr. has been through the playoff battles and he knows exactly what it takes to lead a team in the playoffs. The Timberwolves are getting a leader in the locker room and someone that comes with a lot of winning experience that can change the culture of this team. Mike Conley Jr is averaging 10.7 ppg and 7.7 ast per game this season and he’s coming to a Timberwolves team that is eager to make some noise in the postseason. The great thing about this trade is the fact you get a player who’s already experienced with playing with Rudy Gobert and has great chemistry with him.

 

The Conley Jr. and Gobert Pick N Roll will be in full effect as Minnesota will be able to execute at a high level in the paint. Mike Conley Jr. will also get the ball in Anthony Edwards hands with space and get it to him in his sweet spots. Once Karl-Anthony Towns comes back to the lineup he will be able to get the ball where he likes it as well. Mike Conley  Jr. has made a defensive team and he knows how to get in those passing lanes so this Minnesota defense will be elite from their starting five. The Timberwolves acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker as well in the trade. Nickeil has shown some signs of growth in his young career and he gives Minnesota another shooter but also someone that can handle the rock as well. It will be interesting to see how he’s used by the organization as we see how the trade unfolds.

 

 

 

The Utah Jazz gave up Mike Conkey Jr, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt but they got Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Damion Jones in the deal. The Utah Jazz is rumored to buy out Russell Westbrook so it’s yet to be determined what happens with Westbrook as it’s unlikely he suits up in Utah. There have already been reports of the Clippers, Bulls, and Heat in the mix if Westbrook hits the market. As far as Juan and Damion both players bring some depth to this Utah team and can help when it comes to filling some voids on the defensive end and help bolster the bench.

 

The Jazz has freed up about $60M in cap space and has some young talent that they’re trying to build around moving forward and we can’t forget all the picks that they have acquired as well. This was a great trade for the Jazz who are building that team from the ground up as they look to get in the mix in the draft and offseason.

 

Overall I believe all three teams got what they wanted and that this trade will help them all right now/long run. The Lakers got a great scorer and the Timberwolves got a true leader/floor general in the mix as well. Can’t wait as both the Lakers and Timberwolves will be playing each other on March 31st in Minnesota.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

Feb 9, 2023 No Comments
Brooklyn Nets Trade Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns

Brooklyn Nets Trade Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns

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by | Feb 9, 2023 | Featured, NBA

Just hours before the NBA Trade Deadline the Brooklyn Nets have traded away Superstar Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns (Per @wojespn). The Nets have been quite busy over the past few days, the Nets recently traded away Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. It looks like the Nets are in a rebuild mode as they’ve gotten rid of Durant and Kyrie. 

The Phoenix Suns traded away Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jaw Crowder and four Draft Picks in exchange for Kevin Durant and TJ warren. At the time of writing it’s being said the Suns gave up four first round draft picks in the Trade package. Durant had expressed interest in playing with the Suns due to his friendship with Devin Booker and Durant now has gotten his wish granted.

Durant will be joining his new Phoenix Suns teammates soon, a debut will probably come after the NBA All-Star break. It looks like the NBA has a new big three in the league which includes Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.

Feb 9, 2023 No Comments
Timberwolves Take Care Of Business Against Short Handed Nuggets (128-98)

Timberwolves Take Care Of Business Against Short Handed Nuggets (128-98)

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by | Feb 5, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves came into this game following the loss to the Magic ready to get back into the win column. The Denver Nuggets came into this matchup resting 4 of their starters as they just played last night. The Nuggets didn’t have Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray in the lineup for the game against Minnesota. The Timberwolves did get some good news as they were able to get Jordan McClaughlin back in the lineup after missing a ton of games. The only piece to the Timberwolves puzzle that needs to be added back into the miss is Karl Anthony Towns.

This was one of those games where you knew the opponent was playing without stars and you didn’t want to play down to their level. The Timberwolves did a great job of putting the Nuggets away early in this one as they had them trailing the whole game. D’Angelo Russell came out and set the tone in the 1st quarter with 14 points and that pretty much got things rolling for Minnesota. The Nuggets did have Michael Porter Jr as their primary scorer as he was the only true Nugget that can create his own shot. Porter Jr finished the game with 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. The Timberwolves were scoring with ease and it didn’t matter who was on them tonight it felt like it was going in. Russell, Edwards, and Gobert finished the game with a combined 54 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists as a unit. This trio has been special as of late and they made it tough on the Nuggets tonight from the opening tip-off.

 

This team has shown a lot of growth and maturity throughout the season as they can beat you inside and outside. The Nuggets had no answer for Rudy Gobert in the paint tonight and he was able to make them pay. DeAndre Jordan has mileage on his legs and doesn’t have the same lift as the Clippers version to at least slow down Gobert. Anthony Edwards was more in the passing mode tonight and didn’t get his game going until the second half as he was able to get to the basket anytime he wanted. It was a tough challenge for Watson to guard Edwards and he made him pay for it. One of the bright spots in the game tonight was the fact we got the chance to see D’Angelo Russell’s playmaking ability as he was making some nasty passes getting his teammates involved. Russell finished the game with 10 assists but when his game is going like it was tonight this team is unstoppable especially when he gets into true point guard mode.

 

The Timberwolves bench has been very good and getting Jordan McClaughlin back in the mix gives Russell a chance to get more of a breather but gives another playmaker to the unit. Jordan helps set the tone for that second unit as he knows where Nowell & Reid like the ball. The bench has been solid and has been a perfect balance to the starters. If that 2nd unit can keep it up this will be epic for that 2nd half of the season. This Timberwolves team had it going tonight but look for the Nuggets to try and get some revenge on Tuesday in the Mile High City.

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Feb 5, 2023 No Comments
Kyrie Irving Traded to the Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie Irving Traded to the Dallas Mavericks

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by | Feb 5, 2023 | Featured, NBA

Just days before the NBA Trade Deadline The Brooklyn Nets have Traded Superstar Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks. It’s also worth noting Kyrie Irving had requested a trade before the NBA Deadline or he would leave during the NBA Offseason in the Summer. 

The Trade details include The Nets receiving Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, a 2029 first-round pick and second round according to Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN. The Mavericks will receive Kyrie Irving  and Markeiff Morris. Irving will be set to join Luka Doncic and the rest of his new Mavericks teammates soon.

It’s unknown when Irving will make his debut as a Maverick, but with NBA All-Star weekend approaching we may have to wait till after the All-Star Break to see Irving suit up for the first time in a Mavericks uniform.

Feb 5, 2023 No Comments