The NBA’s All-Star weekend tips off on Friday night, with the league’s brightest stars and up-and-coming generation of headline-worthy talent taking part in a number of events.
Included among the cavalcade of stars are four members of the Toronto Raptors who will be representing the team across all three nights of the NBA’s annual showcase. Here’s a closer look at who will be taking part, and what to expect from the Raptors at All-Star weekend:
OG Anunoby
OG #NBAAllStar | #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/eISQO3hNqd
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) February 15, 2019
The Raptors’ second-year forward was named to the Team World roster at the Rising Stars game (previously the Rookie-Sophomore game), taking on a loaded Team USA. Actually both of these teams are loaded with talent to the extent that Anunoby’s inclusion should be a legitimate source of pride.
Despite a solid rookie season in which he started 62 games for Toronto, Anunoby was omitted from last year’s roster. This season, with the addition of Kawhi Leonard, he has assumed a role coming off the bench for the Raptors while averaging 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.7 steals per game, but is coming off one of his best performances in Toronto’s win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday:
It remains to be seen if Anunoby will crack Team World’s starting lineup, and he’ll have some tough competition in order to do so. The World roster includes rookie sensation Luka Doncic, all-star Ben Simmons, Lauri Markkanen, Josh Okogie, Canadian point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Rodions Kurucs, Cedi Osman, 2018 first-overall pick Deandre Ayton, and reigning Rising Stars MVP Bogdan Bogdonavich.
The competition on Team USA? Brooklyn big man Jarrett Allen, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III, Trae Young, Lonzo Ball, Jaren Jackson Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Knox, and dunk contest participant John Collins.
It should be a fun, highlight-filled exhibition, as always. Tip-off is at 9 pm ET.
Danny Green
It’s no secret that Green has been an immensely valuable addition to the Raptors’ roster this season. Acquired along with Kawhi Leonard, Green has carved out a starting role and is one of the team’s most important two-way talents, pairing his All-NBA defensive abilities with a potent — and timely — three-point shot.
Danny Green & Kawhi Leonard both came up clutch in a win over the Nets tonight. pic.twitter.com/LDshAtNBTn
— Basketball Society (@BBallSociety_) February 12, 2019
At 42.1 per cent from deep so far this season, the 31-year-old veteran is fifth among players who average five or more three-point attempts per game and leads all volume shooters with a 50 per cent rate from the right corner.
He’ll have a ton of competition in the three-point contest, headlined by Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry, who is sure to put on a show in his hometown of Charlotte, NC — not to mention his younger brother, Seth, will be in the field as well. Joining the Curry brothers are reigning champ Devin Booker, Buddy Hield, Joe Harris (league leader at 47.1 per cent from deep), Dirk Nowitzki, and all-stars Kemba Walker, Khris Middleton, and Damian Lillard.
But it’s not like Green isn’t putting in his practice as he gets set to take the stage in North Carolina, not far from where he carved out a championship collegiate career at UNC with the Tar-Heels:
The three-point contest goes down on Saturday night.
Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry
No real surprise here as the Raptors’ two key stars are set to take part in the All-Star game on Sunday night. Raptors fans might prefer that both sit out the showcase in order to rest up for the stretch run as the playoffs near — Toronto will need both at their best to reach their goal of making the Finals for the first time in franchise history — but their spot among the NBA’s best has long been entrenched.
For Lowry, this will be his fifth consecutive All-Star game, a remarkable feat given his journey from ‘uncoachable backup’ to perennial all-star. Despite a down-season shooting the ball, Lowry is averaging a career-best 9.2 assists per game, good for second in the league.
This was the second season in which the NBA had captains choose their all-star rosters — and the first in which the playground-style draft was televised, with captains (leading fan-vote getters from each conference), LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo making the picks. Joining Team Giannis, Lowry was the second-last player selected after he apparently made Antetokounmpo promise he wouldn’t let the Raptors point guard be chosen last (that honour went to Washington’s Bradley Beal).
Lowry and the Greek Freak will be joined by Steph Curry, Joel Embiid, Paul George, Blake Griffin, Nikola Jokic, Khris Middleton, D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, Kemba Walker, Dirk Nowitzki, and Russell Westbrook.
Leonard didn’t have to worry about being chosen last. He was the fifth-overall pick and the third player selected to LeBron’s roster. Leonard is averaging two steals along with a career-best 7.7 rebounds and 27 points per game for the Raptors, ranking him eighth in the NBA; he’s been absolutely as advertised for a Toronto team looking for a star player capable of shouldering Finals expectations. This will be his third All-Star game appearance.
Joining Leonard on Team LeBron will be Kevin Durant, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson, Ben Simmons, Karl-Anthony Towns, LaMarcus Aldridge, Bradley Beal, and Dwyane Wade.
Last year’s experiment with the new all-star roster format proved to be a huge success, with a fun and legitimately competitive game unfolding. You can catch this year’s All-Star game from Charlotte starting at 8 pm ET.
[relatedlinks]
