Eastern Conference at Western Conference
The biggest game on the NBA schedule since Christmas took place Saturday, when Kevin Durant made his return to Oklahoma City and received a less-than-joyous reception from former teammate Russell Westbrook and the fans. Westbrook could get a chance to take the floor with Durant and three other Golden State Warriors as members of the Western Conference in Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans.
Durant and two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry are among the starters for the West while Westbrook, who is averaging a triple-double (NBA-high 31.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 10.1 assists) will come off the bench along with Warriors guard Klay Thompson and forward Draymond Green on a team coached by Golden State's Steve Kerr. "I've definitely considered it," Kerr told ESPN Radio on Thursday of the prospect of playing Westbrook and the four Warriors at the same time. "The only thing that you have to do as a coach in the All-Star Game is to parcel out the minutes. That's it. You don't draw up any plays. At least I don't; I didn't two years ago." Those West stars will have their hands full with an Eastern Conference squad led by LeBron James, who makes his 13th consecutive All-Star start and is the leading scorer in All-Star history with 291 points. James is the fifth player in league history to start 13 or more All-Star games, joining Kobe Bryant (18), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14), Bob Cousy (13) and Michael Jordan (13).
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE EASTERN CONFERENCE: Joining James in the starting lineup is teammate Kyrie Irving and Toronto's DeMar DeRozan in the backcourt and Chicago's Jimmy Butler and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo along the front line. Antetokounmpo is the only first-timer among the bunch and earned his spot by leading the Bucks in scoring (23.4), rebounding (8.6), assists (5.5), steals (1.8) and blocks (1.96) in a breakout campaign. The East bench is heavy on point guards with Boston's Isaiah Thomas, who is second to Westbrook in the NBA in scoring (29.9 points), Washington's John Wall, Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Charlotte's Kemba Walker joining forwards Paul Millsap (Atlanta), Paul George (Indiana) and Carmelo Anthony (New York) - without a true center in the bunch.
ABOUT THE WESTERN CONFERENCE: The West squad features more size, with true centers Marc Gasol (Memphis) and DeAndre Jordan (L.A. Clippers) and a pair of forwards used to playing in the middle in smaller lineups in Green and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins. Likely playing in the middle among the starters is Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, who is serving as the host for the weekend as the only New Orleans player on the squad. Davis, Durant and Curry will be flanked by a pair of MVP candidates in Houston's James Harden, who is third in the league in scoring (29.2) and first in assists (11.3), and San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard, with first-timer Gordon Hayward (Utah) rounding out the bench.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Anthony makes his 10th appearance and was named to the East squad Wednesday as an injury replacement for Cleveland F Kevin Love (knee).
2. Westbrook was named the MVP of the last two All-Star Games while leading the West to wins.
3. The East won only one of the last six games, when Irving was named the MVP in a 163-155 triumph in New Orleans.