All-Star Game Preview: Western Conference at Eastern Conference
Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant is playing in the NBA All-Star Game
for the 18th and final time on Sunday and it remains to be seen how much
action he'll see when the Western and Eastern conferences square off in
Toronto. Bryant was selected to start the contest by the fans but he
indicated he's looking to rest his sore body during the week-long
All-Star break.
Bryant said his shoulder, knees and ankles are in pain and there isn't any chance he'll attempt to win his fifth MVP - he and Hall of Famer Bob Pettit share the record of four. "It's also the last one, so I try to enjoy it as much as I can," Bryant told reporters. "But it's no running, it's no pounding, it's none of that stuff. It's rest with plenty of ice baths in between." Toronto is the first city outside the United States to host the game and the Raptors backcourt duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowery are both on the East squad. Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook is one of the West starters and he was the MVP last season when he scored 41 points - one shy of the record held by Wilt Chamberlain (1962) - in the West's 163-158 victory.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE WESTERN CONFERNCE: Joining Bryant and Westbrook in the starting lineup are Golden State guard Stephen Curry, Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant and San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard. Curry is one of three Warriors on the squad - guard Klay Thompson and forward Draymond Green are reserves - while guards James Harden (Houston) and Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) and the frontcourt trio of LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento) and Anthony Davis (New Orleans) round out the squad. Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19 selections) is the only player to play in more All-Star games than Bryant.
ABOUT THE EASTERN CONFERNCE: Cleveland forward LeBron James scored 30 points for the East last season and he joins forwards Carmelo Anthony (New York) and Paul George (Indiana) and guards Dwyane Wade (Miami) and Lowry in the starting lineup. Miami forward Chris Bosh was chosen to make his 11th All-Star appearance but pulled out Friday due to a calf injury and was replaced by Atlanta center Al Horford - the other reserves are centers Andre Drummond (Detroit) and Pau Gasol (Chicago), forward Paul Millsap (Atlanta) and guards Isaiah Thomas (Boston), John Wall (Washington) and DeRozan. James and Wade are each playing in their 12th consecutive All-Star games and James' 12th start ties Hall of Famer Bob Cousy and San Antonio center Tim Duncan for fourth place in All-Star starts.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The West has won four of the past five meetings and the teams have combined for more than 300 points in three of the past four contests.
2. Gasol was a late addition to the East squad when SG Jimmy Butler - his Chicago teammate - pulled out due to a knee injury.
3. With San Antonio's Gregg Popovich serving as coach of the West, assistant coach Becky Hammon becomes the first female to serve as an assistant coach in the All-Star Game.
PREDICTION: West 166, East 159