Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Luka Doncic named 2021 NBA All-Star Game starter

The NBA announced today that Mavericks guard Luka Dončić has been voted as a starter for the 70th NBA All-Star Game, which will take place at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on Sunday, March 7, at 7 p.m. CT on TNT.

Dončić (6-7, 230) is the first Maverick to be voted as a starter two consecutive seasons after starting the game last year. He is just the third Maverick to start an All-Star Game along with Dirk Nowitzki (2007, 2010) and Jason Kidd (1996). Kidd is the only other Dallas player voted in as a starter (Nowitzki started as a replacement for an injured starter twice). Dončić is the 32nd All-Star in franchise history and is the seventh Maverick to earn multiple All-Star nods.

Among league leaders, the 21-year-old Slovenian ranks fifth in scoring (29.1 ppg), third in assists (9.4 apg) and 18th in rebounding (8.6 rpg). Dončić co-leads the NBA in triple-doubles this season (7) and has recorded three 30-point triple-doubles.

Most recently, Dončić set a career scoring mark, pouring in 46 points vs. New Orleans (2/12/21), before recording a second straight 40-point game with 44 vs. Portland (2/14/21).

In January, Dončić averaged 28.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 10.3 assists. After averaging a 30-point triple-double in November 2019, Dončić is now the third player in NBA history to average 25-10-10 in multiple calendar months (min. 10 games), joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.

Fans accounted for 50% of the vote to determine the 10 starters for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. All current NBA players and a media panel accounted for 25% each. Those voters completed one full ballot featuring two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference.

For the first time, the entire NBA All-Star celebration will take place on one night, with on-court action beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT. TNT’s coverage will begin at 4 p.m. CT with “TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax,” followed by the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge and MTN DEW® 3-Point Contest at 5:30 p.m. CT. Coverage of the 70th NBA All-Star Game will begin at 7 p.m. CT, with AT&T Slam Dunk taking place at halftime. The game will follow the same format as last year, with the teams competing to win each quarter and playing to a Final Target Score during the untimed fourth quarter.

Stephen Curry named 2021 NBA All-Star Game starter

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been named a starter in the 70th NBA All-Star Game, the league announced today. Curry will make his seventh All-Star Game appearance (all starts), matching Rick Barry’s franchise record for All-Star starts and trailing only Paul Arizin (10 appearances) and Barry (eight) for most All-Star selections in Warriors history. Curry made six consecutive All-Star appearances from 2014-19.

Curry is averaging 30.0 points (second in the NBA), 6.0 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.21 steals in 34.0 minutes over 29 games (all starts) and leads the league with 145 three-pointers. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player is shooting 49.2 percent from the field, 42.5 percent from three and 93.5 percent from the line. Curry set a new career high with 62 points on January 3 vs. Portland and has hit double-digit three- pointers in a pair of games this season, including a season-high 11 threes in a 57-point performance at Dallas on February 6. Following his NBA season-high 62 points, he was named Western Conference Player of the Week (Week 2).

Curry has hit a three-pointer in 91 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in NBA history, and matched an NBA record by hitting at least four threes in 13-straight games from January 20 – February 11. On January 23 at Utah, Curry passed Reggie Miller (2,560) for second place on the NBA’s all-time three-point field goals made list.

Curry has taken part in NBA All-Star Weekend festivities in eight of his previous 10 campaigns, averaging 17.0 points, 6.7 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 1.33 steals and 27.8 minutes in his six appearances in the All-Star Game (2014-19). Curry has also participated in the Three-Point Contest six times (2010, 2013-16, 2019)—winning the event in 2015 and finishing as runner-up to teammate Klay Thompson in 2016—in addition to the Shooting Stars Competition (2014 & 2015), the Rising Stars Challenge (2010 & 2011) and the Skills Challenge (won the event in 2011).

Joining Curry in the starting lineups are: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Bradley Beal (Wizards), Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Kevin Durant (Nets), Joel Embiid (76ers), Kyrie Irving (Nets) LeBron James (Lakers), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers).

The two NBA All-Star captains (LeBron James and Kevin Durant) will draft the eight remaining players from the starter pool in the First Round and then all 14 players from the reserve pool in the Second Round, making selections without regard to a player’s conference affiliation or position. TNT will air the 2021 NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, March 4 at 5 p.m. PT.

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, March 7 at 5 p.m. (PT) in Atlanta. TNT and ESPN Radio will air the game live in the United States. TNT’s NBA All-Star coverage will begin at 2 p.m. PT with TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax, followed by the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge and MTN DEW® 3-Point Contest starting at 3:30 p.m. PT. Coverage of the 70th NBA All-Star Game will begin at 5 p.m. PT, with AT&T Slam Dunk taking place at halftime. The game will follow the same format as last year, with the teams competing to win each quarter and playing to a Final Target Score during the untimed fourth quarter.

Kawhi Leonard named starter for 2021 NBA All-Star Game

The NBA today announced today that LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been selected by fans, players and media members as a Western Conference starter in the 70th NBA All-Star Game, which will be held at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Sunday, March 7th at 5 p.m. PST on TNT.

Leonard will make his fifth career All-Star appearance (2020, 2019, 2017, 2016), being named a starter each time. Leonard was named the 2020 NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP, scoring 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting in a 157-155 victory.

In his 10th NBA season, Leonard is averaging career highs in assists (5.0), 3P% (38.9), and minutes played (34.4). The 6-foot-7 forward currently ranks first in the NBA in offensive rating (122.0), second in steals per game (1.8), and ninth in points per game (26.7). Leonard is also one of two players in the NBA this season to average at least 26 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one-and-a-half steals.

Leonard has scored 30 points or more in eight games this season and 20 points or more in his last 11 games. On February 2 against Brooklyn, he became the second player in franchise history and the first since 1975 to record at least 33 points, five assists, four steals and two blocked shots in a single game. On January 24 against Oklahoma City, Leonard became only the fourth NBA player since 2000 to record at least 34 points, nine rebounds and eight assists with no turnovers. He has scored 30 points or more with no turnovers in four games this season, a league high.

A two-time Defensive Player of the Year (2016, 2015) and two-time Finals MVP (2019, 2014), Leonard holds career averages of 19.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals. The Moreno Valley, Calif., native has twice been voted All-NBA First Team (2017, 2016) and All-NBA Second Team (2020, 2019), as well as All-Defensive First Team (2017, 2016, 2015) and All-Defensive Second Team three times (2020, 2019, 2014).

The NBA All-Star Game team rosters will be drafted by two captains, who will choose from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference, making their selections regardless of conference affiliation. The captains will be the All-Star starters who receive the most fan votes in their respective conference.

Bradley Beal named NBA All-Star Game starter for first time

The National Basketball Association announced tonight that Wizards guard Bradley Beal has been voted to start in the NBA All-Star Game on March 7 in Atlanta. Beal tallied 3,485,051 fan votes, the most among guards in the Eastern Conference, and finished first among guards in the media and player voting. He will be making his third career All-Star appearance and his first career start.

“It is truly an honor to be selected to start in the All-Star game for the first time in my career,” said Beal. “I want to thank the fans, media and players for selecting me to represent the Wizards organization during the All-Star festivities in Atlanta. I also want to thank my teammates, coaches, the entire organization, and our fans who are still supporting us through this unprecedented season.”

Beal currently leads the NBA in scoring with a career-high average of 32.8 points per game to go along with a career-high 5.2 rebounds per game. He is also averaging 4.7 assists per game while shooting .473 from the field. He tallied a career-high and franchise tying high of 60 points on January 6 at Philadelphia.

The nine-year pro has posted 16 games of 30+ points, which ranks second in the league, and is tied for the league lead with three games of 40+ points. Beal began the season with a 17-game streak of 25+ points, which surpassed Michael Jordan’s streak in 1988-89, and ranks as the fifth-longest in league history and the longest streak to start a season since the 1976 NBA-ABA merger. He has scored 786 points in the team’s first 24 games, which marks the most points scored through a player’s first 24 games in franchise history.

Beal joins the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and the Nets’ Kyrie Irving as Eastern Conference starters. Fans, players, and media determined the starters for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, with fans accounting for 50% of the vote while the players and media accounted for 25% each.

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Kevin Durant who are the NBA All-Star Game starters who led their respective conferences in fan votes during NBA All-Star Voting 2021 presented by AT&T, will serve as team captains for the Team LeBron vs. Team Durant matchup and draft the rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference. TNT will air the 2021 NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET.

And via the Washington Post:

Beal was named an all-star starter for the first time in his career Thursday, becoming the first Wizards player to earn a starting nod since John Wall in 2015. Beal will make his third career all-star appearance when the league holds the showcase in Atlanta on March 7 — he was named as a reserve in 2018 and 2019, one of seven players from each conference as voted by coaches, before being left out completely in 2020…

Beal’s continual growth in his ninth year in the league is part of what makes him such a fascination among fans and a headache among opposing coaches.

The guard’s scoring numbers have been on an upward trend for four straight seasons. Through 24 games this year, Beal is averaging a league-best 32.8 points — a career high — as well as 4.7 assists and 5.2 rebounds.

In his position as franchise cornerstone, he has made the extraordinary look routine. Beal had at least 25 points in each of his first 17 games this season, a stretch that eclipsed Michael Jordan’s record for the longest such streak to start a campaign since the NBA and ABA merged in 1976. In January, Beal dropped 60 points in Philadelphia to tie the Wizards’ single-game franchise scoring record Gilbert Arenas set in 2006.

Even though All-Star weekend will be condensed into one day I’m very glad it’s happening. And Beal probably is, too.

Mavericks flex-assign Josh Green to G League’s Salt Lake City Stars

The Dallas Mavericks have flex-assigned rookie Josh Green to the G League’s Salt Lake City Stars, a squad that currently features fellow Mavericks rookie Tyler Bey.

Green (6-6, 210) has appeared in 17 games (five starts) for Dallas this season, averaging 2.5 points (.472 FG%) and 2.3 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per game.

The former Arizona guard/forward was selected after his freshman season by Dallas with the 18th overall pick in this past year’s draft.

Following the move, all four Maverick rookies – Tyrell Terry (Memphis), Nate Hinton (Santa Cruz), Bey (Salt Lake) and Green (Salt Lake) – will now be on assignment with a G League club in Orlando, Florida.

The 2020-21 NBA G League season tipped off on Wednesday, Feb. 10, with 18 teams competing at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Mavericks’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, opted not to travel to the NBA G League’s campus. NBA teams without an NBA G League affiliate participating in Orlando have the opportunity to assign roster players and transfer two-way players using the league’s flexible assignment and two-way rules.

Nets sign guard/forward Andre Roberson

The Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday signed free agent guard/forward Andre Roberson.

Limited by injury in recent seasons, Roberson recognized as a very good defensive player with limited offensive ability.

Roberson (6’7”, 210) spent the first seven seasons (2013-20) of his NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, appearing in 302 games (269 starts) and averaging 4.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game. Returning from a left knee injury, the San Antonio native saw action in seven games in the 2019-20 season, recording averages of 2.9 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per contest.

An NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection in 2017, the 29-year-old Roberson has also made four playoff appearances with the Thunder, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2016.

Roberson was originally selected with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft by Minnesota before being traded to Oklahoma City on draft night. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Roberson spent three years (2010-13) at the University of Colorado, earning All-Pac-12 First Team honors twice (2012 and 2013) and garnering the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013.

Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell injured, out 4-6 weeks

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the following injury updates on guards D’Angelo Russell and Jarrett Culver:

Russell, who has missed the last three games due to left leg soreness, will undergo arthroscopic surgery tomorrow to remove a loose body from the left knee. Russell will remain out between 4-6 weeks and further updates to his progress will be issued when available.

In 20 games (19 starts) this season, Russell is averaging 19.3 points on 42.6% shooting and 5.1 assists.

In the third quarter of the Monday, Jan. 25 game at Golden State, Culver sustained a left ankle sprain. As part of his ongoing rehab and reconditioning, Culver has been upgraded to on-court activity this week. He is expected to be reevaluated next week with potential to return to play late next week. Updates on his progress will be issued when available.

In 16 games (7 starts) this season, Culver is averaging 8.1 points on 45.9% shooting and 5.0 rebounds.

Kings’ Chimezie Metu injured, out at least four weeks

Sacramento Kings forward-center Chimezie Metu underwent X-ray imaging in Sacramento on Monday which confirmed a right wrist fracture sustained during Sunday’s game versus the Memphis Grizzlies. Metu will be re-evaluated in four weeks and further updates will be provided as appropriate.

During the 2020-21 season, Metu is averaging 3.4 points (.500 FG%, .667 FT%), 2.1 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, 0.5 assists, 0.3 steals, and 6.5 minutes per game through 11 games (no starts) for the Kings.