The NBA finished on a strong note with its All-Star game Sunday from Los Angeles. Team Stars, comprised mostly of younger American All-Stars, beat Team Stripes 47-21 in the finals to win the event. Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was named the All-Star MVP after a strong showing.
While the championship game was a blowout, the other three games Sunday were all entertaining and featured close finishes. The All-Stars were broken up into three teams: Team World, Team Stars and Team Stripes. Team World was made up of international players, while the other two teams featured American All-Stars.
There were some great moments Sunday. Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points to lead Team Stripes, the older American All-Stars, to a win over Team World to clinch a spot in the finals. Spurs center Victor Wembanyama also came to play Sunday and brought a steady level of intensity. Edwards credited Wembanyama multiple times for setting the tone for the All-Stars to take the game seriously.
The NBA endured criticism throughout the weekend because there were some duds in past All-Star game formats, where the players didn’t play hard. But that wasn’t the case Sunday. The game’s best players put on a show for the fans.
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The Celtics return to action to face the Warriors at 10 p.m. Thursday in San Francisco. Here are four C’s-focused takeaways from the NBA’s All-Star weekend:
How Jaylen Brown played
Brown didn’t get too much shine Sunday, playing for Team Stripes. He’s enjoyed a career-best season, leading to him being an All-Star starter for the first time in his career. Here’s how Brown played in Team Stripes’ three games Sunday:
Game 1 vs. Team Stars: 11 points, three rebounds on 5-for-9 shooting, 1-for-3 on 3-pointers in nine minutes in a 42-40 victory.
Game 2 vs. Team World: no points, one assist, one steal, two blocks on 0-for-3 shooting, 0-for-1 on 3-pointers in eight minutes in a 48-45 victory.
Game 3 vs. Team Stars (title game): four points, two rebounds, one assist on 2-for-10 shooting, 0-for-7 on 3-pointers in 12 minutes in a 47-21 loss.
Focused on the comeback
Jayson Tatum wasn’t an All-Star for the first time since 2019 as he continues his rehab behind the scenes. But Tatum still had some buzz over the All-Star break with rivals commenting on his potential comeback this season. Notably, NBC announced it’ll have exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, released over the next few weeks, of Tatum’s rehab process from a ruptured Achilles tendon. There was also a short teaser aired Sunday, which Tatum also posted on social media.
Don’t forget about Harper
Two-way wing Ron Harper Jr. has enjoyed a great season in the G League with the Maine Celtics. He got two chances to show out on the All-Star stage over the weekend. First, he played for Team Austin as part of the Rising Stars event, suiting up for the G League team. Harper finished with seven rebounds and two assists, shooting 0-for-5 from the field, as his squad lost to Team Melo and his brother, Dylan Harper. That was Friday.
On Saturday, Ron Harper Jr. teamed up with his father, Ron Harper, and brother, Dylan, to comprise Team Harper. The trio participated in the Shooting Stars Team competition, which featured each squad shooting from different spots on the court. They fell short of the title, but it was still a nice moment for the family.
Looking to the second half
The All-Star weekend is a much-needed break for players across the league. Now, it’s the home stretch of the NBA season ahead of the playoffs. The Celtics are in a strong position in second place in the East, plus Tatum could return in the coming weeks. There’s a lot to look forward to for Boston coming out of the All-Star festivities. But before then, the C’s will get a few more days off before playing the Warriors, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis on Thursday.
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