Pistons Roll While a Warrior Tumbles into NBA All-Star Weekend
With the NBA All-Star weekend just around the corner, the league announced the starters for each conference this week. Many players selected as reserves will get to start under the new format for this year.
Most teams with All-Star starters are celebrating, but one is an exception. The Golden State Warriors must try to stay competitive following Jimmy Butler III tearing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament.
All-Star Format
The debate on how to make the All-Star Game more competitive has raged on for some time. The league has taken steps to increase competition, with things like the Elam Ending and increased prize money. The Elam Ending worked for one year, but since then it has turned back into a 3-point shooting exhibition with little to no defense.
This season will pit the American players against the international players. In an attempt to capture what hockey has found in the Four Nations Faceoff, the NBA hopes national pride is enough to make players compete.
Of the 10 starters, five are international while five are American. The 24 total all-stars will be split into three teams, two American and one international. That means only three more international players can be selected as all-stars. It does also appear to give the international team a leg up, as its starting five will be made up entirely of players selected as starters
International Team
The talent on the international team is undeniable. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the way and he is joined by two former MVPs in Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The starting five is rounded out with two more stars in Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama.
How this team fits together will be something to monitor as the All-Star festivities begin. Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Doncic and Antetokounmpo are all dominant players who can create for themselves and others. Playing off the ball will be an adjustment, and for just one game it is yet to be seen how willing they will be to make the adjustment.
Antetokounmpo is expected to miss the All-Star Game with a calf injury he suffered on Friday.
American Team
On the American side, it is yet to be decided who will be playing together, but one thing is certain. There is a lack of size. All five Americans selected are guards, led by Stephen Curry out West, and Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey and Cade Cunningham in the East.
This is an inexperienced group, as just Curry and Brunson have been starters before. Brown and Maxey have been able to take big steps forward this season, out of the shadow of stars who shined brighter in previous years. In Brown’s case, this is Jayson Tatum, who has been sidelined due to a ruptured Achilles he suffered during last season’s playoff run. For Maxey, he has taken the leap as Joel Embiid has appeared in just 23 games this season.
Pistons Get Hot
One of the big surprises of the NBA this season has been the play of the Detroit Pistons. A big part of that has been the continued play of Cunningham. His play has been phenomenal yet again, but his connection with Jalen Duren has driven the team to new heights.
Coty Davis, Pistons beat reporter for the Detroit News, talked about a summer trip to Rome as a key part of their connection. Duren has a chance to make his first All-Star appearance this season behind his career-high scoring 17.8 points as well as 10.8 rebounds. With the new format there is the potential for Cunningham and Duren to play together
“Of course they would love to play with each other, just due to the fact that they definitely have not just chemistry on the court, but they’re also like best friends off the court as well,” Davis said.
Cunningham and Duren have led the charge for the Detroit turnaround, but patience from the front office has played a role as well. While outside pressure pushed for a big swinging trade last season, the Pistons held onto its young players to see who would develop. Davis credits Ausar Thompson, Ronald Holland II and Jaden Ivey as players who have grown into their specialties this season.
This sets the stage for a potential playoff run that would go through Detroit. If they one-seed, the Pistons will host any playoff matchup against a team with more experience, including the New York Knicks or Boston Celtics. Davis pointed to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets as teams who have taken a similar path in recent years.
Jimmy Butler III
Butler went down with a torn ACL on Tuesday against the Miami Heat to end his season. The former Heat star went down while playing some of his best basketball of the season. He averaged 21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists across his last three games, all Warriors victories.
In Golden State’s first game without him, it dropped 145-127 to the Toronto Raptors. There are questions around the league about the fate of forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has been out of the rotation but forced back in with Butler out. Kuminga went for 20 points in the loss to Toronto. He became eligible to be traded on Jan. 15, and immediately demanded a trade. Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy made it clear that they are looking for a trade partner, but cannot find one.
Kuminga went down with ankle and knee injuries in the Warriors’ second game without Butler, another loss. Neither injury is deemed to be serious. If he misses extended time, or is dealt at the deadline, Will Richard will see an increase in playing time. The former Florida Gator star has averaged just under seven points in his 41 games this season.
Category: Former Gators, Gators Men's Basketball, Miami Heat, NBA
