2012 Slam Dunk Contest and Other NBA All Star Weekend Activities

Here we go again.  It's NBA All Star Weekend, where former NBA "Stars," WNBA "ballers" and former players all get together to watch an utter lack of hustle and defense at the NBA All Star Game.  This is not the best platform for the kids to learn about the basketball fundamentals.  But they are still interested.

But before the All Star Game is actually played, we are "entertained" by various pre-game contests - the Celebrity Game, The D-League All Star Game, Shooting Stars, the Three Point Contest, the Slam Dunk Contest, the getting as high as you can contest, the skills contest, the list goes on and on.  We decide to watch some of the activities on Saturday night.  I have to first explain why C's favorite player, Luol Deng, isn't in the competition.  I tell him I don't know why.


Shooting Stars

The first competition we watched was Shooting Stars.  The two things I took away from that is that New York won, and Dennis Scott is extremely pudgy.


The Skills Competition

The Skills Competition features the boys' favorite player - Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma Thunder.  But Rajon Rondo is first.  Rondo's in chill mode as he sets the barometer pretty high.  Then Deron Williams blew right by him (Kyrie Irving, obviously nervous in this high intensity competition could not make any of his shots from the top of the key.  Even Rajon Rondo made his shot from the top of the key.

The boys are shocked that Westbrook does worse than Rondo and Williams.  Come to find out, Westbrook gets eliminated in the First Round.  Rondo also wins a tie breaker and proceeds to whip the ball at the chest of the guys he's playing for after the guy snickers at Rondo's time.

Tony Parker ends up winning the contest and completely ignores his civilian friend he is playing for.  What did Eva Longoria see in this guy?


Three Point Contest

"Seriously, Kevin Love is in the 3 point contest?"  The line up is so much better than the slam dunk contest - Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Mario Chalmers.  In fact, Chalmers and Love are tied after the first round and have to go to a tie breaker.  But Durant and James Jones takes the lead with 21 and 20 points over Chalmers and Love.

So I want Love to win, G wants Durant and C wants James Jones to win.  No one wanted to take me up on my wagering offer.  I guess I have to pay them their allowances.  Another tie, as Love and Durant tie for the trophy.  They are running out of time, so will they just give up?  No such luck....and Kevin Love wins!

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

Chase Budinger, Jeremy Evans, Paul George and Derrick Williams.  Who the Hell are these guys?  I'd rather have Dee Brown and that guy from Toronto come out of retirement than see these schlubs.  Oh my God. 

P Diddy is a prop for Chase Budinger.  A pretty gook dunk where Chase jumps over Diddy and slams it home.  Great Pass by Diddy.  My nine year old said he could jump over Diddy too.  He's small, so maybe.  Jeremy Evans with a weak dunk wearing Rajon Rondo's headband.  Paul George tries a dunk and Charles Barkley has the line of the night "Larry Bird is watching this saying my two best players are going to get hurt."  Derrick Williams jumps over a motorcycle - kind of weak considering Blake Griffin jumped over a card.  #Spriteslam Paul George.

But Jeremy Evans comes up with a great two-ball dunk.  #spriteslam Evans.  George completes a glow int eh dark dunk and Williams takes a Rubio feed of the side of the backboard for a 360 dunk.  I don't know, now.  What I do know is that Budinger could totally see on the reverse dunk.  He didn't even fake out my nine year old.  Derrick Williams will definitely not win.

And after America voted, Jeremy Evans won the dunk contest.  #spriteslam. done.