NBA All-Star Game: Live updates, highlights, results; Team Chuck strikes first, Team Shaq averts disaster
Playing without an injured LeBron James, Team Shaq averted disaster in the second semifinal of Sunday's All-Star mini tournament.
Led by nine points from Damian Lillard, Team Shaq scored a 42-35 win over Team Candace's roster of Rising Stars.
In the first-to-40 format, Team Candace kept pace with Team Shaq for much of the game that was tied at 28-28. But Team Shaq pulled away with a 14-7 run to secure the win and avoid losing to a team of non-All-Stars. Team Shaq missed a bunch of shots down the stretch as they tried to end the game on a 3-pointer while sitting on 37 points.
Officials then ignored an obvious foul of Kevin Durant as Team Shaq sat on 39 points in an apparent effort to avoid having the game end on the free-throw line.
The refs might have missed one here. pic.twitter.com/8KDX4LP9KY
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 17, 2025
Damian Lillard eventually put the game to bed with a deep 3 to secure the win.
DAME TIME FROM DEEP FOR THE WIN 🚨The Oakland native puts on the finishing touches...Shaq's OGs will face Chuck's Global Stars in the #NBAAllStar Championship on TNT! 🌟 pic.twitter.com/fvhN5rpcgc
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
Team Shaq advances to face Team Chuck in the final.
Behind an outburst from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and some actual All-Star Game defense from Victor Wembanyama, Charles Barkley's team of international stars struck first Sunday night.
Team Chuck cruised to a 42-31 win over Team Kenny in the first semifinal, which featured a lineup of young stars headlined by Jalen Brunson and Evan Mobley. Anthony Edwards was a DNP with a lingering groin injury.
Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 12 points, including the game-winning bucket. Gilgeous-Alexander beat Jaren Jackson Jr. off the dribble and put Team Chuck over 40 points with a two-handed dunk. The first team to 40 points in the semifinal round wins.
SGA WINS IT FOR CHUCK'S GLOBAL STARS 🚨Scoring the final 5 PTS...They'll advance to the #NBAAllStar Championship on TNT! pic.twitter.com/BAHSxAQejt
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
Gilgeous-Alexander's easy path to the bucket with the game on the line won't assuage critics tired of the lack of defense in the All-Star game. But Victor Wembanyama at least made an effort in his first All-Star game debut.
He finished with six points, four rebounds, one steal and this block of Cade Cunningham in the winning effort for Team Chuck.
WEMBY BLOCKS CADE CUNNINGHAMHE ISN'T MESSING AROUND pic.twitter.com/XQdAYxloSG
— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) February 17, 2025
The 74th NBA All-Star Game begins at 8 p.m. ET Sunday on TNT with a new tournament-style format but legend LeBron James will not be participating after earning his record 21st All-Star nod.
James was a late scratch Sunday due to lingering ankle soreness. So it might be fair to say he isn't taking the event super seriously. Still, the show must go on.
Similar to the Rising Stars challenge, the NBA All-Stars will compete in a three-game tournament. The All-Stars have been split into three teams — through an All-Star Draft conducted by TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith. The first two matchups are Team Shaq vs. Team Candace Parker, and Team Chuck vs. Team Kenny. Parker's team qualified Friday as the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge when it was coached by Chris Mullin, and it features Stephon Castle, Dalton Knecht, Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey and others.
For each game in Sunday's tournament, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points.
As for prize money, each player on the championship-winning team will receive $125,000; each player on the second-place team will receive $50,000; and each player on the third- and fourth-place teams will receive $25,000.
The All-Star teams are comprised of the East and West starters (voted by fans, players and media members) and reserves (voted by coaches). Trae Young and Kyrie Irving were named as injury replacements for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, respectively.
Here's a breakdown of the rosters (listed in order of how each team was drafted).
Shaq's OGs
LeBron James, Lakers*
Stephen Curry, Warriors
Anthony Davis, Mavericks*
Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Kevin Durant, Suns
Damian Lillard, Bucks
James Harden, Clippers
Jaylen Brown, Celtics
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks
Kenny's Young Stars
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
Jalen Williams, Thunder
Darius Garland, Cavaliers
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
Cade Cunningham, Pistons
Tyler Herro, Heat
Chuck's Global Stars
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks*
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
Pascal Siakam, Pacers
Alperen Şengün, Rockets
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
Trae Young, Hawks*injured
Team Candace
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets (added by Parker after Friday's games)
Team Shaq's OGs defeated Team Candace's Rising Stars, 41-35, but it wasn't easy.
Team Shaq had numerous opportunities to put the game away, but needing just three points with a 37-31 lead, the veterans opted to take a lot of 3s — and missed them.
Finally, Damian Lillard hit a 3 to give Team Shaq victory and a ticket to face Team Chuck in the final.
Steph splashes for THREE 💦(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/enD01jFmkE
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 17, 2025
The NBA making its All-Star game less and less about basketball while complaining about NBA players not taking it seriously is about all you need to know about the state of NBA discourse in 2025.
— Micah Adams (@MAdamsStatGuy) February 17, 2025
Oh God. Now it's the comedy sketch again. F me, man. This used to be one of the best weekends of the sporting calendar. I used to LOVE it. Invite my friends over. Watch the game again. Blow this up. It's over. Praying NBC fixes this next year.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 17, 2025
Can the sandman come out with the hook? This is cooked
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) February 17, 2025
Lebron knows this format sucks lol pic.twitter.com/1ObBtr3mc8
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 17, 2025
The new format is good. The first game was good. Don't ever give Kevin Hart or Draymond a mic again.
— Heath Cummings (@heathcummingssr) February 17, 2025
I get what Draymond is saying about the disservice guys like SGA and Wemby will see with this new format. He can say this format sucks but let's not ignore how we got here, the guys just didn't care. The games have been awful.
— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) February 17, 2025
with all due respect they gotta cut Kevin Hart's mic
— Jake (@SuperiorNBA) February 17, 2025
Been about 10 minutes of basketball and 50 minutes of not-basketball
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) February 17, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards did not participate for Team Kenny in the opening game of All-Star Sunday's new format due to a groin injury, he said afterwards.
There was no indication in the lead-up to the game that Edwards would not participate.
Edwards played his usual 36 points in a 15-point victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, compiling 23 points (5-of-18 shooting), seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
Mr. Beast, the YouTube sensation, hosted a shooting contest between Damian Lillard and a fan for $100,000. The fan had to make one shot from the logo near halfcourt before Lillard made three. Lillard made two, but before he could sink his third the fan banked in the winning shot.
🚨🚨THIS FAN JUST WON $100,000🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/Av7cxG1Sdu
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 17, 2025
The All-Star players, just as hyped as the fans, showered the fan with congratulations.
Team Chuck topped Team Kenny in Game 1, 41-32, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander icing the contest with a dunk.
SGA shot 5-of-5 for 12 points in a game in which Anthony Edwards curiously did not play for Team Kenny.
The TNT broadcast said The Athletic reported Edwards had groin soreness.
SGA ICES GAME 1 😤Chuck's Global Stars move on to the Final Rd of the #NBAAllStar Mini-Tournament ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/YId5BJCAsE
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 17, 2025
The NBA and commissioner Adam Silver want the All-Star event to be taken more seriously, with players actually competing.
But the four-man booth for Game 1 — Shaq, Candace Parker, Reggie Miller and Brian Anderson — was all about jokes and topics other than the game during the early going.
The broadcast also gave time during the game to Ernie Johnson and Kevin Hart, who were sitting with coaches Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. Hart screamed a lot about whatever as action on the court took place.
I have wondered for a very long time who the Kevin Hart fans are? Where they are? Why does Adam think he's an ambassador lol. https://t.co/8GPCvBz5ku
— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) February 17, 2025
When the broadcast went back to the actual broadcast booth, it was Anderson trying to give updates on the action, while his broadcast mates wanted to talk about anything except the action on the court.
The issue: If the action isn't interesting enough for the folks calling the game, why should anyone else care?
Then after the first game, Draymond Green ripped the new format, trashing everything about it. The NBA continues to lead American sports in giving monster platforms to voices who continue to tear apart, ridicule and denigrate its game. Some would say that isn't an optimal strategy when so much money and time are involved in "promoting" the game.
The NBA needs to take a hard look at this game presentation.
Led by Victor Wembanayama, the NBA's young stars are injecting some energy into the All-Star Game for the first time in years. In a back-and-forth battle, Wembanyama has wreaked havoc on both ends, inspiring everyone to compete.
WEMBY'S FIRST #NBAAllStar POINTS 👽Hops into the lane and stuffs it with the left!Chuck's Global Stars 14 PTS away from 40 on TNT 👀 pic.twitter.com/e998eS9CJU
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA NíO QUER SABER DE RELAXAR NO ALL-STARJÁ TEM 2 TOCOS NO JOGO pic.twitter.com/RG7bWFBAaQ
— Matchup Brasil 🇧🇷🏀 (@MatchupBR) February 17, 2025
The All-Stars are actually trying
Victor Wembanyama is here to play some All-Star game defense:
WEMBY BLOCKS CADE CUNNINGHAMHE ISN'T MESSING AROUND pic.twitter.com/XQdAYxloSG
— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) February 17, 2025
Tyler Herro and Karl-Anthony Towns trading ridiculous 3s:
HERRO DRAINS THE 3. 👀KAT FOLLOWS UP FROM THE LOGO. 🎯First to 40 advances... #NBAAllStar on TNT pic.twitter.com/9zy0xPdb07
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
In the first NBA All-Star tournament game, featuring Team Chuck vs. Team Kenny, it was Evan Mobley of Team Kenny who scored the first points of the new format.
In transition, the Cavs big man was on the receiving end of an alley-oop from Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams.
Mobley added another bucket as Team Chuck led 17-12 at the first timeout of the contest, which will be decided by the first to 40.
And we're underway. There's no game clock in these games. First team to 40 points in the semifinals wins.
Here are the rosters for the opening game:
Team Kenny
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota TimberwolvesJalen Brunson, New York KnicksJaren Jackson Jr., Memphis GrizzliesJalen Williams, Oklahoma City ThunderDarius Garland, Cleveland CavaliersEvan Mobley, Cleveland CavaliersCade Cunningham, Detroit PistonsTyler Herro, Miami Heat
vs.
Team Chuck
Nikola Jokić, Denver NuggetsTrae Young, Atlanta Hawks (replacing Giannis Antetokounmpo)Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City ThunderVictor Wembanyama, San Antonio SpursPascal Siakam, Indiana PacersAlperen Şengün, Houston RocketsKarl-Anthony Towns, New York KnicksDonovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
All-Star intros full of pomp and circumstance are over. Team Kenny vs. Team Chuck is up next.
Introducing Chuck's Global Stars!🌟 #NBAAllStar is LIVE on TNT pic.twitter.com/kc0nJ6QNDw
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
Introducing Kenny's Young Stars!🌟 #NBAAllStar is LIVE on TNT pic.twitter.com/od0CL6nTbe
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, speaking before the All-Star Game, pledged to participate in a 1-on-1 battle next season, if the NBA decides to add the event to its festivities.
"If I had the chance to play 1-on-1 with anybody, I would love to do it," he said. "Anything that can make the weekend more exciting, more fun for the viewers, for the fans and for the players, I would love to participate. ... If it's a 1-on-1 competition, I would love to participate."
He gives himself a pretty good shot, too.
"I think sometimes you forget, to be a good 1-on-1 player, you've got to be able to play both ways," he said. "You've got to get a stop to get the ball. You don't get a stop, you're not getting the ball. It's kind of hard, say, if Kyrie Irving is going against [Victor Wembanyama]. He's got to get a stop. But it would be fun. It would be fun. I would love to participate if next year there's a 1-on-1 tournament. I would love to participate."
Is he sure?
"I can't make no promises," he said, "but if I'm healthy, I'd probably do it.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will be sidelined for the All-Star Game on Sunday night, as he manages the ankle soreness that has plagued him for the past few seasons, ending his record-setting streak of 20 consecutive All-Star Game starts.
"I was hoping that it would feel a lot better this morning, but it's just not where I wanted it to be," said James. "With 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild West, I feel like it's very important for me to take care of myself and understand what was coming on.
"It is maintenance, but at the same time I have to look out for myself when it comes to this injury I've been dealing with for years."
James flew from Los Angeles to San Francisco on Sunday and will return later in the night.
"There will be no vacation for me," he said. "I head back to L.A. tonight and back to the rehab tomorrow and getting ready for practice on Tuesday."
His availability for Wednesday's home game against the Charlotte Hornets is questionable.
More on James' absence.
SAN FRANCISCO — NBA commissioner Adam Silver sees all and hears all: the praise of where his game is or, most importantly, the constant critique the NBA is subject to, almost on a daily basis.
The never-ending 3-point discussion, one that even he has chimed in on at times.
The money element, the financial decisions that have played a big part in trades involving Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns, and the standoff with Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
The officiating, the challenges with a million camera angles and a million more opinions on social media and in NBA locker rooms.
And he's even contributed to it in ways, jokingly throwing gasoline onto the discourse by suggesting 10-minute quarters instead of the usual 12 — a suggestion that earned a decent amount of criticism.
'I try to read it all, frankly, and we try to absorb it at the league office,' Silver said during his annual news conference at All-Star Weekend inside Chase Center. 'I think the state of the game is excellent. I think it's the media's role, the fans' role, it's perfectly appropriate to be critical of the game, and I find it very helpful. I'm not one of those people who said I don't read criticism.'
How Silver is trying to shape the league.
Nobody was beating Mac McClung in his three-peat bid.
The Magic G Leaguer was once again the runaway slam dunk contest winner for his third-straight title Saturday night in a performance for the ages. He started things with a dunk worthy of a closer and continued to wow with each successive dunk. Each of McClung's dunks earned a perfect 50 score.
Catch up on all of NBA All-Star Saturday night.
Team Shaq's OGs defeated Team Candace's Rising Stars, 41-35, but it wasn't easy.
Team Shaq had numerous opportunities to put the game away, but needing just three points with a 37-31 lead, the veterans opted to take a lot of 3s — and missed them.
Finally, Damian Lillard hit a 3 to give Team Shaq victory and a ticket to face Team Chuck in the final.
Steph splashes for THREE 💦(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/enD01jFmkE
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 17, 2025
The NBA making its All-Star game less and less about basketball while complaining about NBA players not taking it seriously is about all you need to know about the state of NBA discourse in 2025.
— Micah Adams (@MAdamsStatGuy) February 17, 2025
Oh God. Now it's the comedy sketch again. F me, man. This used to be one of the best weekends of the sporting calendar. I used to LOVE it. Invite my friends over. Watch the game again. Blow this up. It's over. Praying NBC fixes this next year.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 17, 2025
Can the sandman come out with the hook? This is cooked
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) February 17, 2025
Lebron knows this format sucks lol pic.twitter.com/1ObBtr3mc8
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 17, 2025
The new format is good. The first game was good. Don't ever give Kevin Hart or Draymond a mic again.
— Heath Cummings (@heathcummingssr) February 17, 2025
I get what Draymond is saying about the disservice guys like SGA and Wemby will see with this new format. He can say this format sucks but let's not ignore how we got here, the guys just didn't care. The games have been awful.
— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) February 17, 2025
with all due respect they gotta cut Kevin Hart's mic
— Jake (@SuperiorNBA) February 17, 2025
Been about 10 minutes of basketball and 50 minutes of not-basketball
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) February 17, 2025
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards did not participate for Team Kenny in the opening game of All-Star Sunday's new format due to a groin injury, he said afterwards.
There was no indication in the lead-up to the game that Edwards would not participate.
Edwards played his usual 36 points in a 15-point victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, compiling 23 points (5-of-18 shooting), seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
Mr. Beast, the YouTube sensation, hosted a shooting contest between Damian Lillard and a fan for $100,000. The fan had to make one shot from the logo near halfcourt before Lillard made three. Lillard made two, but before he could sink his third the fan banked in the winning shot.
🚨🚨THIS FAN JUST WON $100,000🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/Av7cxG1Sdu
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 17, 2025
The All-Star players, just as hyped as the fans, showered the fan with congratulations.
Team Chuck topped Team Kenny in Game 1, 41-32, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander icing the contest with a dunk.
SGA shot 5-of-5 for 12 points in a game in which Anthony Edwards curiously did not play for Team Kenny.
The TNT broadcast said The Athletic reported Edwards had groin soreness.
SGA ICES GAME 1 😤Chuck's Global Stars move on to the Final Rd of the #NBAAllStar Mini-Tournament ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/YId5BJCAsE
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 17, 2025
The NBA and commissioner Adam Silver want the All-Star event to be taken more seriously, with players actually competing.
But the four-man booth for Game 1 — Shaq, Candace Parker, Reggie Miller and Brian Anderson — was all about jokes and topics other than the game during the early going.
The broadcast also gave time during the game to Ernie Johnson and Kevin Hart, who were sitting with coaches Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. Hart screamed a lot about whatever as action on the court took place.
I have wondered for a very long time who the Kevin Hart fans are? Where they are? Why does Adam think he's an ambassador lol. https://t.co/8GPCvBz5ku
— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) February 17, 2025
When the broadcast went back to the actual broadcast booth, it was Anderson trying to give updates on the action, while his broadcast mates wanted to talk about anything except the action on the court.
The issue: If the action isn't interesting enough for the folks calling the game, why should anyone else care?
Then after the first game, Draymond Green ripped the new format, trashing everything about it. The NBA continues to lead American sports in giving monster platforms to voices who continue to tear apart, ridicule and denigrate its game. Some would say that isn't an optimal strategy when so much money and time are involved in "promoting" the game.
The NBA needs to take a hard look at this game presentation.
Led by Victor Wembanayama, the NBA's young stars are injecting some energy into the All-Star Game for the first time in years. In a back-and-forth battle, Wembanyama has wreaked havoc on both ends, inspiring everyone to compete.
WEMBY'S FIRST #NBAAllStar POINTS 👽Hops into the lane and stuffs it with the left!Chuck's Global Stars 14 PTS away from 40 on TNT 👀 pic.twitter.com/e998eS9CJU
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA NíO QUER SABER DE RELAXAR NO ALL-STARJÁ TEM 2 TOCOS NO JOGO pic.twitter.com/RG7bWFBAaQ
— Matchup Brasil 🇧🇷🏀 (@MatchupBR) February 17, 2025
The All-Stars are actually trying
Victor Wembanyama is here to play some All-Star game defense:
WEMBY BLOCKS CADE CUNNINGHAMHE ISN'T MESSING AROUND pic.twitter.com/XQdAYxloSG
— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) February 17, 2025
Tyler Herro and Karl-Anthony Towns trading ridiculous 3s:
HERRO DRAINS THE 3. 👀KAT FOLLOWS UP FROM THE LOGO. 🎯First to 40 advances... #NBAAllStar on TNT pic.twitter.com/9zy0xPdb07
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
In the first NBA All-Star tournament game, featuring Team Chuck vs. Team Kenny, it was Evan Mobley of Team Kenny who scored the first points of the new format.
In transition, the Cavs big man was on the receiving end of an alley-oop from Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams.
Mobley added another bucket as Team Chuck led 17-12 at the first timeout of the contest, which will be decided by the first to 40.
And we're underway. There's no game clock in these games. First team to 40 points in the semifinals wins.
Here are the rosters for the opening game:
Team Kenny
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota TimberwolvesJalen Brunson, New York KnicksJaren Jackson Jr., Memphis GrizzliesJalen Williams, Oklahoma City ThunderDarius Garland, Cleveland CavaliersEvan Mobley, Cleveland CavaliersCade Cunningham, Detroit PistonsTyler Herro, Miami Heat
vs.
Team Chuck
Nikola Jokić, Denver NuggetsTrae Young, Atlanta Hawks (replacing Giannis Antetokounmpo)Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City ThunderVictor Wembanyama, San Antonio SpursPascal Siakam, Indiana PacersAlperen Şengün, Houston RocketsKarl-Anthony Towns, New York KnicksDonovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
All-Star intros full of pomp and circumstance are over. Team Kenny vs. Team Chuck is up next.
Introducing Chuck's Global Stars!🌟 #NBAAllStar is LIVE on TNT pic.twitter.com/kc0nJ6QNDw
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
Introducing Kenny's Young Stars!🌟 #NBAAllStar is LIVE on TNT pic.twitter.com/od0CL6nTbe
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, speaking before the All-Star Game, pledged to participate in a 1-on-1 battle next season, if the NBA decides to add the event to its festivities.
"If I had the chance to play 1-on-1 with anybody, I would love to do it," he said. "Anything that can make the weekend more exciting, more fun for the viewers, for the fans and for the players, I would love to participate. ... If it's a 1-on-1 competition, I would love to participate."
He gives himself a pretty good shot, too.
"I think sometimes you forget, to be a good 1-on-1 player, you've got to be able to play both ways," he said. "You've got to get a stop to get the ball. You don't get a stop, you're not getting the ball. It's kind of hard, say, if Kyrie Irving is going against [Victor Wembanyama]. He's got to get a stop. But it would be fun. It would be fun. I would love to participate if next year there's a 1-on-1 tournament. I would love to participate."
Is he sure?
"I can't make no promises," he said, "but if I'm healthy, I'd probably do it.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will be sidelined for the All-Star Game on Sunday night, as he manages the ankle soreness that has plagued him for the past few seasons, ending his record-setting streak of 20 consecutive All-Star Game starts.
"I was hoping that it would feel a lot better this morning, but it's just not where I wanted it to be," said James. "With 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild West, I feel like it's very important for me to take care of myself and understand what was coming on.
"It is maintenance, but at the same time I have to look out for myself when it comes to this injury I've been dealing with for years."
James flew from Los Angeles to San Francisco on Sunday and will return later in the night.
"There will be no vacation for me," he said. "I head back to L.A. tonight and back to the rehab tomorrow and getting ready for practice on Tuesday."
His availability for Wednesday's home game against the Charlotte Hornets is questionable.
More on James' absence.
SAN FRANCISCO — NBA commissioner Adam Silver sees all and hears all: the praise of where his game is or, most importantly, the constant critique the NBA is subject to, almost on a daily basis.
The never-ending 3-point discussion, one that even he has chimed in on at times.
The money element, the financial decisions that have played a big part in trades involving Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns, and the standoff with Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
The officiating, the challenges with a million camera angles and a million more opinions on social media and in NBA locker rooms.
And he's even contributed to it in ways, jokingly throwing gasoline onto the discourse by suggesting 10-minute quarters instead of the usual 12 — a suggestion that earned a decent amount of criticism.
'I try to read it all, frankly, and we try to absorb it at the league office,' Silver said during his annual news conference at All-Star Weekend inside Chase Center. 'I think the state of the game is excellent. I think it's the media's role, the fans' role, it's perfectly appropriate to be critical of the game, and I find it very helpful. I'm not one of those people who said I don't read criticism.'
How Silver is trying to shape the league.
Nobody was beating Mac McClung in his three-peat bid.
The Magic G Leaguer was once again the runaway slam dunk contest winner for his third-straight title Saturday night in a performance for the ages. He started things with a dunk worthy of a closer and continued to wow with each successive dunk. Each of McClung's dunks earned a perfect 50 score.
Catch up on all of NBA All-Star Saturday night.
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- USA Today
Cowboys should pounce as soon as 2x Pro Bowler owed $36 million hits open market
Cowboys should pounce as soon as 2x Pro Bowler owed $36 million hits open market The Dallas Cowboys were saving money for a situation such as this. As it stands currently, the Cowboys have over $32 million in available cap space for 2025 according to Over the Cap. That's the seventh-highest amount in the league and while a ton of that is earmarked for the several pending long-term deals the team has to negotiate, they should not feel the need to hoard that space. Rather, they should also consider spending some of it on a short-term investment and that appears ready to fall onto their radar. The Green Bay Packers have announced they are going to release cornerback Jaire Alexander, a common move when a club is looking to drum up trade activity before finally waving the white flag on contract negotiations. The Packers have been trying to get Alexander to accept a lower amount after signing him to an extension entering 2022. He's oft-injured, appearing in just 14 games the last two seasons, and was given the four-year $84 million extension after an injury-plagued 2021 season. He has two years and $36 million remaining on the deal; $1.3 million in game-day bonuses, $700 in a 2026 roster bonus and $16.15 million and $18.15 million in base salary each of the next two years. There will likely be some level of interest from multiple teams, and Dallas should be one of them. Yes, the Cowboys are in the middle of paying their own oft-injured All-Pro corner a huge sum of money in Trevon Diggs. Yes the Cowboys need to extend a new contract to All-Pro DaRon Bland as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Yes the Cowboys drafted Shavon Revel in the third round with eyes on him being a future starter. Yes the Cowboys traded for Kaiir Elam to play out the final year of his first-round rookie deal. It doesn't matter; there's never a such thing as having too many good corners. Make no mistake, Alexander is still a very good NFL corner. He had one truly elite year, 2020, but every other year on his resume his grades have been very good, including when Pro Football Focus gave him 75.9 and 75.2 overall grades each of his last two truncated seasons. Adding Alexander to the mix would allow the Cowboys to start the season from a position of strength at cornerback instead of just working to get by. Alexander and Elam could man the boundary corners with Bland at the slot, while the team awaits the return from injury of Diggs and Revel, who is still recovering from an ACL injury that stole most of his final season at East Carolina. Neither of the two would need to be rushed back, and Revel could spend the season being brought along slowly instead of being thrust into an immediate contributor unless he warranted such. Elam could rotate to backup, which he was with Buffalo, when either Diggs or Revel were ready to shine. As for compensation, Dallas should bite the bullet. If Alexander wants a prove-it deal that would allow him to hit free agency in March when all 32 teams are flush with cash, Dallas is a team that could withstand the hit from a one-year contract, or add void years to spread the cap hit over two seasons. If he demands a multi-year deal, they can creatively build provisions that gives the bulk of money up front while allowing them enough room to make a long-term decision on Diggs' contract after the season while still allocating money for Bland's extension. Many think the Cowboys aren't ready to compete for a championship this year, but if they had a stacked secondary along with the stacked pass rush rotation they've built, along with two certifiable stud WRs in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, why would they not be seen as among the best teams in the NFL?


Fox Sports
19 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Mavericks schedule private pre-Draft workout for Duke's Cooper Flagg, per report
The Dallas Mavericks have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25. In preparation, they've scheduled a private workout with Duke freshman Cooper Flagg for June 17, per ESPN . The 6-foot-9 Flagg is expected to go first-overall in this month's draft, but this move would only make the likelihood of that occurring increase. Per the report, the Mavericks have no other plans to work out any other players in private like they will Flagg. The implication there is not just that the Mavericks expect to take Flagg at No. 1, but also that, were they to trade their 1:1 pick in order to acquire a haul of win-now assets to pair with Anthony Davis and — eventually — the rehabilitating Kyrie Irving, who is recovering from surgery to repair an ACL tear suffered in March — they would not be receiving meaningful 2025 draft picks in return. [Related: Inside the mind of Duke's Cooper Flagg: 'He wants to destroy his competition' ] All indications — both public and private, per ESPN — seem to be that the Mavericks will keep the pick and use it to acquire Flagg, however, especially given general manager Nico Harrison's refrain of defense winning championships being the reason the organization dealt Luka Doncic to the Lakers in a shocking February trade. Essentially, Flagg himself as viewed as a win-now asset. Flagg's offensive potential is considerable — he scored 19.2 points per game as a freshman at Duke, with 4.2 assists per game as a forward — but defense is where he truly shines. He averaged 1.4 blocks and steals per game while pulling down an average of 6.2 defensive rebounds, and the only questions about him entering the 2024-2025 NCAA season were about how quickly his offense would catch up to his stellar defensive chops. Flagg ended up winning award after award for his one-and-done performance, which also included a trip to the Final Four for Duke. The Mavericks had just a 1.8% chance of securing the first-overall pick in the NBA Draft, and only even had that much of one because the team went into freefall falling the Doncic trade. Despite the almost nonexistent chance of being in line to draft Flagg, however, the Mavericks ended up winning the NBA Draft lottery, and are now weeks away from bringing him to Dallas if they choose to do so. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Cooper Flagg Dallas Mavericks National Basketball Association recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Detroit Pistons Linked to Experienced Big Man in Free Agency by NBA Reporter
Detroit Pistons Linked to Experienced Big Man in Free Agency by NBA Reporter originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Detroit Pistons ran out of steam in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks as big man Isaiah Stewart watched from the sidelines and Jalen Brunson's team took over the Motor City. Advertisement The loss was difficult but not unexpected considering the Pistons' relative playoff inexperience. It also shed light on Detroit's need for another big man alongside Stewart and Jalen Duren, the heroic frontcourt duo who held down the fort for most of the season in Motown. On Saturday a potential free agent signing was floated out by a popular X account that caught the attention of NBA fans nationwide. Naz Reid attempts to block Chet Holmgren during a May 28 game. © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images "The Pistons are among the teams with interest in Timberwolves big man (Naz) Reid, league sources say," reporter Marc Stein said. "Detroit is known to covet a floor-spacing big man and, according to sources, is likewise said to hold interest in Indiana's Myles Turner. Advertisement "Whether the Pistons have a tangible shot at acquiring either player, mind you, is far from clear,' Stein added. Reid could opt out of the three-year, $42 million contract he signed with the Timberwolves in June 2023 and become an unrestricted free agent. He scored over 10 points per game in his last four games of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder including four made three-pointers in his last three games. The Timberwolves were knocked out of the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive year, adding to speculation that they may look to make some roster changes this offseason. Related: Detroit Pistons' 'Bad Boys' Legends Rodman, Laimbeer Reunite at Saturday Event This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.