Steph Curry and LeBron James’ natural chemistry: Seven things we learned from the 70th NBA All-Star Game

Stephen Curry and LeBron James love playing alongside each other; ‘Dame Time’ is very real; the judging of the Dunk Contest needs to change; plus more takeaways from All-Star Sunday

The NBA All-Star Game has been and gone for another year, with Team LeBron defeating Team Durant 170-150 and Giannis Antetokounmpo taking home the Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP award.

But what else did we learn? Well, quite a lot as it happens.

GM LeBron

From the moment LeBron James finished selecting his starting five – himself, Stephen Curry, Giannis, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic – you knew Team Durant would be in a hell of a lot of trouble come All-Star night.

If that wasn’t enough, throw in Damian Lillard as the first name off the bench for good measure.

Sure, there were mitigating circumstances. Kevin Durant had his hands tied with the first pick (Brooklyn Nets team-mate Kyrie Irving) and lost one of his best starters in Joel Embiid due to Covid-19 protocols before the game.

Even so, LeBron’s roster was vastly superior in every way.

It was no surprise then that they won each of the first three quarters during the All-Star Game itself, before beating Team Durant to the target score in the fourth. There was to be no dramatic finish this year.

They were so comfortable in fact, LeBron could even afford to sit himself midway through the second period, essentially becoming a full-time cheerleader for the rest of the contest

What this all points to is that once LeBron finally does decide to call it a day, a long and fruitful career as the head of one of the league’s 30 front offices awaits him. Not that he plans on retiring anytime soon.

Let’s be honest, he was basically running things in Cleveland as a player/GM as they scrambled to build a contender around him year-after-year anyway. Just don’t be too surprised when he inevitably makes a much better go of it than Michael Jordan.

Steph is the greatest shooter of all time

Look. We knew this beforehand. Well, most of us did. It was never really in question, even if there are a few doubters still scattered around out there.

Curry’s performances in the 3-Point Contest first and then the All-Star Game itself were, in a word, frightening

Mike Conley ran Curry close – and full credit to him – but once Steph got rolling right off the bat in the first round, the end result of the competition was never in doubt, even it did take him until the final ball to seal it.

Then there was the game itself. How does anyone even begin to explain this kind of ridiculousness?

Damian Lillard’s expression said it all – clearly he wanted to get in on the act himself…..

There’s range and then there’s RANGE.

Despite taking ludicrous shots like this with some frequency, Steph is a 43 per cent shooter from deep for his career. For most mortals that would amount to a career-best year, not an average. Given the fact he does it with such reckless shot selection is astounding. But then again, it doesn’t really qualify as reckless for him.

Curry currently sits on 2,664 three-pointers made in the NBA, second all-time behind Ray Allen on 2,973. He should pass Allen and take first place for himself towards the end of the 2021-22 season.

From then on, the record will likely sit with Steph for a very, very long time.

‘Dame Time’ is very real

Back to Dame. As if he wasn’t doing it enough through the regular season, Lillard once again came up huge in the clutch, hitting the walk-off game-winning three for Team LeBron.

When Curry himself is waving goodbye to the other team as soon as the ball gets in your hands, you know you’re a problem.

With the second half of the season still to play and the Portland Trail Blazers lurking at fifth in the West, most Western Conference teams will probably know which team – and which player in particular – they’ll be praying to avoid in the first round of the playoffs.

In case you needed reminding, ‘Dame Time’ has quite a history in the post-season, too.

The COVID protocols worked

While Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid missed the All-Star Game due to Covid-19 tracing protocols – a barber they had been in contact with tested positive for the virus – that was as far as any potential outbreak went.

As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski the day after the event, all players coaches and officials returned negative Covid tests.

Although there was lengthy debate before All-Star on whether the game should actually go ahead, it does seem as though the league pulled it off while completely minimising the risk of infection for all those taking part. For that at least, the NBA deserves credit.

The big men have skills

The less said about Luka Doncic’s pass attempts and Chris Paul’s lay-up the better (how often are you likely to read that sentence?), but it was both refreshing and entertaining to see two big men duel it out in the All-Star Skills Challenge final.

Both Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Vucevic breezed through their two qualifiers before the final, knocking out favourites Doncic and Paul in the process.

Sabonis then edged it on the three-pointers to claim the trophy after finishing runner-up last year.

We are currently experiencing a golden age of bigs with all the technical ability of guards so it was a fitting result, especially after Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo won the event last year.

Two-time Skills Challenge champion Dwyane Wade could once again only look on in disgust as the smaller guys failed him.

Dunk Contest judging needs to change

It does feel as though Sunday’s Dunk Contest was doomed to fail from the start. The line-up of Obi Toppin, Cassius Stanley and eventual winner Anfernee Simons was underwhelming, whilst cramming the event into half-time made it seem like an afterthought.

Players usually feed off the reaction of the crowd but as there wasn’t one, Toppin, Stanley and Simons avoided any kind of showmanship. It made the contest flat. Sorry Anfernee, trying to kiss the rim just won’t cut it, even if you did win.

But the biggest disappointment was once again the inconsistent judging. Cassius Stanley was given 44 for a first dunk that deserved close to 50. After that, he essentially gave up knowing he wouldn’t make it to the final.

We’re still not over the two robberies committed against Aaron Gordon. The Dunk Contest has a lot to fix but sorting out the inconsistent judging must come first if the competition is to become a true spectacle again.

And finally… Steph and LeBron’s natural chemistry

The two Akron-born superstars, so often adversaries in finals gone by, finally got the chance to play together. And boy, did they put on a show.

You could tell both relished the opportunity, and whether it was LeBron dishing to Steph for a half-court splash or Steph watching from up close as LeBron did his famous chalk toss, it was refreshing to see them both relax and enjoy their natural chemistry together after so many on-court battles.

Let’s just hope that wasn’t the first and last time…

How Drake ‘ruined’ Stephen Curry’s planned tribute to his father

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors poses with his dad Dell Curry after their 128-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks on December 3, 2018.Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Drake’s incessant need for attention inadvertently “ruined” a sweet tribute Stephen Curry planned for his father Dell.

Dell, who handled the whole thing with good humor, shared Tuesday that his son had an homage in the works for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

“Before I flew to Toronto, Steph called me and said, ‘Hey pops, pack me one of your old Toronto jerseys,’” Dell Curry said on a conference call for July’s American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in Tahoe. “That was the exact same jersey I packed for him. … Then Drake shows up in it so that ruined that.”

Drake, of course, wore a vintage Dell Curry Toronto Raptors to Game 1; Dell played for the Raptors from 1999-2002. Curry had planned to wear that same jersey prior to Game 2 of the finals according to Dell.

“It was all fun. You know all about the trolling and everything,” he said. “He went to great depth to get that jersey, so it’s probably a little bit of respect. I think more than that, it fired up the Warriors even more to try to steal a game there in Toronto and I think they did just that.”

‘Tattletales’ Game Show Revival Hosted By Ayesha & Stephen Curry Ordered By HBO Max

Best-selling author Ayesha Curry and NBA star Stephen Curry are heading to HBO Max with a revival of Fremantle‘s classic game show Tattletales. The WarnerMedia streaming service has given a series order to Tattletales, hosted and executive produced by the husband-and-wife duo from Fremantle and Sweet July Productions.

The reimagined Tattletales will bring together celebrity couples to reveal hilarious insights about their relationship through fun challenges and games. Three couples will join Ayesha and Stephen on an exclusive date night to go head-to-head on uncensored relationship trivia and games, competing to see who knows their partner best. As personality quirks and hidden talents are revealed, teams are pushed to their limits with physical challenges. Questions from viewers on the interactive fan question board put couples’ relationships to the test as they compete for a donation to the charity of their choice.

“We are so excited to be a part of bringing this awesome game show back to life,” Stephen Curry said. Added Ayesha, “Our families are huge fans of the original so to be able to host and produce this show together is such a joy. We’re both so busy with life that each episode will be an opportunity to hang out with some iconic power couples, have fun and let loose a bit. We can’t wait!”

The original Tattletales, produced by Goodson-Todman Productions in association with Fremantle, had two runs on the CBS daytime schedule between February 1974 and June 1984. It was hosted by Bert Convy, with several announcers including Jack Clark, Gene Wood, Johnny Olson and John Harlan providing the voiceover at various times.

Tattletales is produced by Fremantle and Ayesha Curry’s Sweet July Productions. The Currys serve as executive producers. Tiffany Nicholson-Horton, EVP and Head of Development for Sweet July Productions, and Erick Peyton, Co-Founder and CCO of Unanimous Media, will also serve as executive producers.

 

Steph Curry is Ƅack at it.

The Warriors superstar knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer with 5.5 seconds left in Golden State’s 116-115 preseason win oʋer the Sacraмento Kings at Chase Center.

The “night night” celebration wasn’t seen often last season, as the Warriors journeyed through a tuмultuous caмpaign and lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Lakers. But it appears Curry will Ƅe bringing it Ƅack this year.

Curry wasn’t the only hooper to break out the “night night” Wednesday, either. The Las Vegas Aces celebrated their second consecutiʋe chaмpionship Ƅy putting the New York LiƄerty to sleep, a reference to Sabrina Ionescu’s celebration that she adopted froм Curry.

Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but what is the secret to his success? Drinking wine or Tequila to unwind after a game, he says.

Credit: Instagram/kingjames
Though Lebron James is having yet another absurd season when it comes to his own personal stats, the Los Angeles Lakers have endured a tumultuous campaign thus far with their superstar players looking unable to gel – they find themselves in an unlikely battle for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.

As such, James and the Lakers have been forced to endure a considerable amount of criticism throughout the campaign, so how does basketball’s biggest star unwind and let go after the stresses and strains of the NBA schedule? Well pretty much like the rest of us do, it turns out.

“I could care less about what the narrative about our team is,” James said after the Lakers saw off the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

“At my point in my career, I don’t get involved in that stuff. I don’t read about it, I don’t hear it too much. I go home, drink wine or tequila every night and if I’m at my house in LA I’m watching a movie with the kids or I’m playing Madden.

“Like I said the other night, I get frustrated and angry about losses and things we could have done better and things of that nature, but, I mean once I get off the court I leave all that stuff there.”

It is perhaps unsurprising that Tequila is one of James’ drinks of choice – he is an investor in Lobos 1707 Tequila, founded by Diego Osorios and CEO Dia Simms

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Left to right: Diego Osorio, Dia Simms and Lebron James (Photo: Lobos 1707)
“I knew the first time I tasted Lobos 1707 Tequila that it was special,” James said at the time his investment was announced. “When I learned more about the brand story and leadership team, I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

Last year Lebron James revealed that he drank wine “pretty much every night”, citing perceived heart health benefits.

The famous driver Mario Andretti recently offered NBA legend Steph Curry, his wife Ayesha, and their family the chance to go on a once-in-a-lifetime IndyCar adventure.

This event included an exciting blend of excitement and athletics. The Curry family was fully immersed in the heart-pounding world of professional racing while they were racing at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, making memories that would last for generations or even longer.

Anticipation in the neighborhood was tangible when racing icon Mario Andretti, a well-known figure in the racing world, greeted the Curry family for an incredible IndyCar experience.

The Curry family found that Andretti, who is renowned for his amazing accomplishments on the track, was the ideal mentor as they ventured into the thrilling world of high-speed racing.

For Steph and Ayesha Curry, celebrated in the realms of basketball and culinary arts, this presented a chance to enter an entirely new domain.

This was a valuable opportunity for the family to spend quality time together, and it was much more than just a fast ride. The Curry children saw their parents partake in such an amazing journey with a great deal of enthusiasm and admiration. This unique event, a shared trip that was totally different from the usual things that the family does, was what pulled the family together.

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Mario Andretti, leveraging his extensive expertise and charismatic charm, added an extra layer of significance to the Currys’ experience. His enthusiasm for racing and his openness to share this fervor with others radiated, transforming the encounter into more than just a thгilling ride— it became a deeply personal and engaging connection.

The wonderful moments that Mario Andretti and the Curry family shared during their 100 mph IndyCar ride transcended simple thгills; they reflected the delight of embracing unique experiences, the strength of familial relationships, and the excitement of stepping beyond one’s comfort zone. As a result of this remarkable event, not only did the Curry family experience a surge of enthusiasm, but it also served as a source of motivation for a great number of other people to seek out and welcome new experiences in their own lives.