Going long-range
NEW ORLEANS – King James’ reign as half-court shot champion of the world was a brief one.
Hometown favorite Chris Paul usurped LeBron James and Jason Kidd as the leaders in the friendly competition after a brief All-Star practice on Saturday.
The Eastern and Western conference All-Star squads each selected players to attempt as many half-court shots as they could in one minute. A moderator pronounced that whoever made the most would hold the Guinness World Records mark for that timeframe.
James took jump shots from half court, hitting three. Jason Kidd also made three, all on underhanded heaves.
Howard flies to title
Look, up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Dwight Howard – super slam dunk champion.
A red cape trailing behind him, Orlando’s man of steel made like Superman and won the All-Star dunk contest.
Using a variety of props as well as teammate Jameer Nelson, Howard scored perfect 50s from judges on his first two dunks before the contest was turned over to fan voting in the final round.
Fans, too, picked the 6-foot-11 Howard over Minnesota’s Gerald Green.
Williams shows skills
Deron Williams was flawless and fast.
With a nearly perfect run through an obstacle course of dribbling, passing and shooting, Utah’s point guard won the skills challenge.
Williams blazed up, down and around the floor in 25.5 seconds, a record for the 6-year-old event. Chris Paul, who completed the circuit in 29.9 seconds in the first round, finished in 31.2 seconds for second place.
Kapono wins shootout
Toronto’s Jason Kapono won his second straight 3-point shootout, tying a 22-year-old record with a final round of 25.
Kapono missed his first two shots in the last round before dropping 10 straight.
Cleveland’s Daniel Gibson finished second. He scored 17 points in the final round.
Kidd, Bryant in limbo
Jason Kidd is an Eastern Conference All-Star, who by today could play for a team in the West.
“I told him he should have spent 30 minutes in the Western Conference meetings, and 30 minutes in the Eastern Conference meeting,” Cleveland’s LeBron James said.
Kidd’s stalled trade from New Jersey to Dallas probably won’t change the color of his uniform for the All-Star game, but it added a level of uncertainty to the weekend.
“He’s kind of in limbo,” Kobe Bryant said.
So is Bryant.
Bryant said he’d “rather not play” because of a torn ligament in his right pinkie, but doesn’t think he has a choice. NBA policy dictates that if a player is healthy enough to play in the final game before the break and the first one after, he won’t be excused from the All-Star game.