NBA Scores: Jayson Tatum makes historical past in All-Star Recreation victory

Face it: The NBA All-Star Recreation won’t ever be what it was once. Nobody who has obtained the consideration of touring throughout the nation to participate in a weekend-long sequence of basketball-related actions whereas their teammates and friends are taking ATV excursions in Costa Rica is enthusiastic about taking part in protection. The All-Star Recreation is about seeing who could make the deepest three, or who can embarrass whom with the wildest alley-oop to themselves, or maybe the most well-liked endeavor, who can rating essentially the most factors.

Jayson Tatum answered the latter name after which some.

He cruised to the 2023 All-Star Recreation MVP with a contest-record 55 factors on 22-of-32 capturing, plus 10 rebounds and 6 assists to steer Group Giannis to a 184-175 victory. Tatum’s 27 factors within the sport’s third interval broke one other file on an evening the place he appeared unstoppable (what else is new… you understand, aside from the phantom protection).

The remainder of All-Star weekend belonged, naturally, to Mac McClung. In case you have but to see the dunks that received him this 12 months’s Slam Dunk Contest, you’ll perceive why the web instantly grew to become a shrine to his artistry.

Now, provided that this wasn’t precisely a recap that lined a big selection of video games, I figured I’d supply some ideas on just a few groups I believe make for essentially the most attention-grabbing squads to observe as we enter the ultimate portion of the common season. Some could also be on the play-in bubble, whereas others are squarely within the playoff race however can’t appear to vault their manner into title competition. With that latter level in thoughts, the Cavs look like place to start out.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The NBA world appeared mildly shocked to see the Cavs stay dormant at this 12 months’s commerce deadline, particularly given how certain everybody appeared that they’d make a transfer to fill their “vacant” wing place. However Feb. 9 got here and went, and Saddiq Bey was shipped to Atlanta, OG Anunoby remained a Raptor, and Isaac Okoro stayed in Cleveland. A mix of Okoro, the newly-bought-out Danny Inexperienced, Caris LeVert, Dean Wade, and Cedi Osman isn’t precisely prolific. Any a kind of gamers is way extra prone to be ignored on the offensive finish than Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland. That’s why so many individuals assumed Mike Gansey and Koby Altman would look to fill that gap: to take some strain off of their two offensively-burdened stars.

Regardless of standing pat on the deadline, Cleveland surged because the All-Star break approached, successful eight of its remaining 10 video games earlier than the break, together with a seven-game win streak earlier than falling to the Philadelphia 76ers within the remaining sport earlier than the annual leaguewide pause. Now, it certain appears just like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and 76ers will end because the Japanese Convention’s high three squads, however the Cavs are simply two video games again from the third seed and 5 from Boston’s high spot. A minimum of one spherical of homecourt benefit isn’t out of the query for the Cavs ought to any of these groups stumble out of the break. Something can occur when you may have a participant who can pull a 50-piece — or extra — out of his bag of tips on any given evening.

Los Angeles Clippers

Don’t look now, however the Clippers stay fourth within the West and just some video games again from the second seed within the convention, regardless of season-long uncertainty about Kawhi Leonard and Paul George’s collective availability. The Clippers have been energetic on the deadline, departing with Reggie Jackson, John Wall, and Luke Kennard whereas buying Eric Gordon, Bones Hyland, and Mason Plumlee through commerce. Ty Lue’s rotation now encompasses a mishmash of wings, certain, however Plumlee gives some Ivica Zubac safety, and Hyland ought to function a much-needed scoring punch on the guard place. Gordon hasn’t been completely satisfied since 2011, so being again in L.A. ought to serve him properly.

Additionally, regardless of Kawhi’s intermittent load administration schedule, he’s been on a tear of late, serving as a extra current drive on a semi-nightly foundation. Because the begin of 2023, he’s averaged 26.4 factors on 51 p.c capturing (45 p.c from three) together with 6.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and only a tick beneath two steals per sport. That’s MVP-level basketball; the Clippers are undoubtedly exhausting to beat when he performs like that. How typically he can do it would outline their season.

Orlando Magic

Since beginning the season 5-20, the Magic are 19-15. It’s not an exemplary mark, by any means, but it surely’s a successful file, which is one thing that not many iterations of the Orlando Magic can say they’ve managed at any level of a season for the higher a part of the final decade. Let’s say they proceed to stay afloat at this tempo for the rest of the common season. Who says they’ll’t be a play-in workforce?

For the time being, they’re simply 4 video games out of the tenth seed within the Japanese Convention, which is at the moment occupied by the less-than-inspiring Toronto Raptors. Standing of their method to that spot are the Chicago Bulls — losers of six in a row previous to the break — and the Indiana Pacers — an odd concoction of a workforce that may’t fairly contend, but is just too gifted to tank.

The Magic discover themselves in the same place, however they’ve been putzing in regards to the backside of the East for a lot too lengthy and proceed to waste the youths of gifted younger contributors because of lottery journey after lottery journey. Why not let this budding core see how far it may push itself? A play-in exit is probably going, given their inconsistencies, however you possibly can’t inform me this Orlando workforce — led by Rookie of the 12 months shoo-in Paolo Banchero, a rejuvenated Markelle Fultz, and the mild-yet-exciting Franz Wagner, amongst others — can’t feasibly take down both the Atlanta Hawks or Washington Wizards. It’s definitely not far-fetched to me.