The Sportsletter - *Defending* NBA All-Star Weekend

BY JEFF YODER & MARISSA KASCH

FEB. 19, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

I'm running on fumes as we recap a thrilling sports weekend. Today’s main feature is a little more personal after yours truly was on the scene for NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis. I heard it all, good and bad. My sports bucket list just got a little shorter, and my Indiana pride a little stronger. From LED courts to celebrity shootouts and Draymond Green's big mouth, let me tell you about an unforgettable basketball weekend as I play my own brand of defense.

Scheduling Note: The 66th Daytona 500 was postponed to today (4:00 pm ET, FOX) due to rain. We’ll have full coverage in tomorrow’s edition.

Letter Rip!

NBA

*Defending* NBA All-Star Weekend

Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images

73rd NBA All-Star Game: East Beats West (211-186) to Cap Record-Breaking Weekend in Indianapolis... Like It Or Not

Defense, anyone? There was none of that for 72 hours of basketball in Indianapolis this weekend, and I loved it. No matter your take on NBA All-Star Weekend’s event schedule, style of play, or format, we’re going to stay positive here, team. Yes, the dunk contest is broken. Yes, the lack of defense in the All-Star Game is almost comical. And above all, yes, it was a cold, snowy, blizzard-like weekend in Indy. But you know what? It was epic. Warriors' hothead Draymond Green can say whatever he wants about my state (and city). Indy smashes it out of the park for major events. There's a reason Green had a microphone instead of a jersey this weekend as he threw punches (pun intended) at Indiana -- a place where basketball reigns supreme. Anger issues need not apply in this All-Star recap. But go ahead, Draymond. Wax poetic all the way to your seat... a seat somewhere in the stands and not on the court at All-Star Weekend.

Sometimes, there's beauty in imperfection. I slipped and fell on an icy sidewalk rushing to the Celebrity Game on Friday. I booed another lackluster dunk contest with horrendous judging on Saturday. And I gleefully watched as 397 points were posted on a Sunday night where defense turned to dust. Celebrities and superstars were around every corner for three straight nights in downtown Indy — celebs like 50 Cent, Lil’ Wayne, Larry Bird and Mark Cuban. You know? Much bigger celebs than Draymond Green. And it was a blast.

Love it or hate it, it's a celebration of the 24 best players on the planet (sorry Draymond, not you) playing pick-up-style games with the pageantry turned up to level 100. Worth. Every. Penny. So regardless of the negative commentary about Indiana's weather or its "vibe," and the competition scrooges who require defense in an All-Star Game, this weekend was basketball bliss. Thanks, NBA! Here are some of the best highlights from a three-day celebration with some of the biggest stars in the world, all in one place... and me (the only one attempting to play defense in Indy).

The Highest-Scoring All-Star Game Ever

Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game broke the scoring record with the Eastern Conference beating the Western Conference (211-186) in the return to the old East-West format for the first time since 2017. The East passed the 200-mark with time to spare, and the 397 combined points obliterated the previous record of 374. Karl-Anthony Towns was the game’s high-scorer with 50 points as he started hunting dunks down the stretch. There were a handful of funny moments with European players like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic clowning around. Trae Young megged Kevin Durant. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylen Brown both put up 30-plus on hot-shooting nights. But the controversy? That came with the All-Star MVP nod as two Eastern Conference guards — who are likely to meet again this spring — jockeyed for shots in the 4th.

Damian Lillard Wins All-Star MVP

With Indianapolis playing host to the All-Star festivities, Pacers’ guard Tyrese Haliburton was the hometown star of the weekend. And Bucks’ guard Damian Lillard wasn’t having it. You might remember the Pacers ousted the Bucks in the NBA In-Season Tournament, and Indy fans were booing Lillard all weekend long. Both Haliburton (Skills Challenge) and Lillard (3-Point Contest) split Saturday night awards. Haliburton wowed the home crowd on Sunday by scoring 32 points on 10-for-14 shooting from 3, and he started 5-for-5 from deep. It was Haliburton's show. At least, it was supposed to be. Lillard (11-for-23, 3-pt) tallied 39 points, but he took a dozen more shots, much to the dismay of the Indy fans pulling for Haliburton. To his credit, Dame did drill a pair of half-court pull-up jumpers. You could feel the energy in the building shift late, almost as if Dame was pulling the trigger and refusing to let Haliburton win the weekend. The Bucks-Pacers rivalry is real.

End result? Lillard, MVP. Haliburton, snubbed.

Fun Fact: Damian Lillard is the second player in NBA history to win a Saturday night event and the All-Star Game MVP in the same weekend. The other? Michael Jordan (1988).

Editor's Recap: Say what you will about the competition level of the All-Star Game — it’s a strange event and likely not ideal for traditional basketball purists — but it’s meant to be a casual affair. For me, it was one of the few irregular sporting events remaining on my bucket list, and it was awesome.

Watch: East Beats West (211-186) in Highest-Scoring All-Star Game Ever

NBA All-Star Game (Top Scorers)

K. Towns (MIN): 50 Points, 8 Rebounds

D. Lillard (MIL): 39 Points (11-for-23, 3pt)

J. Brown (BOS): 36 Points (6-or-12, 3pt)

T. Haliburton (IND): 32 Points (10-for-14, 3pt)

S. Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC): 31 Points (7-for-10, 3pt)

More Videos & Storylines

B/R: LeBron James Talks 20th All-Star Game on Inside the NBA

ESPN: NBA Again Left Seeking Solutions After Uncompetitive All-Star Game

Yahoo! Sports: 2024 NBA All-Star Game: It’s a Shooting Showcase for Lillard, Haliburton in Blowout East Win

All-Star Weekend Event Highlights

Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images

Steph vs. Sabrina, Skills Challenge, Dunk Contest, 3-Point Contest & More

Sunday night was the big game, but the Friday and Saturday slates at All-Star Weekend were full of fun at every turn. Friday featured the Rising Stars game and the Celebrity Game with Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe serving as coaches in a celeb-packed arena. On Saturday, both Damian Lillard and G-Leaguer Mac McClung repeated as 3-point and Dunk Contest champs, respectively. Team Pacers and Haliburton won the Skills Challenge, too. And a special NBA-WNBA 3-point shootout between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu was an unforgettable moment for the game — men and women alike.

Whether you were watching from home or in person, the first-ever LED Court was one of the most innovative and unique features ever brought to a sporting event. Here’s the weekend event winners rundown:

NBA All-Star Weekend Highlights

NBA Rising Stars Game Highlights

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Highlights

Pacers Dominate Skills Challenge

Lillard Repeats at 3-Point Champion

Steph vs. Sabrina Was As Advertised

Mac McClung Jumps Over Shaq to Win 2nd Straight Dunk Contest

*All Links to Highlight Videos

NHL

An Outdoor Rangers Rally for the Ages

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

Stadium Series Sees Largest Comeback Ever to Cap Stunning Weekend at MetLife Stadium

Outdoor hockey was all the rage this weekend on the east coast. A pair of games — one Saturday, one Sunday — took over MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey as four teams bundled up and showed out for what’s become one of the NHL’s regular showcases. The Flyers and Devils met on Saturday, showing up in dueling costume themes representing “Rocky” (Philadelphia) and “Sopranos” (Jersey). On Sunday, the New York squads — Rangers and Islanders — played in one of the most exciting games of the entire season. Let’s rewind:

Devils def. Flyers (6-3)

The Devils won Saturday’s clash on the largest stage in franchise history thanks to three points from Nico Hischier (2 Goals, 1 Assist) and a pair of goals from Nathan Bastian. Devils goaltender Nico Daws also made 45 saves, and the Devils defended their home state in Game 1 of the MetLife Stadium Series.

Rangers def. Islanders (6-5, OT)

Game 2 on Sunday looked like a similar story until the Rangers made Stadium Series history. The Islanders led 4-1 in the 2nd period before back-to-back goals by Vincent Trochek made things interesting. The Isles answered to open the 3rd and retake a 5-3 advantage, but Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad lifted the Rangers with two power-play strikes in the final five minutes to force overtime. Just ten seconds into OT, Artemi Panarin found the net (sort of) on a wild goal where the net came undone. A three-goal rally — between New York rivals — became the largest comeback in Stadium Series history.

CBS Sports: Rangers Pull Off Incredible Comeback to Stun Islanders at MetLife Stadium

PGA

Hideki Makes History at Chaotic Riviera

Photo: Ben Jared / Getty Images

Hideki Matsuyama Breaks Records as Wild Scenarios Unfold at Genesis Invitational (By Marissa Kasch)

The field was small, but the purse was large at this weekend’s Genesis Invitational, and a flurry of sidebar storylines unfolded throughout the weekend before we found a winner. Jordan Spieth was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Will Zalatoris aced the 14th and later shared that he played through the loss of a family member. And Tiger Woods withdrew with an illness. After all of that, Hideki Matsuyama put together a dramatic comeback win on Sunday. It seemed likely that Patrick Cantlay would take home the $4 million purse after he held a two-stroke lead, and his game looked pristine all weekend, until the final round. He struggled to find fairways or greens. When he did find the greens, he couldn’t find the cup.

Matsuyama, on the other hand, rallied from a six-stroke deficit to finish 17-under overall and 9-under (62) on Sunday. He was just one birdie putt on the 18th away from tying the course record at Riviera, but he still made history. This weekend’s victory marked his ninth PGA Tour win, breaking the record for Asian-born players. He also set the Riviera record for the lowest closing round by a winner on Sunday.

Genesis Leaderboard (Final)

H. Matsuyama (-17)

W. Zalatoris (-14)

L. List (-14)

A. Hadwin (-13)

P. Cantlay (-13)

X. Schauffele (-13)

Full Leaderboard

Watch: Genesis Invitational Highlights

After Matsuyama’s win, Spieth took to social media again to congratulate him and make light of the situation, saying, “Great playing Hideki! Just make sure you double-check that scorecard…”

NBC Sports: Following Jordan Spieth DQ, Debate Rages Over Incorrect-Scorecard Rule

HIGHLIGHTS 🎥

NCAA Scoreboard

🏀 NCAA Men’s Basketball

#1 UConn def. #4 Marquette (81-53)

Ohio State def. #2 Purdue (73-69)

#3 Houston def. Texas (82-61)

#5 Arizona def. Arizona State (105-60)

#6 Kansas def. #25 Oklahoma (67-57)

#7 N. Carolina def. Virginia Tech (96-81)

#9 Duke def. Florida State (76-67)

#22 Kentucky def. #13 Auburn (70-59)