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Rising stars soar in Salt Lake City with Jose Alvarado taking centre-stage
Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans swished the game-ending 3-pointer as Team Pau won the Jordan Rising Stars competition with a 25-20 victory over Team Joakim in the championship game at Salt Lake City
New Orleans Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado hit the game-ending 3-pointer as Team Pau clinched the Jordan Rising Stars competition championship with a 25-20 victory over Team Joakim in Salt Lake City, Utah. Alvarado was named the Rising Stars MVP, and the victory was an emotional one for the team as former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol was named a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame finalist earlier in the day.
Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers led the team with seven points. The honorary coach of Team Pau was former Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol. Quentin Grimes of the New York Knicks scored 14 points for Team Joakim, with Joakim Noah, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the 2013-14 season, coaching the team.
The target score for the two first-round games was 40 points. Team Pau reached the final with a convincing 40-25 victory over Team Deron, where Alvarado led the way with 13 points. Trey Murphy III of the Pelicans scored nine points to lead Team Deron.
Grimes scored 13 points, hit the game-ending 3-pointer, and had three steals as Team Joakim notched a 40-32 victory over Team Jason, a team filled with G League players. Mac McClung, representing the Delaware Blue Coats, scored 10 points during a 16-4 surge that pulled Team Jason within 28-27, but Team Joakim held off the charge and took a 37-29 lead on a 3-pointer by Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder before Grimes finished the job.
Jason Terry, who ranks eighth in NBA history with 2,282 career 3-point baskets, was the honorary coach of Team Jason.
New format for NBA All Star Sunday Game draft
The NBA All-Star draft format for Sunday's game has been modified, with captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo choosing their reserve players first. They will then select their starting lineups from the remaining eight starters. This change has been made to avoid any player feeling the stigma of being picked last, even though this has not been a significant issue in the past.
This year marks the sixth year that captains, as determined by fan voting, will select their own All-Star rosters. However, this is the first year that the selection process will take place on game night and right in front of the other All-Stars.
(With inputs from agencies)