It’s the NBA All-Star Break, which means it’s time for the NBA world to take a breath and pause. For the Clippers, who have played 61 games (most in the NBA) and dealt with numerous injuries, the break is particularly welcomed. Unfortunately, the All Star events themselves aren’t all that appealing to Clippers fans. The Rising Star Game last night featured no Clippers, nor are there any Clips in the All Star Game itself. The only Clipper representative is guard Luke Kennard, who is a contestant in tonight’s Three Point Contest.
As for today, the All Star Practice (I can’t believe this is an actual event) is already over. Next up is the NBA x HBCU classic (very cool idea) between Morgan State and Howard University on NBA TV and TNT at 2:00 PM ET.
The traditional All Star Saturday festivities kick off at 8:00 PM ET with the Skills Challenge, followed by the Three Point Contest and then Slam Dunk Contest. For those Clippers fans tuning in for just Kennard, I’d recommend tuning in around 8:30 or so at latest, as the Skills Challenge is usually fairly brief.
Kennard is one of eight contestants, with the others being Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Desmond Bane, CJ McCollum, Fred VanVleet, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Patty Mills. Kennard has long odds to win the three point contest, as he’s one of the lesser known names and not the biggest scorer. But Clippers fans know he’s a deadly sniper with a quick release who has just as good a chance to win the event as any. For more on Kennard and the three point contest, check out this excellent piece by Mirjam Swanson.
That’s about it! Feel free to comment on Kennard and any other All Star events this afternoon and evening, and enjoy the downtime from NBA ball!