Everything 2016 NBA All Star Game in Toronto

[blackjitsu]

I know it's sacrilegious, but, why is Harden an All Star? His team is struggling so much that they had to trade for Josh Smith when they have 3 PFs on their roster. He's not that exciting. The man pounds the ball until it starts going flat and then finds a way to get fouled -- that's his offense. Also, he's allergic to defense. His lack of defense is probably the reason the Rockets are struggling.

I don't get it. Do coaches think he's more fun than Lillard? To me Dirk is more deserving, but that's beside the point. COACHES selected him. Is he a star? Of course, but this is not his best season and he's not a fun player to watch, so why was he selected?

[Scraptor]

It wasn't him leaving so much as him taking pot shots at the city as he left.

When he said Toronto smells different, that was what sealed my dislike of him. Would never boo him but would never cheer him the way I cheered for MoPete and Jose when they came back.

[Scraptor]

Myles Turner has been going off for about 2 weeks now. All he needed was minutes

Turner >> WCS

Is this a coded message to me about our fantasy league lol? You've put together quite a murderers' row there buddy.

[Just Is]

I know it's sacrilegious, but, why is Harden an All Star? His team is struggling so much that they had to trade for Josh Smith when they have 3 PFs on their roster. He's not that exciting. The man pounds the ball until it starts going flat and then finds a way to get fouled -- that's his offense. Also, he's allergic to defense. His lack of defense is probably the reason the Rockets are struggling.

I don't get it. Do coaches think he's more fun than Lillard? To me Dirk is more deserving, but that's beside the point. COACHES selected him. Is he a star? Of course, but this is not his best season and he's not a fun player to watch, so why was he selected?

Harden was the surprise for me out West. Not even that I don't think he's a good player (he is) but THIS year, I'd have definitely picked Dirk, Haywood or Lillard over him (in that order).

[Nilanka]

Yes he still gets booed, and tbh I'm not really sure why.

Bosh had every right to leave, Raps failed to put any sort of competent roster together in the 7 years he was here.

He gets booed because he was a great player in his prime, and chose someone else. The average fan doesn't care to dissect his decision any further.

[slaw]

People need to remember that the NBA has a lot more control over the ASG and its festivities than the Raptors organization does. It's an NBA event not a Raptors one. It just happens to be in Toronto.

Just seems like a tone-deaf choice to me. I'm 40, so I was sort of around for Sting in the 80s but even most of The Police was before my time. You'd have to be in your late 50s or 60s to have grown up on The Police. I was 8 when Synchronicity was released. Great album. But The Police haven't been relevant to music since the mid-80s. As a solo artist, Sting hasn't been a relevant pop artist since the late-80s/early 90s.

I get nostalgia and all that but I'm so tired of all these grandmas and grandpas parading around stage like they are rock stars. There's lots of good music out there. Why do we need to go back 30-40 years all the time?

[Mess]

Adam Silver did tease something with TMZ about how he hopes Drake comes out and does something with Sting too.

So if anything, they may still be doing the "too obvious" thing just as a surprise. I can almost hear Sting singing the hook to Hotline Bling now...

[Mr.Z]

Adam Silver did tease something with TMZ about how he hopes Drake comes out and does something with Sting too.

So if anything, they may still be doing the "too obvious" thing just as a surprise. I can almost hear Sting singing the hook to Hotline Bling now...

Couldn't Silver had just fucking hired Drake instead of Sting in the first place? lol

I'm not even a big fan of drakes music... or the guy, but Sting is just fucking lame

[Axel]

Adam Silver did tease something with TMZ about how he hopes Drake comes out and does something with Sting too.

So if anything, they may still be doing the "too obvious" thing just as a surprise. I can almost hear Sting singing the hook to Hotline Bling now...

Hopefully he comes out with a choke slam before taking the mic.

Right, keep getting the two Sting's mixed up

[Mess]

Hopefully he comes out with a choke slam before taking the mic.

Right, keep getting the two Sting's mixed up

Hm, that could be the reason why Drake got all Hans and Franz.

[Raptorsnz]

I know it's sacrilegious, but, why is Harden an All Star? His team is struggling so much that they had to trade for Josh Smith when they have 3 PFs on their roster. He's not that exciting. The man pounds the ball until it starts going flat and then finds a way to get fouled -- that's his offense. Also, he's allergic to defense. His lack of defense is probably the reason the Rockets are struggling.

I don't get it. Do coaches think he's more fun than Lillard? To me Dirk is more deserving, but that's beside the point. COACHES selected him. Is he a star? Of course, but this is not his best season and he's not a fun player to watch, so why was he selected?

Just because it's not his best year doesn't mean he isn't playing well. Harden's having a down year but he's still a superstar. He's second in the league in scoring and does virtually everything for the Rockets offence, although his defence is bad but that's well known. The Rockets are also 7th in the West so they're not horrendous, it's just they started out the season terribly but they've turned it around since somewhat. I'd say Harden is more deserving than Dirk/Lillard because of the sheer amount of offence he has to generate.

Plus, I don't really think the fun aspect comes into it much. Otherwise there's no way Millsap would be in. In terms of the All-Star game I'd say Lillard/Harden are about equally as fun; both dribble and shoot 3s well.

[Scraptor]

Sting must be some sort of elaborate joke.

There's tone deaf and then there's absurd.... Sting hasn't been on the radio in years. Let alone the fact that even at its peak his music was basically the opposite of basketball music.

Maybe Nas will come out and perform The Message. That's the only way this makes sense.

[planetmars]

A band would have been cooler. Someone like Rush or Nickleback even. But whatever.. I don't think I've ever heard the musical act at an ASG before.

[SkywalkerAC]

Just realized that Casey potentially coaching the AS game is more important that one might think. It's just one more piece of the Toronto Raptors Narrative that Masai and Leiweke so carefully constructed, all building up to this star-studded weekend. Casey would just be the icing on the cake.

Plus he's one more body to recruit and network and represent, though he might do that regardless with it at home.

[S.R.]

Re: Sting being an old fart - Earth, Wind, & Fire did the halftime show just two years ago. The history of halftime acts for the NBA is a bit spotty - it's not the Superbowl, that's for sure. It's not even a major network event.

Sting is a weird pick, tho. I actually like the idea of featuring local talent each year.