NBA All-Star Game LIVE: LeBron James opens up on farewell plans, future with Lakers
The All-Star Game is back and for the first time in five years, the NBA returns to the standard East vs. West battle with a traditional scoring system and four 12-minute quarters.
The NBA had previously introduced the ‘Elam Ending’ in the 2020 All-Star Game, which set a target score at the start of the fourth quarter which was 24 points above the leading team’s total.
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That concept has been scrapped along with captain drafts, with LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo instead named captains as they look to earn Conference bragging rights.
The Eastern Conference has been hit by two key injuries with starting big man Joel Embiid and reserve Julius Randle both unavailable and replaced by Bam Adebayo and Scottie Barnes respectively.
Meanwhile, there is no such disruption for the Western Conference as a star-studded starting line-up features three MVP candidates in Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic.
James will be suiting up for an NBA-record 20th All-Star game, telling reporters the chance to share a locker room with some of the best players in the league is still something he does not take for granted.
“It’s just been an absolute honor to be able to grace the floor throughout my career and be out there with the greatest players in the world year in and year out,” he said.
“… Being here. You still get that moment where I’m in the locker room looking at Steph, AD, KD, Kawhi, Joker, Luka all those guys. Those are just a few of the names. Those are the guys in the West. So you still have that feeling like, this is pretty cool.”
James confirmed he sought treatment for a left ankle issue which saw him miss the Lakers’ last game before the All-Star break and said he wouldn’t play the “entire game” on Monday.
I did seek treatment the last few days, trying to get my ankle as strong and as back to where I feel confident that I can finish off this last third of the season,” James said.
I won’t be playing the entire game tonight, for sure. I can get out there and run around with the young guys for a little bit and then shut it down at some point to give my body, and my ankle more importantly, another opportunity to rest.”
James was not specifically asked on Monday about a report from ESPN which claimed the Golden State Warriors had tried to make a move to land the Lakers superstar before the trade deadline.
Both James and the Lakers were said to have not been willing to explore the potential move but it will remain a story to monitor ahead of free agency in the summer…..
