Invite to Vegas?
By Amanda Norvell | January 30, 2006
For the first time ever the NBA All-Star game will be held in a non-NBA city – Las Vegas. That’s right, the ‘What happens here, stays here’ Las Vegas will host the 2007 NBA All-Star festivities. The 56th annual star showdown is going to be aired live on Sunday, February 18 and will appear in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
In the final count before the starters were announced for the NBA All Star game, Orlando’s Dwight Howard trailed perennial All-Star Shaquille O’Neal by approximately 165,000 votes.
While Howard was unable to make up the difference, (he lost the starting spot by only 158,000 votes) it was still a pretty good showing for the third year blossoming star. Except now it seems he’s ready to drop the blossoming and be just that - a star.
Howard is leading the Magic in points, rebounds, blocks and minutes per game this season. Additionally he just set a new franchise record for most consecutive games played in – 209 – and he’s still going. Howard has been described in a montage of ways…
‘Reincarnation of Tim Duncan’
‘A combo of Karl Malone strength and Kevin Garnett athletic ability’
‘Man-child’
‘He bounces like Tigger in the Hundred Acre Woods’
‘Beast’
‘I see a 10-year run as the East’s All-Star center. I see trophies and rings. I see a plaque in the Hall.’
With all that said, Howard may be on his way to the All-Star game for not only the first time, but perhaps the last time as a non-starter.
To attend the game at all, Howard will need to be placed on the reserves with a vote from the leagues head coaches. Each coach must vote for seven players, including two guards, two forwards, a center and two players regardless of position. Coaches are not permitted to vote for players on their team.
It seems almost a certain that Howard will get the nod. Normally reserved with his praise, Bulls Head Coach Scot Skiles gushed about Howard.
“He’s great. I mean, he’s one of the best big men in the league. He plays with force. He plays with energy. He rebounds it. He plays above the rim. He’s got nice moves around the basket. He’s becoming a complete player.”
And Magic players feel the same. “If Dwight gets left out of the All-Star game it’s an injustice,” said Keyon Dooling. “They’ll have to change the voting system if he gets left off.”
Magic beat writer John Denton of Florida Today agreed. “It would be a travesty to have an All-Star game without Dwight Howard. You have to have Shaq there, but Dwight should also be there – and play a lot of minutes.”
And while it looks like the Magic will definitely have some representation in Vegas, the third-year man-child wasn’t the only one from the Magic to receive an All-Star nod, Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu and Grant Hill were also on the ballot, with Hill finishing in fourth among Eastern guards in votes.
It’s also been rumored that J.J. Redick may get an invite to play in the Rookie/Sophomore challenge on his namesake alone. While Redick has only seen 71 minutes of action this season and scored only 26 points, he is still a fan favorite, not to mention a lottery pick from the 2006 NBA draft.
The players in the Rookie/Sophomore challenge will be announced tomorrow, while the All-Star reserves will be announced Thursday, February 1st during the TNT broadcast – hopefully there will be some Magic in Vegas.
Amanda Norvell is an intern in the Orlando Magic communications department
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In the final count before the starters were announced for the NBA All Star game, Orlando’s Dwight Howard trailed perennial All-Star Shaquille O’Neal by approximately 165,000 votes.
While Howard was unable to make up the difference, (he lost the starting spot by only 158,000 votes) it was still a pretty good showing for the third year blossoming star. Except now it seems he’s ready to drop the blossoming and be just that - a star.
Howard is leading the Magic in points, rebounds, blocks and minutes per game this season. Additionally he just set a new franchise record for most consecutive games played in – 209 – and he’s still going. Howard has been described in a montage of ways…
With all that said, Howard may be on his way to the All-Star game for not only the first time, but perhaps the last time as a non-starter.
To attend the game at all, Howard will need to be placed on the reserves with a vote from the leagues head coaches. Each coach must vote for seven players, including two guards, two forwards, a center and two players regardless of position. Coaches are not permitted to vote for players on their team.
It seems almost a certain that Howard will get the nod. Normally reserved with his praise, Bulls Head Coach Scot Skiles gushed about Howard.
“He’s great. I mean, he’s one of the best big men in the league. He plays with force. He plays with energy. He rebounds it. He plays above the rim. He’s got nice moves around the basket. He’s becoming a complete player.”
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Magic beat writer John Denton of Florida Today agreed. “It would be a travesty to have an All-Star game without Dwight Howard. You have to have Shaq there, but Dwight should also be there – and play a lot of minutes.”
And while it looks like the Magic will definitely have some representation in Vegas, the third-year man-child wasn’t the only one from the Magic to receive an All-Star nod, Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu and Grant Hill were also on the ballot, with Hill finishing in fourth among Eastern guards in votes.
It’s also been rumored that J.J. Redick may get an invite to play in the Rookie/Sophomore challenge on his namesake alone. While Redick has only seen 71 minutes of action this season and scored only 26 points, he is still a fan favorite, not to mention a lottery pick from the 2006 NBA draft.
The players in the Rookie/Sophomore challenge will be announced tomorrow, while the All-Star reserves will be announced Thursday, February 1st during the TNT broadcast – hopefully there will be some Magic in Vegas.
Amanda Norvell is an intern in the Orlando Magic communications department
