Spurs’ Aldridge plays sparingly in NBA All-Star Game
February 18, 2018
LOS ANGELES — Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t play much in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, but that doesn’t mean the 12th-year pro didn’t have a good time in Southern California.
Aldridge’s weekend began with a turn in front of the camera. Teaming with Devin Booker and fellow All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, Aldridge shot a promo for comedian Kevin Hart’s up-coming movie “Night School.”
“Kevin Hart is a great guy,” Aldridge said. “He’s funny. We had fun going back and forth. It was fun to do.”
But on Sunday, Aldridge was mainly a spectator.
In the first year of a new format, LeBron James scored a game-high 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting and played suffocating defense at the end to lead his squad to a 148-145 win over Stephen Curry’s team at the Staples Center.
James, who also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out eight assists, earned MVP honors.
James gave Team LeBron a 146-145 lead when he powered into the lane for a layup with 34 seconds left. That came after he tied it at 144-144 with a step-back 3-pointer over Joel Embiid with 1:31 left.
Russell Westbrook accounted for the final score with a jumper. Team Stephen hoped to tie it with a 3 from the corner, but James and Kevin Durant prevented Curry from getting up an attempt in the final seconds.
From a competitive standpoint, the game was a vast improvement over last year’s outing in which the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 192-182 in a record-setting contest free of defense.
After missing the last two games before the break to receive treatment on his chronically sore right knee, Aldridge played just four minutes, all in the first half. He failed to score on 0-of-1 shooting and had one block.
But Aldridge’s appearance wasn’t without significance for both him and the Spurs. In playing in his sixth All-Star game, he extended the Spurs streak of having at least one player in the elite game to 20 seasons, the longest streak of any team since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.
Aldridge also became just one of six players to appear in six of the last seven All-Star games. The others are James, Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and James Harden.
Saturday was also enjoyable for Aldridge, beginning with appearance he made Saturday on behalf of some kids in East L.A. It was the type of charitable endeavor he’s always enjoyed doing after growing up in the Dallas suburb of Seagoville in challenging economic conditions.
“I came from nothing. I grew up pretty poor,” Aldridge said.
Captain by James and Curry, the teams took the court with rosters drafted three week ago. In previous years, the team were divided into squads representing the Eastern and Western Conferences, but the league threw out that format in an attempt to add more sizzle and intrigue to the defense-free affair.
In another new twist aimed at making the game more competitive, each player from Team LeBron pocketed $100,000 for the winning effort. Players from Team Stephen received $25,000 apiece.
Winners previously received $50,000 compared to $25,000 for the losers.
Powered by Klay Thompson’s 15 points, Team Stephen took a 78-76 lead into halftime. James scored 15 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal in the first half.
Aldridge is expected to be back on the court when the Spurs resume play Feb. 23 in Denver. Like many of the participants in the All-Star game, he left Los Angeles uncertain of whether the new format would continue.
“It’s still to be seen,” he said. “But anytime you add money to the pot, it’s definitely going to motivate guys, for sure.”
@tom_orsborn
Tom Orsborn
Sports reporter | San Antonio Express-News