SALT LAKE CITY — With All-Star Game festivities quickly approaching, LeBron James still hasn’t decided whether he’ll participate in any of the other events — more specifically the Slam Dunk Contest.
James said last season that he wanted to bring the old-school attitude back to a contest that had been influenced far too much by props in recent years.
James said that he’s still 50-50 regarding whether he will participate. The league has begun announcing participants for the weekend-long events. TNT has announced pre-game contestants for the "dunk-in."
DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors and Eric Gordon of the Los Angeles Clippers will face each other for a shot at halftime of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam. Fans will decide via text who goes on in that contest.
But James isn’t worried that he could be left out in the cold.
"No, I haven’t, but if they already announced it, I think if I decided to do it they’d let me do it," he said.
Given his stature in the league, that doesn’t come across as anything but the truth. Participants in the contest will be announced Monday.
More All-Star talk
You’d think with three players ranked in the top 10 in three-point accuracy in the league that at least one of them would have a shot at making it into the three-point contest.
Guards Daniel Gibson and Anthony Parker rank second and third, respectively, in three-point rankings, and Mo Williams stands at No. 9.
Williams is on record as stating that he thinks Gibson should get any invitation to participate in the annual shootout.
Gibson said, however, that he doesn’t believe he’ll get shot, because he doesn’t have enough attempts. He was shooting at a 48 percent clip on 41-of-86 shots heading into the game against the Utah Jazz.
Parker, who was hitting about the same pace on 56-of-118 shots, is not counting on getting an invitation either. They’ll find out Feb. 3, when the announcement is made.
James on Edwards
James had little reaction when asked about former Browns player Braylon Edwards’ no-contest plea to a disorderly conduct charge involving one of James’ friends outside a Cleveland nightclub last fall.
"It was an incident that both sides didn’t want to happen, but it happened," he said. "You have to deal with the consequences."
Edwards received probation in the case. James disputed a statement that Edwards had taken responsibility for his actions in the incident.
"Did he really accept responsibility or did he plead no contest? That’s like taking a plea bargain," he said.
Buzzer beaters
The Utah Jazz went into Thursday night’s game with a 7-0 record against Eastern Conference teams. . . . James averages more points — 30.2 per game — against the Jazz than any other team in the NBA in 13 played. James is behind Michael Jordan for the record average against the team. Jordan averaged 32.69 points in 26 games.
Posts
