World tops U.S. in Rising Stars game

Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic got the NBA’s All-Star weekend off to a running start.

Hield scored 29 points, and his Kings teammate won the MVP award with 26 points and seven 3-pointers in the World’s 155-124 victory over the U.S. team in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night in Los Angeles.

The annual showcase of the NBA’s top rookies and second-year players again served as the opening to the three-day All-Star festivities, which are being held in Los Angeles for the record sixth time.

The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown led the U.S. with 35 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma, the hometown Lakers’ promising rookie, added 20.

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said his son Nick underwent eight hours of brain surgery. Gilbert posted on Twitter that 21-year-old Nick was recovering after the operation on a tumor. The younger Gilbert was born with neurofibromatosis, a genetic nerve disorder that causes tumors to grow anywhere in the body. The goal has been to have Corey Crawford back in goal this season, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has said. But when he was asked Friday whether Crawford’s injury, reported to be concussion-related, could be careerthreatening, Quenneville was non-committal. “Not sure about that,” he said. “Too far out (to tell). Crawford said he wants to play again this year. “It’s just a matter of getting to that point,” he said Monday.

For all intents and purposes, the team is out of the postseason picture.

Quenneville acknowledged as much Friday after his team practiced.

“Uncharted waters, he said. “It’s ugly when you’re looking at the scenario we’re at.”

In other words, even if Crawford did return he couldn’t save the season. So what’s the point of him playing? “When he’s good enough to get back out there, he will,” Quenneville said. “His health will dictate.”