Booker more focused on Suns than All-Star Game,
Of course Devin Booker wants to be an NBA All-Star again, but he isn’t putting too much energy into the thought .
“It’ll be exciting, but we’ll see,” he said after Thursday’s practice when asked what it’d feel like to make the annual game for a second straight year.
Not voted in as a starter, Booker must wait until next week to find out his allstar fate as the reserves, who are picked by the coaches, will be named Tuesday at 5 p.m. on TNT.
Booker has also heard fellow NBA players like LeBron James speak out against having the All-Star Game, but the Phoenix Suns guard has more pressing matters.
“A lot of people are viewing it a few different ways, but me personally, I’m just trying to stay locked in and not really focus on all-star weekend,” Booker said. “I’m focused on our next two games and getting this team where we need to go.”
The Suns (17-10) had back-to-back games Friday at New Orleans (12-16) and Saturday at Memphis (12-12).
The NBA All-Star Game has been met with uncertainty as it’s being played March 7 in Atlanta amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star Game this year,” said James earlier this month. “I don’t even understand why we’re having an All-Star Game.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the concerns Thursday evening on TNT, saying fans are the driving force to have the game.
“All-Star is the No. 1 fan engagement of the entire season for the league,” Silver said. “It’s been a 70-year tradition, something like 100 million people will vote for all-stars. The highlights coming out of all-star weekend historically has generated in the neighborhood of a billion
views. Something like 130 million people will watch the All-Star Game on a global basis.”
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have collaborated to take precautionary measures as they’ll be private travel to and from Atlanta, a “mini bubble” within one hotel for players and coaches, and enhanced PCR testing. There also won’t be any fan activities, ticketed events or hospitality functions as part of All-Star weekend.
The league will cram the usual weekend events into one night as the skills challenge and 3-point contest will take place before Sunday’s game while the slam dunk contest will happen during halftime of the All-Star Game.
The NBA and NBPA look to “commit” more than $2.5 million to support historically Black colleges and universities and communities impacted by the COVID-19 virus.
Choosing reserves
As for Booker’s chances to make the game, the coaches pick two backcourt players, three frontcourt players and two wildcards who can be either front or backcourt players for each conference.
Booker finished fifth among the West guards in starter voting behind Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic, the selected starters, then Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell.
Doncic and Lillard were tied for second place, but Doncic got the nod as fan votes determine the tiebreaker. Doncic finished second in the fan vote while Lillard was third.
LeBron James, the top fan vote getter at 5,922,554, Nikola Jokic, and Kawhi Leonard are the West’s frontcourt starters. Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid are the East starters.
Booker will be in the running for the two mandatory West reserve guard spots with Lillard, Mitchell, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan and teammate Chris Paul, as well as a wildcard selection.
Anthony Davis will be out four weeks with a calf strain. He likely won’t participate in the game even if chosen. So that opens up a spot as Paul George, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Rudy Gobert will be in the running for the frontcourt selections.
Booker made it last year as an injury replacement for Lillard as Silver chooses injury replacements.
If he doesn’t land one of the two mandatory guard spots, Booker should be seriously considered for one of the wildcards or an injury replacement for Davis.
Averaging 24.4 points on 49.2% shooting, Booker was named Western Conference player of the week Monday for the first time in his NBA career.
“That’s what comes with winning,” Booker said.
“That’s what comes with developing the culture and I think the main part of most of those accolades and achievements are winning basketball games.”
From Feb. 8-14, Booker averaged 32.3 points on 56.3% shooting (47.6% from 3), 5.3 assists and five rebounds in four games as part of Phoenix’s six-game winning streak.
“It’s never attested to a statistical standpoint or anything like that,” Booker continued.
“That’s a team achievement. We all played well and we played really good basketball. Won some games. You could’ve picked anybody on our team for it. They just chose me.”
A further breakdown of voting for West starting guards shows Booker finished fourth among current players and fifth in the fan and media voting. The fans make up 50% of the vote while the media and current players split the other 50% of the vote.