Team Chuck wins the Rising Stars Challenge; outgun Team Shaq 146 – 133 – NBA All Star Weekend Update
The NBA All Star Weekend 2012 got underway in Orlando tonight with the NBA Rising Stars Challenge. The Rising Stars Challenge, which has replaced the usual Rookies vs. Sophomores game at the All Star Weekend this season, was as a showdown between Team Shaq
and Team Chuck.
As the names suggest, the teams were comprised of upcoming stars selected by NBA Legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, two of the most colourful personalities in NBA history who are both now analysts on TV.
Massive bragging rights were at stake in the game and it’s the “Round Mound of Rebound” who will be laughing all the way to the bank after the encounter, as Team Chuck defeated Team Shaq 146 – 133 after an entertaining encounter.
The game showcased the best among upcoming NBA stars and it was those selected by Sir Charles that shined brightest. Team Chuck’s Kyrie Irving outperformed everyone on the court with his game high 34 points and 9 assists. Livewire Washington Wizards guard
John Wall had 17 points and 8 assists, Paul George scored 23 points and DeMarcus Cousins had 18.
Tristan Thompson was the top scorer for Team Shaq with 20 points. Greg Monroe, the Detroit Pistons centre, notched up a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Blake Griffin and Jeremy Lin, two of the stars who had created much hype coming into the
game, had nominal numbers at 10 and 2 points respectively. Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio meanwhile managed 12 points.
Instead of 4 quarters of 12 minutes each, the game was divided into two 20 minutes halves. Team Chuck raced to an 8 – 0 lead right at the beginning, with the run capped off by a dunk by Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins.
Sensational Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin hit back immediately though for Team Shaq, with a magnificent alley-oop dunk set up by New York City phenomenon Jeremy Lin. The first half continued in the same vein, with the young stars vowing the
crowd with all sorts of dunks, alley-oops, behind the back passes and acrobatic layups.
No one really seemed to be paying attention to the scoreboard with all the fun on the court, and at the end of the half Team Chuck found themselves ahead at 77 – 65.
The fans wanted more in the second half and the players did not disappoint, the first three shots being a layup, a dunk and an alley-oop. Team Shaq, who were trailing before the interval, didn’t seem able to claw back into the game and kept fading behind
further as the half progressed.
Kyrie Irving, the Cleveland Cavaliers point guard and first pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, was on fire for Team Chuck and helped them carry on the momentum. Although Team Shaq had many sensational stars, none of them were able to match Irving on the night,
and Team Chuck thus ran out 146 – 133 winners at the end.
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