All-Star Pick'ummmm

Kevin and I are making predictions on various all-star events; lesssssss go!

Celebrity Game
Does anyone actually care? No. I'll take whoever has Master P and Jamel White (Steve Erkel) by 3.

Rookie/Sophomore Game
This one is kind of funny because of Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, and Marc Gasol. Has there ever been a rookie team with 3 sophomores by draft class? I'd make a few jokes about the rookies thinking Greg Oden was their coach and not a fellow rookie, but... I'm not creative.

This should be a more competitive rookie/sophomore game than usual because of the super star talent in the game. For the rooks, O.J. Mayonnaise, Eric "Gordy" Gordon, Westbrook and Derrick Rose create all sorts of havoc for a sophomore team that has no elite, let alone "decent" G's in Aaron Brooks, and Rodney Stuckey. Durant will most likely have to play a lot of 2 guard which also limits his ability to use his speed and size over smaller 3s, his scoring will drop as a result.

While the rookie's have an explosive guard class, where they're lacking is solid 3's and 4's. The sophs are dripping wet with talent at the forward position with the aforementioned Durant, Thaddeus Young, Jeff Green, and Al Thorton... Michael Beasley will have his hands full, and not full of some dank cali-bud, but with long athletic scorers who will torment him from the outside.

Luckily for Beasley, and the rooks, they have 2 future all-stars behind them in Greg Oden and Brook Lopez, and could even get a third with Gasol. If the sophomores want to win this game, they will need a dominating exhibition on the glass by Horford and Scola will have to step up at C as well.

I think the rookies led by Derrick Rose and the low post prowess of Greg Oden and Brook Lopez will lead the undersized Sophomore team to an upset win. I see 138-125 in favor of the rookies with Brook Lopez bringing home the MVP with a 14 point, 14 rebounds, 4 block performance. If the sophs step it up, Durant will bring home the MVP trophy.

Sleeper watch: Jeff Green, dude can play.

Three-point Shootout
I was inclinded to say Jason Kapono but then I remembered that just because my roommate goes 12/12 from downtown with Al Kapono in NBA 2k9, he isn't that great. I'm gonna go with Rashard Lewis here to steal the crown from all these guards.

Side note about Lewis: loved in Seattle, liked him at first in Orlando, however with the emergence of Jameer Nelson (before the carnage) and Dwight Howard taking the post work, it kind of puts Shard(t) in 'Toine Walker position. Surprisingly athletic big man who can hit the 3 and loves to jack 'em up. Just be careful Lewis, you're about a year and a bad break-up away from gaining 30 lbs of krispy kremes and becoming the new 'Toine.

Skills Challenge
I didn't know they let bitches into the skills challenge, why is Tony Longoria here? My vote is for either Devin Harris or Mo Williams. I don't really like Devin Harris so I'm choosing Mo Williams because anyone who leaves the "e" out of "Moe" clearly has shit to do... Like winning the skills challenge.

Dunk Contest
I wish this was more relevant. Dwight Howard can't even dunk, he throws it through. Do Europeans even practice cool dunks? Sorry Nate, but it shouldn't take you over 20 times to make a dunk. That leaves me with JR Smith. I'm a big fan of the big-lackadaze and even use him in NBA 2k9 dunk contest. Unfortunately, this is just a weak field. Howard will probably win but on the off-chance JR Smith shows up and tries... I'm picking the junior Smith.

All-Star Game
This game doesn't get interesting until the last 10 minutes... most years. Other years it just doesn't get interesting period. Without doing any previous research or even looking at the rosters, I'm leaning towards picking the West cause of their overall dominance. However, Bron Bron actually cares. He will be the only non-first time all-star out there trying. That might be enough to give the East a 15-20 point lead going in to the fourth, probably about what they need before the Mamba takes over. I'm gonna say the West in a barn burner with Bron Bron trying REALLY REALLY hard, 148-142. My west MVP is Mamba and my east MVP is Paul Pierce, he's playing right?