This week, we recap this past weekend’s NBA All-Star Festivities, but also hit on what everyone was watching instead of the All Star Game on Sunday night: the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Mega-Event.
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1. Zach LaVine WOWs Us at the NBA Slam Dunk Contest
Before this weekend’s All-Star Saturday, there was much hand-wringing about the loss of star-power in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. One Good Men Project Sports Editor in particular–ahem, Wai Sallas..ahem!– even went so far as to call it “amateur hour.”
Not for nothing, but yours truly was of the view that “the dunk still represents the pinnacle of applied athleticism on the basketball court, and we get to watch some of the best athletes in the world doing it.”
On Saturday Night, Minnesota Timberwolves rookie out of UCLA, Zach LaVine very loudly proclaimed himself to be the best athlete in the world doing it today. With his actions, not his words:
Oh. My. God.
That brought us back to days of Vinsanity and T-Mac. And speak of Carter and McGrady, we leave this section with two of the best in-game dunks in the history of the game:
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2. Steph Curry Obliterates The Field in the Three Point Shoot Out
Unlike the Slam Dunk Contest, the Three Point Shootout brought the marquis names, the best known shooters in the NBA, including Kyrie Irving, Kyle Korver, the ‘Splash Brothers’ back-court of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
By the end of the night, Curry proved that sometimes you just bet on the favorite. Dell Curry’s son showed off his quick-release smooth J over and over again, knocking down 13 shots in a row in the finals to decimate the field.
Yes, that’s right, he took it to ELEVEN, and then kept going.
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3. What People Watched On Sunday Instead of the All-Star Game: Saturday Night Live
With those two events for a warm up, Sunday brought us to the main event: The NBA All-Star Game itself.
Actually, we’re guessing not many watched. Because Saturday Night Live unleashed a mega-celebration of its 40th Anniversary that had more entertainment, music, and comedic star-power than had perhaps ever been gathered under one roof.
JT and Jimmy Fallon kicked it off with a History of Saturday Night Live in rap, and it was off to the races from there, with great clip montages and some terrific live skits, including Celebrity Jeopardy and Wayne’s World.
Like SNL itself, #SNL40 had hilarious hits where the nostalgia flowed and misses that just plain missed. And it went on for way too long. Garth pretty much nailed it in the Wayne’s World sketch with this:
“Do you mean like this show, right now, has been going on for 40 years…because it certainly feels that way”
– Garth #SNL40
Oh right. The All-Star Game. According to what I read on ESPN, the West won 163-158. (D-FENCE! D-FENCE!). Russell Westbrook, another athletic super star out of UCLA, scored 41 points and was named the games MVP.
That’s all we have for today folks.
“Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.”
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Photo Credit: YouTube/Screen Cap