Four Bold Predictions For Tonight's All-Star Game
Bryan Altman, CBS Local Sports
As far as All-Star games go, they are usually highly unpredictable. Trying to figure out which group of bona fide superstars will best the other is essentially a guessing game as the talent level is more often than not pretty equal. That's why it's so much fun to make bold predictions about it - because anything can happen including me being right. Here are four bold predictions now that the marquee moment of All-Star Weekend is upon us.
1. Carmelo Anthony Gets Booed
Don't think it's possible? Consider other star athletes that have been booed by New Yorkers and think about the circumstances of Anthony's participation in the game tonight. Melo has already stated this week that he'll most likely be "shutting it down" for the season after the All-Star game, much to the chagrin of fans and pundits a like who don't appreciate that he finds it important to play in the All-Star game and risk further injury. And if the logic is that he can't injure himself any worse anyway what's the reason for shutting it down? The whole thing is leaving New Yorkers feeling left out in the cold by Anthony, and it's absolutely freezing out lately so nobody really appreciates it.
2. A "Splash Brother" Will Break Wilt Chamberlain's All-Star Game Record
Wilt Chamberlain currently has the All-Star game record for points in one game with 42 and Steph Curry or Klay Thompson will break it tonight. Golden State's "Splash Brothers" are on a tear and look pretty close to unstoppable even when the opposing defense is trying. No defense will equal a bevy of points from these two and one of them is going to break the mark. Rest assured though Wilt, your regular season record of 100 points in a game isn't going anywhere any time soon.
3. The West Will Win By 20 Points Or More
Even with three of their original starters sitting out the contest, the West will win with plenty of room to spare. The only thing that makes me somewhat nervous is the LeBron factor but I'm still confident that the East cannot compete with the West. The talent disparity is evident and if you look at the overall records of the two conferences that's even more reason why the East can't compete.
4. Carmelo Anthony Will Lead The East In Scoring
Even after the boo birds rain down, I get the feeling that Anthony will try and defend his home turf as best he can and that he'll do so the best way he knows how - by scoring a lot of points. This is especially true since his main adversary wearing the same color jersey will be LeBron James, who will certainly do his best to put on a show at the Garden. I'm guessing Melo won't let him, or anybody else on his side for that matter, take home the scoring crown for the East - especially if this is his swan song for the season.
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