NBA Weekly Recap: 1/29 - 2/5
While the overall standings may not have shifted significantly over the course of the past seven days, the NBA world was filled with exciting news and drama as we get closer to the trade deadline and All-Star Break.
In what was probably the biggest news of the week, Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving found his name circulating throughout social media once again for the wrong reasons.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Irving requested a trade from the Nets and was sent off to the Dallas Mavericks to team up with Luka Doncic in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round pick and multiple second-round picks.
Brooklyn currently holds the fourth seed in the East and was seen as a title contender after finally being able to fully unleash the duo of Irving and Kevin Durant this season, but with Durant still recovering from an injury and Irving playing in Dallas, the Nets could be headed towards yet another disappointing end to their season.
From the Mavericks perspective, this is a high-risk, high-reward move that could potentially change the outlook of their season.
They currently hold the sixth seed in the West after going 2-1 this past week as Doncic continues his MVP campaign totaling 84 combined points in the first two games before taking a rest day on Saturday.
Adding a polarizing player like Irving can cause major distractions and detract from the team’s goals, as he displayed in his last two stops with Boston and Brooklyn.
However, this Mavericks team went to the conference finals last year with Jalen Brunson playing next to Luka, and while Brunson is a very good player in his own right, Kyrie adds a true superstar-level player alongside Doncic that Dallas has been trying to acquire for years.
In other controversial news this week, the NBA All-Star reserve selections were announced.
Representing the Western Conference will be Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lauri Markkanen, Domantas Sabonis, Damian Lillard, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Paul George.
For the Eastern Conference, it’ll be Bam Adebayo, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Jrue Holiday, Demar Derozan and Julius Randle.
Notable players not selected that have been at the center of many debates among analysts and fans alike are guards Brunson, De’Aaron Fox, James Harden, Trae Young and Anthony Edwards as well as Lakers big man Anthony Davis.
However, one of these “snubs” from the Western Conference will be getting a shot to play as Golden State Warriors point guard, and All-Star starter, Steph Curry, is expected to be sidelined for multiple weeks due to a left leg injury suffered against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
The All-Star festivities will commence on Feb. 17 and extend through Feb. 19.
Jakob Schnur is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jks6463@psu.edu.
