NEW ORLEANS—Now all they’ve got to do is work out the Charles Oakley-James Dolan thing and all will be lollipops, puppies and rainbows in the world of NBA basketball.
That seems to be the big remaining issue now that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have apparently realized they can co-exist peacefully, if not perfectly, after a high school-like squabble dominated parts of the league’s all-star weekend narrative.
The weekend ended with the West beating the East 192-182 in Sundays’ main event. But the drama began at Friday’s media when Westbrook, the put-upon Oklahoma City Thunder star deserted by longtime running mate Durant, answered questions about Durant with references to fashion.
Saturday, the two avoided one another like each was wearing radioactive suits, going out of their way to miss each other on a quick walk from the practice court to the common interview area at the Superdome.
Sunday, when the teams got on to the Smoothie Center court to warm up for the marquee event of the evening, Westbrook went to one end of the court, away from Durant and his other Western Conference teammates, a solitary figure shooting on his own until James Harden joined him after a couple of minutes.
It was petty and childish, and entirely fun to mock and watch, and everyone was wondering how they would handle the inevitable time when they had to play together.
Western Conference coach Steve Kerr wasted no time in continuing the saga, putting Westbrook in the game about six minutes into the first quarter.
And when Durant lobbed a pass to Westbrook for a dunk about 70 seconds later, all was right in the world and the impromptu celebratory dance by their teammates during a timeout just after was the perfect mocking end to a great non-story of the weekend.
“It’s funny, man,” DeMar DeRozan said of the perception of the rift and the reaction to the Durant-to-Westbrook pass. “They have fun with it, we have fun with it. People watching couldn’t wait for it to happen.”
The rest of the game, of course, was pure exhibition. The East put up 53 points in the first quarter, the West scored 97 by halftime. Anthony Davis, the hometown star, scored an all-star game-record 52 points, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s previous mark by 10.
“With about 24 dunks? That was pretty impressive.” Kyle Lowry said of Davis, who was named the MVP. “He earned it, it was great for him to get that here in New Orleans, in a place he calls home.”
The Raptors guards combined for 35 points, with Lowry scoring 19 and DeRozan 16. But enough with the numbers.
It is perhaps a statement of how solid the league is that the Westbrook-Durant feud, Kyrie Irving’s half-serious assertion that the Earth is flat, and the media-infused fight between Oakley, a New York icon, and Knicks owner Dolan are the most pressing issues.
There is labour peace, attendance is solid, the global appeal to the game and league remain strong and this weekend had a feel-good party atmosphere about it.
There was the odd conflict with Mardi Gras celebrations. Parades disrupted downtown travel, and the league had to spread out through about 30 hotels to find the necessary rooms. And, FanFest, the league’s interactive festival, took a year off because there wasn’t available space but for an event that was moved here from Charlotte less than a year ago. Bit everything went off without a major hitch.
“We’re co-existing well with Mardi Gras,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “I think our guests are having a great time. Everyone seems to enjoy partying together, whether you’re here for Mardi Gras or all-star festivities or both.”
The only minor blemish is the ongoing fight between Oakley and Dolan. The ex-Knick and ex-Raptor tough guy was in town for some of the weekend festivities but did not continue his public argument. Silver, however, seems to have put any reconciliation in Oakley’s lap after brokering a meeting between the two last week.
“In my subsequent conversations with him, I have said, I think you should continue to think about it,” Silver said of a possible Oakley return to Madison Square Garden. “And whether that’s a month from now, six months from now, or a year from now, the fan in me and someone who’s known Charles for a long time . . . I hope at some point he does decide to return to Madison Square Garden, but ultimately, that’s his decision.”
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