By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With Anthony Davis on the Los Angeles Lakers injury list, commissioner Adam Silver selected Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker as his replacement in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. Davis recovering from a strained right calf is expected to remain out for approximately four weeks.
Per the press release: “Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Booker has earned his second straight NBA All-Star selection. He is averaging a team-high 24.7 points (16th in the NBA), 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting a career-high 50.1 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range and 84.8 percent from the free throw line in 26 games this season.
Behind Booker and fellow NBA All-Star Chris Paul, Phoenix has posted the league’s fourth-best record (20-10) and produced its best start through 30 games of a season since 2007-08. With the selection of Booker and Paul, the Suns have multiple NBA All-Stars in a season for the first time since 2009-10 (Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire).
Davis will miss the NBA All-Star Game after sustaining a right calf strain against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 14. He was voted by NBA head coaches as an All-Star reserve, his eighth consecutive All-Star selection. Davis is averaging 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.78 blocks in 23 games this season.
According to NBA rules, when a player selected to the All-Star Game is unable to participate, the Commissioner shall choose a replacement from the same conference as the player who is being replaced. Davis and Booker both play for Western Conference teams.
The NBA All-Star Game rosters will be determined through the NBA All-Star Draft, where team captains Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets and LeBron James of the Lakers will select from the pool of players named starters and reserves in each conference. TNT will air the NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET.
In the two-round NBA All-Star Draft, Booker will be selected with the All-Star Game reserves in the second round. The starters will be selected in the first round. Davis will be assigned to the same All-Star team that drafts Booker.
The 70th NBA All-Star Game is part of NBA All-Star 2021, which will take place on one night, March 7. TNT’s NBA All-Star coverage will begin at 5 p.m. ET with TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax, followed by the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge and MTN DEW® 3-Point Contest starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. NBA All-Star Game coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET, with AT&T Slam Dunk taking place at halftime.”
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