Injuries have done some major damage to the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend in New York from the big name stars like Western Conference All-Stars Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis and and Eastern Conference All-Star, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade all for one reason or another not going to play in the big NBA All-Star game on Sunday due to one injury or another. Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver have all taken those players spots respectively.
There’s also Jimmy Butler and John Wall dropping out of the All-Star Saturday night Skills Challenge which has forced Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley and Atlanta Hawks guard Dennis Schroder to step up in their place in the contest.
Now even the Friday night NBA Rising Stars game has been tarnished with injuries. First it was announced that Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams will be out due to injury and would be replaced by Denver Nuggets Center, Jusef Nurkic on the World team. Now, Philadelphia 76ers Rookie of the Year from last season, Michael Carter-Williams will be out of the game and will be replaced by his teammate Robert Covington on the USA team.
Now there are some more changes with the world team. In particular with Nurkic, who was Adams’ replacement, now dropping out due to a trip to his native Bosnia and now Houston Rockets young forward Kostas Papanikolaou taking his place along with Boston Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk dropping out of the game and being replaced by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova.
RealGM.com’s Shams Charania on the Nurkic subtraction and Papanikolaou addition.
Nuggets' Jusuf Nurkic has pulled out of NBA Rising Stars game, with Rockets' Kostas Papanikolaou replacing him, league sources tell RealGM.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 12, 2015
Cleveland.com’s Chris B Haynes reporting on the Olynyk subtraction and Dellavedova addition.
David Blatt says #Cavs G Matthew Dellavedova has been added to the Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 11, 2015
What is going on in the NBA! Too many injuries and switching going on. Just enjoy the All-Star break and play!
