Seeking a Splash: Klay goes for All-Star 3s upset of Curry

On the eve of the 65th NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, the first to be staged beyond U.S. borders, Silver said the extra distance to Asia compared to Europe would have him looking across the Atlantic Ocean for an overseas host rather than the Pacific. The points guard – who Steve Nash recently called “maybe as skilled a player as we’ve ever had in this game” – hit two in a row.

Curry leads the league in scoring, and is on pace to be the first guard to win back-to-back MVP honours since Nash did it in 2005-06.

LaVine beat Gordon when he soared from the foul line, went under his leg and dunked for his final 50.

Silver eyes All-Star Game in Europe but not soon NBA commissioner Adam Silver likes the idea of playing a future NBA All-Star Game in Europe, but emphasized such a move was at least five years away.

The night started as a coronation when on his first dunk LaVine grabbed the ball off the bounce, wrapped the ball around his back before cupping it with his right hand and threw it down.

“From a personal standpoint, I’ve watched his game since the day he came into this league”, Silver said. “That was about it. It was just fun because we have friendly trash talk between each other, and it’s all lighthearted out there”.

Thompson was gracious in last year’s defeat, but he had seemed a bit indignant on Friday when he was asked how it felt knowing everyone expected Curry to win.

“It was like deja vu past year”, Thompson said. All-Stars Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins square off in the first round and the victor would meet All-Star Draymond Green or No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns, who believes he can get by the bigs and then knock off one of the little guys who usually make up the event’s entire field.

San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Cleveland seem to have the best chances to prevent Golden State from repeating, though the Warriors blew out the Spurs and Cavaliers last time they met. He seemed to have a ball sitting courtside with his colleagues.

But he may have had the most memorable dunks of the night with some help from the Magic’s mascot – aptly named Stuff the Magic Dragon.

“Like half the dunks we did were like professional dunker dunks, and it takes them four or five times to try it and make it, and we did it on the first try”, LaVine said.

A night that included an appearance by boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer ended with a couple heavyweight matchups. However, Thompson made 19 of 25 in the final round to claim the title. And on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre, the NBA’s top long-range marksmen justified the hype.

Curry says he is not yet ready for the day when a suitor for Riley comes knocking on the door, telling Palmer he’ll “do all the background checks and the stern presence”.

“I’m beginning to feel that a change needs to be made”, Silver said of the tactic that is being used at a greater rate this season.