Live Thread: All Star Saturday (#GreatWhiteNorth)

Good day, eh! For those of you jonesing for your basketball and C:tB fix (sorry we had to take off on you for a couple days, eh!), here’s a special All Star Saturday Live Thread to discuss all of the action from tonight’s festivities in the Great White North. Though you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see LeBron and the Cavs coaching staff represent Cleveland (thanks to those NBA hosers), there’s a whole strange brew of events and participants that should still be worth raising a few bottles or glasses to this evening. So, cook up some back bacon, grab your jelly doughnuts and your split plea soup… then crack open as many beers as you see fit and enjoy the action!

Also, it’s cold out there, so don’t be a hosehead… remember to wear your touque before you take off for the Great White North!

The action kicks off at the Air Canada Center in Toronto at 8 p.m. (EST) on TNT, featuring the usual three part sequence of events (the whole evening is sponsored by State Farm… so expect wall-to-wall Meet the Hoopers spots).

First up is the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. The field this year includes:

*Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers
* Replaces Defending Champion Patrick Beverley (injured)

Prediction: This seems like a really weird group of “skills” participants. Clarkson is probably the best ball-handler of the bunch, so I guess I’ll go with the young Laker PG.

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Next is the Foot Locker Three Point Shootout. Participants do not include J.R. Smith, but do include:

*Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
James Harden, Houston Rockets
Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
JJ Redick, Los Angeles Clippers
CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers (replaces injured Chris Bosh)
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
* Defending champion

Prediction: It really is a crime that J.R. wasn’t included in this field. So, I out of bitterness, I will pull for the other replacement for the injured Chris Bosh (who shouldn’t have been in it in the first place), since he’s at least a Cleveland guy. Go C.J.!

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And, to close it out, the Verizon Slam Dunk Contest. The four lucky contestants include:

*Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves
Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
Will Barton, Denver Nuggets
Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
* Defending champion

Prediction: No reason to think Zach LaVine won’t replicate his high-flying above the rim success, especially since big men don’t typically do well in dunk contests (unless they wear a Superman cape).

Who do you like? And also, while we’re at it, feel free to serve up any hot takes you have on all of the trade rumors swirling around this weekend like Canadian snowflakes…