SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 points, including the clinching basket, and Chuck’s Global Stars advanced to the title game of the NBA All-Star mini-tournament by beating Kenny’s Young Stars 41-32 in the first semifinal on Sunday night.
It was the debut of the new All-Star mini-tournament format: four teams, three games, first to 40 points wins.
Victor Wembanyama and Karl-Anthony Towns each had six points for the Global Stars. Darius Garland, Tyler Herro and Evan Mobley each had six points for the Young Stars, who were without Anthony Edwards. He was a last-second scratch with a groin issue.
“My groin’s been messed up for a little minute,” said Edwards, who had been listed as a starter for the first semifinal. He added that with the short warmup before Game 1, he didn’t think there was time to test it out and see if he could go.
“You always want to play,” Edwards said. “But when they put two minutes on the clock for warmup, I didn’t get no time to warm up my groin and it was all bad.”
There were some less-than-serious efforts — underhand lobs from half-court, for example — but there was at least some defense played from the outset, such as three blocked shots in the first three minutes of All-Star action.
And the first timeout of the night came after Towns — who scored 50 points in last year’s defense-optional All-Star Game — connected on a straightaway 37-foot 3-pointer from the center court logo, something he wouldn’t exactly do often in games that counted.
The three teams of actual 24 NBA All-Stars were drafted by TNT analysts Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. The fourth team — Candace’s Rising Stars, which earned its way into the All-Star tournament by winning the Rising Stars event Friday night — was named for another TNT analyst, Candace Parker.
The second semifinal was Candace’s Rising Stars against Shaq’s OGs. The OGs were without LeBron James, who was ruled out earlier Sunday because of ongoing left foot and ankle discomfort.
James was not replaced on the roster, meaning the OGs had seven players available.
The league went to the tournament format of untimed, short games with hopes that asking players to play fewer minutes would lead to better competition. Last year’s game in Indianapolis had a 211-186 final score, setting a slew of records but prompting the league to take action.
Up next
Next season’s All-Star weekend — Feb. 13-15, 2026 — will be headquartered at Intuit Dome, the Los Angeles Clippers’ new home in Inglewood, California.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
