Fansided

5 things we need to see on NBA All-Star Saturday Night

By Cody Williams

Jan 20, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young (0) reacts after a basket during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young (0) reacts after a basket during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins greets fellow front court skills competition participants during the NBA All Star Saturday Night at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins greets fellow front court skills competition participants during the NBA All Star Saturday Night at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

3. DeMarcus Cousins taking Skills Challenge way too seriously

Last year’s Skills Challenge was the first time since its inception that fans were treated to the Bigs vs. Smalls style format as forwards and centers competed alongside the normal participants: guards. In a stunning turn of events, it was then-rookie Karl-Anthony Towns that ultimately walked away victorious after taking down Isaiah Thomas — a man he’s almost a foot-and-a-half taller than — in the finals of the Skills Challenge.

While Towns won’t be defending his crown, we do again get DeMarcus Cousins back competing. Many could argue that the versatility (and antics) of the Sacramento Kings are one of the reasons why the Skills Challenge now has big men involved. However, the fact that Cousins has a tendency to be (to put it nicely) a bit enigmatic at times also makes him a wild card of sorts in the event.

The hope of hopes for the Skills Challenge, even more so than the Knicks’ Latvia sensation winning should be for Cousins to look at Towns winning last year and approaching the competition at 110 percent. Fans need a moment of Cousins taking a silly obstacle course far too seriously. Whether that means he misses a pass and starts punching the air in frustration or just him being way more into it than anyone else involved, it needs to happen. We’d be robbed of fantastic fun if it didn’t.

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