MANILA -- Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook found themselves on the same NBA All-Star team, but this time with seven East All-Stars with them.
The NBA superstars, who have been on a “cold war” of sorts following Durant's departure to Golden State from Oklahoma City, are once again teammates for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game on February 19 (Philippine Time) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The rift seemed to have been thawed in last year's All-Star Game when Westbrook and Durant connived for a play early into the said match.
But when the Warriors and the Thunder crossed paths again on November 23 at the latter's home court, both players exchanged words during the third quarter, a proof that the "cold war" may still be far from over.
On whether the hatchet will be finally buried on February 19 will be determined after LeBron James, the group’s team captain, drafted both Durant and Westbrook.
Going away from the traditional West vs. East game, James and Steph Curry, the top vote-getters in the recent All-Star balloting, were given drafting powers to construct their own teams for the mid-season classic.
James put up another reunion on his squad as he drafted his fellow Cleveland Cavalier Kevin Love and Boston Celtic Kyrie Irving to Team LeBron, re-forming the "Big 3" that helped the Cavs win the 2016 NBA title.
Joining James, Irving, Durant, Love, and Westbrook at Team LeBron are New Orleans' DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis, Indiana's Victor Oladipo, New York's Kristaps Porzingis, and Washington's John Wall.
Despite playing against Durant this time, Curry kept his fellow key Warriors to his own team as he drafted Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Joining Team Steph as well are Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), James Harden (Houston Rockets), Jimmy Butler (Minnesota Timberwolves), Al Horford (Boston), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Kyle Lowry (Toronto), and Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota). (PNA)
