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    Beyond the Boxscore

    LeBron James makes Kobe Bryant look old, even as he chokes away dominant NBAAll-Star Game

    Chris Baldwin
    Feb 27, 2012 | 1:55 pm
    • Kevin Durant won the MVP, Kobe Bryant broke Michael Jordan's record, but LeBronJames looked like the best player in the world.
    • LeBron James wasn't too happy after his last-second turnover.
    • Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
      Photo via Sportage.com

    Yes, LeBron James threw away the chance to take The Last Shot. Again. Yes, even The King himself seems to realize this left him more than a little vulnerable (he looks like he wants to disappear into a Disney World Witness Protection Program during Craig Sager's on-the-bench interview, sort of like how he disappears on those last shot opportunities).

    But the 61st NBA All-Star Game isn't about James' mental block.

    That's a story for the NBA Finals to come, when James' Miami Heat will be back to try and win the championship they gagged away last June. No, this All-Star Game is about how dominant James looked for the first 47 minutes and 54 seconds of the NBA's star showcase, about how old he made Kobe Bryant appear in the process.

    If James starts holding himself accountable, this late game All-Star choke will be more than worth this week's humiliation.

    Kevin Durant — the former University of Texas star who can make dropping 36 points on the board look as easy as an afternoon yawn — wins the MVP award. Bryant breaks Michael Jordan's all-time All-Star Game scoring record. And the game belongs to LeBron.

    It's not even a question. There's no room for debate.

    James doesn't just look like the best player in the world. He looks like he's head and shoulders above the NBA's other superstars.

    By the time the NBA All-Star Game shifts to Houston next year, the line will be clearer than ever. Bryant's been passed by, really whizzed by, left on the side of the road like a worn-out couch dumped off the back of a pickup truck.

    LeBron's his superior now and it wouldn't be a surprise to see James match Bryant's five championships someday even without the benefit of ever playing with an interior force like Shaq. Oh sure, Kobe can still put up points. He'll get his 27 in an All-Star Game as long as the refs keep treating him like a deity long past his prime, like they did with Jordan (Bryant shot eight free throws Sunday night).

    Kobe will always be able to score.

    But he longer wows. That is James' domain now. The moments everyone will remember from Orlando? Those are all LeBron. Three after three that barely seems to ripple the net. That ridiculous 22-foot fallaway bank shot. That wraparound pass to Dwyane Wade on the fastbreak. Even the boneheaded pass in the final seconds with the East down three and even Kobe screaming at him to shoot.

    Whatever LeBron does or doesn't do will be the story in the NBA for the next decade.

    The truth is, Kobe was never as good as Jordan, as much as he stalked the issue. Now, he's been lapped by LeBron James.

    Durant figures to have plenty of moments, Chris Paul isn't going anywhere, and Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love and Rick Adelman are only a few years away from having the most exciting team in the league in Minnesota of all places. But unless Dwight Howard rescues the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe's run is all but done.

    Bryant is already the oldest 33-year-old the NBA has ever seen. He missed those jump shots against the Utah Jazz in the playoffs — the shots LeBron is still loath to take — at age 18. He's the test case on how long a true basketball prodigy lasts, the basketball player who's lived the Tiger Woods stage parent hard life.

    The truth is, Kobe was never as good as Jordan, as much as he stalked the issue. Now, he's been lapped by LeBron James, a 6-foot-8, 250-pound monster with an artist's deft touch.

    When you're as good as LeBron, it might not even matter that your heart quakes in the tensest moments.

    Whether he is biking to work or Twitter commenting on another's dunk, James is the story in the NBA. Durant might have to drop a 50-point game on the Heat in the Finals to steal the stage.

    Grow Man Response

    There even seems to be something different about James during his postgame confessional with Sager. There here is, moments after turning down another last shot, chiding himself for the decision. Sager doesn't ask the hard questions as much as LeBron delivers a scathing self analysis.

    It's a far cry from the LeBron everyone saw in the NBA Finals last June, the guy who always had an overly-detailed explanation for why he wasn't coming through in the fourth quarter — and why his life is so much better than yours. Could LeBron James finally be done making excuses?

    That should scare all the LeBron haters delighting in another late-game blunder to death. If James starts holding himself accountable, this late game All-Star choke will be more than worth this week's humiliation.

    Yet, another reason for Kobe Bryant to fret.

    The youngsters on the East even get in some digs at Bryant's meaningless All-Star Game scoring record. "That record he got tonight, with KD in the league, I don’t know how long it’s going to last," Wade says in the postgame press conference.

    Wade could have easily added his teammate as another guy who will track down Kobe. Forget LeBron being the emperor with no clothes. That title is shifting to Bryant, last-second regret regardless.

    Wade breaks Bryant's nose after the egomaniac veteran breaks the All-Star Game code and steals the ball from Wade in humiliating fashion. But LeBron James is the one on the verge of breaking Kobe's spirit.

    unspecified
    news/sports

    pucker up

    Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

    Jef Rouner
    Apr 29, 2025 | 5:30 pm
    Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.
    Photo courtesy of The Picklr
    A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

    Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

    “Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

    Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

    The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

    These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

    There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

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