CLEVELAND: Cavaliers rookies Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson were selected to participate in All-Star weekend, but they will need to heal before joining the festivities.
Irving and Thompson were sidelined Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Irving missed his first game of the season with a concussion suffered Tuesday against the Miami Heat. Thompson missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained left ankle.
Both are among 18 players who were selected by NBA assistant coaches for the Rising Stars Challenge on Feb. 24 in Orlando.
The game is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. and will be televised on TNT.
The Rising Stars Challenge will feature a new format.
In the past, rookies and second-year players have faced each other. This year, TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal will each draft a nine-man roster from a pool of 18 players.
The draft will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 and aired on NBA TV.
“It’s definitely an honor,” Thompson said. “Being able to be selected during All-Star week is definitely a blessing.”
Thompson said his ankle is getting better and he hopes he can play this weekend. Irving was not made available to media.
All-Star watch
The NBA All-Star Game is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Amway Center in Orlando.
The rosters for the game will be announced at 7 tonight on TNT.
Cavs center Anderson Varejao, who entered Wednesday averaging 10.8 points and 11.8 rebounds, is an All-Star candidate.
Cavs coach Byron Scott said Irving, who’s averaging 18.0 points and 5.1 assists, at least deserves to be considered.
“I think he’s definitely raising some eyebrows, but I don’t know [if Irving deserves to make the team],” Scott said. “You’ve got so many great point guards in the East. You talk about Derrick Rose and [Rajon] Rondo — they’re the first two guys that come to mind. But I definitely do think there’s probably gonna be some consideration [for Irving] ’cause of the way he’s played, the way he has helped our team get to the point where we are today.
“I think a lot of people didn’t expect us to be doing as well as we are doing.”
Familiar face
Guard Mo Williams played in Cleveland for the first time since the Cavs traded him to the Clippers on Feb. 24, 2011. The Cavaliers acquired guard Baron Davis and an unprotected lottery pick from the Clippers in exchange for Williams and forward Jamario Moon. The Clippers’ first-round pick became the No. 1 overall selection, and the Cavs used it to draft Irving.
Williams complimented the Cavs and said Cleveland is “always gonna have a special spot in my heart.” He interrupted Scott’s pregame meeting with reporters to ask his former coach how his family is doing.
“I thought they handled everything first class, even though I was traded,” Williams said. “It was a decision that they made as an organization. I would say it worked out for them.”
Calling a comeback
The Clippers played for the first time since guard Chauncey Billups suffered a season-ending torn left Achilles tendon Monday night in Orlando. During the Clippers’ shootaround Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena, Billups, 35, spoke to reporters and vowed not to let the injury force him into retirement.
“I’m not going to crawl out of this league,” he said. “I’m going to go out on my own two feet. I will be back.”
Randy Foye started Wednesday in place of Billups.
Rare appearances
Swingman Christian Eyenga played in the Cavs’ past two games. He had appeared in only one other game this season, playing one minute on Jan. 3 against the Charlotte Bobcats.
“I’m just trying to prove to people I can play defense,” Eyenga said while reflecting on his recent opportunities. “I can do this if you give me the opportunity.”
Fast breaks
Guard Anthony Parker (strained lower back) missed his fifth consecutive game. … Forward Antawn Jamison started despite tweaking his right Achilles tendon Tuesday against the Heat. … Cavs public-address announcer Olivier Sedra resumed his usual duties Wednesday night. Sedra missed the previous home game Saturday when he was wheeled away from the locker-room area on a stretcher about an hour before tip-off and taken to the Cleveland Clinic for undisclosed medical reasons.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at http://browns.ohio.com. Follow the Browns on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ABJ_Browns and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/browns.abj.
