NBA: Cunningham, Mobley shine in Rising Stars
Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons holds up the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars MVP trophy after the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 18, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. Jason Miller/Getty Images/AFP
Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley had big impacts in both of Team Barry’s victories in the NBA Rising Stars games Friday night at Cleveland.
Cunningham, a Detroit Pistons rookie, and Mobley of the hometown Cavaliers shared game-high totals in both competitions, including five points in the final when Team Barry topped Team Isiah 25-20.
Cold. Blooded. Cade.
After 13 points in Game 1…Cade Cunningham knocks down the clutch triple to bring Team Barry to within 1 point of winning #CloroxRisingStars on TNT! pic.twitter.com/mgNpEk7THo
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022
Jae’Sean Tate of the Houston Rockets also had five points for the winning side, which was coached by Rick Barry.
The first team to 25 points claimed the victory.
🔊 Hear from the tournament MVP Cade Cunningham and Team Barry coach & GM Rick Barry after winning #CloroxRisingStars! pic.twitter.com/F3V1Bn9wS0
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022
“I felt like we had the team to do it,” said Cunningham, who was selected the night’s Most Valuable Player. “We had to come out and prove ourselves and get the (championship). I’m glad we did that.”
Precious Achiuwa of the Toronto Raptors led Team Isiah — coached by Isiah Thomas — with 12 points in the final.
Both semifinals went down to next-basket-wins situation, with 50 points needed to advance.
Team Isiah made it to the final round by winning 50-49 against Team Worthy — coached by James Worthy — on Desmond Bane’s free throws.
Right before the winning points, Saddiq Bey of the Pistons blocked Jalen Green’s potential game-winning 3-pointer for Team Worthy.
Otherwise, it was a big night for Green, with the Rockets rookie scoring 20 of his team’s 49 points. Bey ended up with 16 points for Team Isiah.
In the second semifinal, Team Barry broke a 48-48 tie on Tate’s drive for the winning points.
Cunningham and Mobley led Team Barry with 13 points apiece. Jaden McDaniels of the Minnesota Timberwolves notched 12 points while Bones Hyland of the Denver Nuggets had 10 points for Team Payton, coached by Gary Payton.
The Rising Stars action was conducted under a new format. The 28 participants were split into four teams, with two games making up the semifinals.
Prior to the final, a shooting competition was contested with Bane and the Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton combining for the top mark in the event that involved two-man teams.
Saturday’s events will include the skills challenge, 3-point contest and slam-dunk competition. The NBA All-Star Game is set for Sunday night.
