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HOOPSWORLD caught up with rookies Chandler Parsons and Kemba Walker this weekend. Walker participating in the Rising Stars Challenge and Parsons in the Shooting Stars. The Houston forward also helped out teammate Chase Budinger in the slam dunk contest.

Chandler Parsons Comfortable Back Home in Orlando

Growing up 10 minutes from the Arena in Orlando, Chandler Parsons first foray into All-Star festivities has been a homecoming of sorts for the Houston Rockets starting forward.

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On Sunday the main event of NBA All-Star Weekend finally came: the All-Star Game itself. Early on the game progressed as these games usually do, filled with highlight dunks and no defense whatsoever, but after the Western Conference dominated the first half and the beginning of the third the Eastern Conference stormed back, coming within a point. In the end the West prevailed, 152-149.

The Amway Center in Orlando was not full to capacity for the game, though it was fuller than during All-Star Saturday night. R&B singer Mary J. Blige performed a very solid rendition of the Star Spangled Banner to kick things off. It was also noted before tipoff Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was just 19 points away from passing Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan to become the all-time leader in points scored at the All-Star Game. This becomes relevant later.

Bryant starts the game on fire, scoring 11 in the first quarter while teammate Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder ends up with 13 as the West took a 39-28 lead after one. Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin added 10 while Miami HEAT forward LeBron James led the East with 11.

Lakers’ center Andrew Bynum, the starter for the West, did not return after playing six minutes. This was actually by design because of an injection he had Friday in his knee. Laker fans relax

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Kansas forward Thomas Robinson and Baylor forward Perry Jones III each declared for the NBA Draft on Monday, according to reports by the Associated Press, which means that this class could rank among the best in recent memory.

Some of the underclassmen who have already declared are UNC forward Harrison Barnes, St. John’s forward Moe Harkless, Illinois center Meyers Leonard, Syracuse center Fab Melo, Mississippi St. big man Arnett Moultrie, Duke combo guard Austin Rivers, Ohio State power forward Jared Sullinger, Georgetown small forward Hollis Thompson, Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters and Washington’s Tony Wroten. The addition of Robinson and Jones take an already strong group to another level. And this group doesn’t yet include the Kentucky trio of Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Terrence Jones or UConn’s Andre Drummond