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New York Knicks rookie guard Iman Shumpert will not compete in the Slam Dunk Contest this weekend at the All-Star Game in Orlando because of left patella tendonitis in his knee. The injury caused Shumpert, who was the WagerWeb.com NBA dunk contest bets favorite for the event, to sit out Tuesday’s game vs. the Nets and Wednesday night’s home game vs. Atlanta.
The Shumpert deletion also means Knicks sudden star Jeremy Lin won’t get a chance to assist Shumpert on the dunk. Lin will be in the Rising Stars Challenge, formerly known as the Rookie-Sophomore Game, which will be played Friday. Landry Fields, Lin’s best friend on the team, also is in that game.
Shumpert had been playing through pain in his knee but it became too much to bear after the Knicks’ win over the defending champion Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. He is officially listed as day to day by the Knicks.
“Rest will take care of something like that,” Mike D’Antoni said.
Carmelo Anthony is the Knicks lone participant in Sunday’s All-Star Game as he was voted in as a starting forward despite his shooting struggles this season. Joe Johnson has pulled out of the game, as well as the 3-point shooting contest, and David Stern still has to make an injury replacement addition.
Utah Jazz forward Jeremy Evans will replace Shumpert in the Dunk Contest, which is Saturday at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Utah players, fans and the organization enacted grass-roots campaigns to get Evans in the contest. He’ll join Minnesota’s Derrick Williams, Houston’s Chase Budinger and Indiana’s Paul George.
Evans is only averaging 1.7 points during his second season with the Jazz and is averaging less minutes (5.6) than any player on the team. The Human Pogo Stick is a fan-favorite for his alley-oop slams, though, and he jumped over his Camaro after being partially inspired by 2011 dunk-contest champion Blake Griffin.
Evans will join Jazz teammates Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors this week in Orlando. The latter two are part of the Rising Stars Challenge.
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