LOS ANGELES -- Blake Griffin is a rookie playing in Sunday's All-Star game, as well as having been a participant in Saturday night's dunk contest and Friday night's Rookie Challenge.
Yet, that didn't stop Boston Celtics All-Star forward Paul Pierce from trying to see if he could pull off a little hazing on the Los Angeles Clippers' forward during the practice session at the Convention Center."Paul Pierce was trying to get me to sing a song," said Griffin, a West reserve. "He was trying to get me and Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love to all sing one. So we had to tell him to go back over to his side."
Griffin, Oklahoma City's Westbrook and Minnesota's Love, both of whom played at UCLA, all will be playing in their first All-Star games, and in many ways, will be playing in front of hometown fans.
"It means a lot to play in front of your home crowd, or part of your home crowd, anyway," Griffin said. "Hopefully the crowd embraces the L.A. guys."
The other L.A. All-Stars are Lakers Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.
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No love for Celtics
The crowd Saturday proved it still wouldn't cheer for any of the Celtics.
And they will see plenty of Celtics in the game -- from Boston Coach Doc Rivers, who is coaching the East team, to Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo.
Rivers said that he'll play all four of them together.
"I'm sure that will get a big round of applause in L.A., putting four Celtics in at the same time," Rivers said, laughing.
During the practice session, the fans booed Allen and Pierce when they were announced as a pair that would participate in a post-practice three-point contest.
"It was beautiful," Rivers joked. "We love it."
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James, Anthony share a moment
It was fitting that Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James sat side-by-side during the media session, both talking about their drama-filled situations.
James captivated the nation last summer when he made his decision to go the Miami Heat.
Anthony has been embroiled in trade talks all season.
"One thing, when I was going through my situation, I was able to hide a little bit because it was the off-season when it got heavy," said James, an East All-Star. "This guy is traveling every day, he still has to play, he still has to represent the Denver Nuggets the right way and still listen to you guys ask him every single day what is he doing, where is he going, and he knows just as much as you guys know."
Rivers had a little fun during practice with the Anthony trade melodrama.
"Carmelo could stand in the middle," Rivers joked. "He doesn't know if he's East or West."
Anthony actually was playing for the West, but all the trade talks have him going to the Eastern Conference to the New York Knicks or New Jersey Nets.
Anthony, still a Nugget, was asked if he would be playing for Denver when it faces Memphis at home Tuesday night.
"I don't know," Anthony said. "I'm enjoying this weekend. I'm not thinking about that."
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