5 NBA players to watch after the All-Star Break

Though it’s ultimately a series of meaningless exhibitions, NBA All-Star Weekend can motivate certain players going into the post-break stretch of the season.

Whether it’s a player who shined this past weekend or someone who was snubbed and spent the time stewing at home, what happened in L.A. could realistically have an impact on the championship race — or at least make the second half of the season more interesting. Here are five players to watch as the NBA resumes action tonight:

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JAMES HARDEN (Thunder) — As good as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been, the Thunder won’t be a legit contender until they get a third scorer to step up consistently. Harden can be that guy. He’s been quiet for most of the season, averaging 10.3 points off the bench with just three games of 20-plus points. But in the six games before the All-Star break, Harden scored 14 points per night, and in the Rookie Challenge he dropped 30. I know that nobody plays D in the Rookie Challenge, but the fact that Harden got extended time on an NBA court in front of a national audience and unleashed an array of threes, strong drives and highlight dunks could give him a little more confidence for the second half of the season. He looked explosive and ready to live up to the expectations that come with being a No. 3 overall draft pick.

DEMAR DEROZAN (Raptors) — While I don’t think DeRozan got “robbed” in the dunk contest, I can see why he’d be upset at his first-round exit. Now is he going to use that frustration to punish the rest of the League? Before the break, DeRozan was beginning to develop under the radar into a star in the making, averaging 18.5 points in January and 19.6 points (on 53% from the field) in February. He is shooting his jumper with more confidence, and is more active as a rebounder and defender. You already knew DeMar could dunk. If you watch a Raptors game every now and then, you’ll see he’s doing a lot more these days.

LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE (Trail Blazers) — The most notable All-Star snub was playing with the swagger of an MVP candidate going into the break, and there’s no reason to believe he’ll lose momentum after a few days off. LMA is averaging 29.1 points on 57% shooting in February, and as long as Brandon Roy is in and (mostly) out of Portland’s lineup, he’ll continue to get all the shots he wants.

KOBE BRYANT (Lakers) — The old, washed-up guy posted 37 points and 14 boards in the All-Star Game while outplaying the best players in the world. So apparently he’s still got a little something left in the tank. The Lakers lost their last three games going into the break, including one to Cleveland. They try to snap the streak tonight against Atlanta and Joe Johnson, who essentially shut Kobe down in the fourth quarter of the All-Star Game. The Black Mamba will have multiple sources of motivation tonight, and that sixth championship ring is still very much in view.

BLAKE GRIFFIN (Clippers) — Don’t be surprised if the property values in Griffindor see a slight decline, because the Blake hype backlash is starting to show itself. Because it was so obvious that the NBA wanted Blake to win the dunk contest, and because he wasn’t convincingly better than every dunker in the field, and because he didn’t match the standard set by Vince Carter, before All-Star Weekend was over I’d already noticed a shift in what had been a half-season of nothing but love for Blake. Of course it’s not his fault that the NBA puts all of its marketing muscle behind him, but he’s the easiest one to hate on.

Not to mention, Blake still hasn’t had to experience the rookie wall yet; this is still his first season playing more than 30-something games like he did in high school and college. If his numbers aren’t as spectacular and the Clippers keep losing, the Rookie of the Year race with John Wall may end up closer than you thought. Or Blake will start dropping 30-and-15 lines throughout the second half and need to be tested by the government.

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