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Monday, March 8, 2021

Still perfect: Team LeBron wins 2021 NBA All-Star Game

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team James is presented the MVP award after his team defeated Team Durant in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Stephen Curry #30 and Lebron James #23 of Team James react during the first half against Team Durant in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Luka Doncic #77 of Team James is defended by Kyrie Irving #11 of Team Durant in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
James Harden #13 of Team Durant and Chris Paul #3 of Team James battle for the ball during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
James Harden #13 of Team Durant handles the ball on offense against Team James during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Zach LaVine #8 of Team Durant is defended by Chris Paul #3 of Team James during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Nikola Vucevic #9 of Team Durant attempts a jump shot against Team James during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Donovan Mitchell #45 of Team Durant is defended by Jaylen Brown #7 and Chris Paul #3 of Team James during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team James attempts a jump shot against Team Durant during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Kawhi Leonard #2 of Team Durant looks on against Team James in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Zach LaVine #8 of Team Durant attempts a lay up against Team James during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Lebron James #23 of Team James reacts against Team Durant in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Donovan Mitchell #45 of Team Durant is defended by Jaylen Brown #7 of Team James during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Chris Paul #3 of Team James is defended by Kyrie Irving #11 of Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Adam Silver Commissioner of the NBA looks on during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team James drives to the basket against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Stephen Curry #30 of Team James attempts a three point basket against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry celebrates after scoring during the first half of basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Head coach Doc Rivers of Team LeBron looks on against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team James and Jayson Tatum #0 of Team Durant battle for the ball during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team James and Jayson Tatum #0 of Team Durant battle for the ball during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry plays during the first half of basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Damian Lillard #0 of Team James attempts a lay up against Kyrie Irving #11 of Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Bradley Beal (L) of Team Durant dunks the ball during the 70th NBA All-Star Game against team LeBron James at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Bradley Beal #3 of Team Durant reacts against Team James during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Paul George #13 of Team LeBron handles the ball on offense against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving guards Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis during the first half of basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
LeBron James of Team LeBron James attemps to dunk the ball during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James smiles during the first half of basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Head coach Doc Rivers of Team Durant speaks with his team during the second half against Team James in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving dunks during the second half of basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Rudy Gobert (C) of Team LeBron James dunks the ball during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Nikola Jokic #15 of Team LeBron celebrate against Team Durant during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Zach LaVine of Team Durant drives to the basket during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Bradley Beal (R) of Team Durant drives to the basket as teammate Kawhi Leonard (L) and Nikola Jokic of Team LeBron James look on during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Damian Lillard #0 of Team James against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Damian Lillard #0 of Team James celebrates against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James celebrates during the first half of basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Kyrie Irving (L) of Team Durant drives to the basket during the 70th NBA All-Star Game against team LeBron James at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Damian Lillard of Team LeBron James dunks the ball during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Damian Lillard #0 of Team James celebrates against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Zach LaVine (L) of Team Durant drives to the basket during the 70th NBA All-Star Game against team LeBron James at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Rudy Gobert (2nd R) of Team LeBron James attemps a shot against Team Durant during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Kawhi Leonard #2 of Team Durant handles the ball against Team LeBron during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Rudy Gobert (C) of Team LeBron James holds to the ball against Team Durant during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Stephen Curry (R) of Team LeBron James is defended by Kyrie Irving (C) of Team Duncan during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7, 2021. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Kawhi Leonard #2 of Team Durant is introduced prior to the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: A general view of State Farm Arena during the 70th NBA All-Star Game between Team LeBron and Team Durant on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Gladys Knight performs the national anthem prior to the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Lebron James #23 of Team LeBron stands for the national anthem prior to the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Lebron James #23 of Team LeBron is introduced prior to the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Jayson Tatum #0 of Team Durant is defended by Nikola Jokic #15 of Team LeBron during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Lebron James #23 of Team LeBron dunks the ball against Team Durant in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team LeBron handles the ball on offense against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team LeBron celebrates a basket against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team LeBron celebrates a basket against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Lebron James #23 of Team LeBron celebrates against Team Durant during the first half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of Team Durant is defended by Jaylen Brown #7 and Chris Paul #3 of Team LeBron during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Kyrie Irving #11 of Team Durant dunks the ball against Team LeBron during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Rudy Gobert #27 of Team LeBron attempts a lay up against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Luka Doncic #77 of Team LeBron attempts a jump shot against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Donovan Mitchell #45 of Team Durant is defended by Jaylen Brown #7 of Team LeBron during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Stephen Curry #30 of Team LeBron is defended by Kyrie Irving #11 of Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Stephen Curry #30 of Team James celebrates against Team Durant during the second half in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 07: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team James is presented the MVP award after his team defeated Team Durant in the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo hols up the trophy after basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of Team LeBron plays with his son, Liam Charles Antetokounmpo, prior to the 70th NBA All-Star Game at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
New York Knicks center Julius Randle gets a hug from his son Kyden during basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

ATLANTA — In the midst of a pandemic, this was assured of being an NBA All-Star Game like no other.

The stands were mostly empty. The crowd noise was largely piped in. There were no A-list celebrities sitting courtside. Two players had to sit out after getting haircuts.

But in the end, it had a familiar feel.

Team LeBron won again.

Knocking down shots from all over the court, LeBron James’ powerhouse squad closed the first half with a dominating run to set up a 170-150 romp over Team Durant in the league’s 70th midseason showcase Sunday night.

The top vote-getters in each conference have picked the teams the last four years, a duty that James has earned every season.

He’s now 4-0, having defeated Steph Curry’s squad in 2018 and teams selected by Milwaukee’s two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo the previous two years.

This time, James drafted his two former adversaries and blew away Kevin Durant’s team.

“I think he’s got a future as a GM,” said Damian Lillard, another of James’ inspired selections. “He always gets it right.”

Antetokounmpo was the game’s MVP after shooting 16 of 16 for 35 points, even making all three of his attempts beyond the 3-point stripe. It was the most baskets without a miss in All-Star Game history.

“I’m just having fun,” the Greek star, who banked in several of his shots. “Sometimes when you’re having fun and not thinking about the outcome, you just let your instincts take over.”

“You know, usually it is closed (on Sundays),” Antetokounmpo said, smiling when asked about the bank-shots, “but for me, it was open extended hours.”

Curry chipped in with 28 points, while Lillard had 32.

James spent most of the night admiring his drafting skill from the bench. The Lakers star played less than 13 minutes, scored just four points, and didn’t return to the court in the second half.

Instead, he munched a snack on the bench.

“I know he was managing his minutes tonight,” Curry said. “We had a great time, representing him as captain. It was a memorable night for sure.”

It sure was for Curry, the Golden State star who won the 3-point competition beforehand, then went 8 for 16 from beyond the arc in the game.

Lillard matched him, also going 8 for 16 from beyond the arc.

This All-Star Game sure was different than the previous 69.

Determined to pull off an exhibition that is huge for TV revenue and the league’s worldwide brand, the league staged the game in a mostly empty downtown arena, a made-for-TV extravaganza that was symbolic of the coronavirus era.

Despite extensive safety protocols in place, two players didn’t even make it to tipoff. Philadelphia stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were ruled out because they got haircuts from a barber who tested positive for COVID-19.

The only good thing for Durant: He didn’t have to participate in this shellacking, sitting out the game with an ailing hamstring.

Washington’s Bradley Beal, the NBA’s leading scorer this season at 32.9 ppg, led Team Durant with 26 points.

On a night highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Team LeBron swept the first three quarters and cruised to the final target score, earning a total of $750,000 for its charity, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

The game got out of hand late in the second quarter.

With scant defense being played, Team LeBron took turns dunking off alley-oop passes. Chris Paul delivered back-to-back lobs that Lillard and Curry slammed through. Then, it was Paul on the receiving end of a payback pass from Curry.

After showing it could handle shots up close, Team LeBron headed outside in the final seconds of the half.

Lillard pulled up for a 3-pointer from the midcourt line. Not to be outdone, Curry knocked down one from virtually the same spot.

“It was a lot of fun,” Lillard said. “Me and Steph shoot a lot of 3s. We shoot deep 3s. It was 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.”

The Clippers’ Paul George had 17 points for Team LeBron, going 5 for 7 from 3-point range in 26 minutes. His Clippers teammate, Kawhi Leonard, had eight points, nine rebounds and eight assists in 20 minutes for Team Durant.

Amid the joyful moments, the atmosphere at State Farm Arena was downright eerie compared to a normal All-Star Game.

Instead of a packed house, with A-list celebrities crammed into prime courtside seats, this game was attended by a smattering of hand-picked guests. They had plenty of room to spread out in a 17,000-seat venue that was essentially transformed into a giant television studio, with socially distanced spectators kept far from the court.

Towering video screens were set up behind the benches. Vegas-style lights flashed around the arena. Recorded crowd noise blared over the sound system. The entertainment was provided by the host Atlanta Hawks, who didn’t have any players in the game but were represented by their cheerleaders, drum line and DJ.

To address fears that one of its biggest events would become a super-spreader for a virus that has killed more than a half-million Americans, the NBA pared down its usual weekend-long ritual of extravagant parties, gridlocked streets and people watching

This All-Star Game was a one-night-only event, with a pair of skill competitions held shortly before the game and the Dunk Contest squeezed into the halftime break. The players flew in Saturday afternoon and were largely confined to a nearby hotel except for their time on the court.

“This is when everyone in basketball all over the world comes to one city,” James said before the game. “We’re able to sit back and go, ‘Wow, this is the game we have built.’ It’s a beautiful weekend for all walks of life, on the floor and off the floor.

“But I’m sitting here in my hotel room, isolated. My family’s not here. I’m by myself. It’s just different, to say the least, compared to previous years.”

TIP-INS

Team Durant: Zion Williamson of New Orleans started the game in place of Embiid. The Pelicans forward had 10 points. … Durant’s team heaved up 72 3-pointers, but made only 27 (37.5%).

Team LeBron: Paul had 16 assists, passing Magic Johnson’s record for most career All-Star assists with 128. … Lillard ended the game with another long 3-pointer. Curry was waving to the spectators before it even went in. … James’ team shot 63.6% from the field, including 31 for 61 from 3-point range.

UP NEXT

The 71st All-Star Game will be held on Feb. 20, 2022 in Cleveland. The 2023 game is set for Salt Lake City, followed by Indianapolis in 2024.

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Kings’ top performers viewed as potential finalists for NHL Awards

The Kings will visit Vegas at least twice this season, but, if the NHL Awards are held in person, some of their top performers might be planning a third trip in the offseason.

Since 2018, the Kings have been absent from both the playoffs and nominations for the league’s major awards, but that could change this year.

Drew Doughty, Norris Trophy

Doughty won the Norris in 2016 and was a finalist for the award three additional times. He finished third in 2010’s voting, and was the runner up in 2015 and 2018.

However the past two seasons saw significant dips in productivity across the boards: offense, possession, power-play and overall profile.

This season, Doughty has had a resurgence in all areas of his game while continuing to shoulder an array and volume of responsibilities that few if any other defensemen do. He is second in the NHL in time on ice and, despite the idea to pair him with veteran Olli Maatta initially, has been skating alongside a rookie, Mikey Anderson. Doughty is tied for the league lead in power-play points among defenseman and is also tied for the fourth most overall points by a blue liner. His possession and two-way numbers have improved dramatically across the board as well.

Offensively, Doughty has reaped the benefits of much more dangerous power play and deeper mix of forwards, while also taking advantage of playing more on the flank during power plays. Perhaps more than anything, the enthusiasm, tirelessness and range have all returned to Doughty’s game.

To recapture the trophy, Doughty will face stiff competition from last year’s winner of the Conn Smythe (playoff MVP) trophy last year, Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman. Hedman was a finalist for the Norris Trophy last year and did win in 2018 when Doughty was the runner up.

Hedman remains the front-runner for this year’s award, but Doughty finds himself on a very short list of potential finalists.

Gabe Vilardi, Calder Trophy

Vilardi appeared to be one of the steals of the 2017 draft, when the Kings also selected another rookie standout, center Jaret Anderson-Dolan in the third round. Vilardi fell out of the top 10 despite some projections that had him just outside the top five.

But a back condition robbed Vilardi of significant development time and cast some aspersions on his potential.

Vilardi battled hard to return to form and fitness. Between a brief stint last season and the early going this year, he has moved back to the fore of a scintillating group of players under 25 in the Kings’ organization.

Vilardi is tied for fifth in rookie scoring and tied for second in goals by a rookie, with potential to climb both leaderboards. While he has had some tough nights in the faceoff circle, he has won about 46 percent of his draws and taken 304, nearly 200 more than the Kings’ next most-utilized right-handed shot. Center Rasmus Kupari, another rookie righty, has enjoyed success in two games, but Vilardi continues to be the top option on the right side.

Vilardi would be the second King to win the Calder and the first since Luc Robitaille in 1987. The main impediment is some stiff competition, mostly from European players who arrived with pro experience overseas. Russian winger Kirill Kaprizov has been captivating in Minnesota, as Kings fans know all too well. Kevin Lankinen, a Finn, salvaged Chicago’s threadbare goaltending situation and, in part, its season, along with Swiss rookie forward Pius Suter, who leads all newcomers in goals.

Anze Kopitar, Hart Trophy/Lindsay Award/Selke Trophy/Messier Award/Lady Byng Trophy

The King with the greatest potential to bring home some hardware is the captain, center Anze Kopitar.

Kings Coach Todd McLellan called Kopitar perhaps the most consistent player he’d seen in over two decades in pro hockey. McLellan, former Kings coach Darryl Sutter and no shortage of opposing coaches have praised the comprehensiveness and integrity of Kopitar’s game over the years. So it comes as little surprise that he has returned to the dialogue surrounding so many different awards.

Kopitar has racked up 28 points in 23 games, the best points-per-game average of his career. His previous best was in 2018, when he was a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player. He also won the Selke Trophy that season, for the second time, and he has been a finalist for the award two other times in his career.

In 2016, he won the Lady Byng Trophy as the league’s most gentlemanly player–a feat he could repeat given his low penalty minute totals and clean defensive play–as well as the Selke. Capturing the Selke and Lady Byng had been accomplished previously by only Pavel Datsyuk and Ron Francis.

Only Sergei Fedorov has won both the Hart and Selke trophies in the same season.

Traditionally Hart winners also have a shot at the Ted Lindsay Award–the league’s most outstanding player award voted on by its players–though Kopitar has never been a finalist previously.

If Kopitar were to win the Selke–and his defense by traditional and advanced metrics alike has been superb this year–he would become just the sixth player to win the award three times.

Only two players have won it four times, including Boston center Patrice Bergeron, who was a finalist last year for the ninth time, an all-time record. Philadelphia center Sean Couturier–last year’s winner–as well as St. Louis center Ryan O’Reilly and Vegas winger Mark Stone are also elite defensive forwards.

The Hart and Lindsay finalists are always in rarefied air. Thus far the staggering production of Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Toronto’s Auston Matthews might confine those conversations. Still, Kopitar’s well-roundedness and prolific scoring should put him in the mix.

Kopitar has also been lauded for his leadership as the Kings have accelerated their rebuild under McLellan. He could find himself in the midst of the captains and alternate captains vying for the Mark Messier Leadership Award. Kopitar’s teammate and close friend Dustin Brown won the award in 2014, the year Brown captained the Kings to their second Stanley Cup.

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Do Consumers Actually Shop Directly on Social Media Platforms [New Data]

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many consumers raced online to buy products they couldn't get in-store. And, by July 2020, global retail ecommerce sites cumulatively saw a record 22 billion monthly visits.

As brands scrambled to offer more products and services online, social media platforms -- such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp --began rolling out ecommerce tools to help businesses sell more items directly from their social pages.

Now, as social media networks continue to expand on in-platform shopping tools, it's clear that social media ecommerce is gaining steam. But, as with any new marketing trend, you might wonder, "Are consumers actually buying products while surfing social media?"

The question above is worth asking. As a marketer, creating an online catalog or ecommerce process -- even with the help of an intuitive social media platform -- takes time and effort.

Not only will you need to determine which products will be sold online and how you'll deliver them to customers, but there might also be a technological learning curve for your team. Odds are, you'll want to know that consumers are actively using social media shopping tools before you enable them

To help you determine if social media shopping features are worth considering, I asked 467 consumers if they'd ever purchased products on social media platforms.

Do Consumers Actually Buy Products on Social Media?

There are now more ways than ever to buy products on social media. But, since some social media shopping tools are still rather new to shoppers and brands, you might think consumers have barely used them yet.

But, when we asked, "Have you ever purchased a product directly from a social media platform? If so which one(s)?" more than 50% of consumers had purchased a product on at least one platform.

Do consumers shop on social media poll

Data Source

Of the 49.5% of respondents that haven't purchased a product directly from a social media platform, 9% said they still plan to do so eventually, while 40.5% say they prefer to buy products from ecommerce websites. Although that 9% of consumers who plan to shop on social media one day seems like a small number, it could grow as social media shopping tools gain more use, popularity, or trust in the coming months.

Ultimately, while social media shopping features are still fairly new to consumers, they might make sense for brands that are looking for a scalable way to enter the ecommerce world.

Below I'll dive into the four social media platforms consumers say they've purchased products from and how they could be useful for brands.

Which social media platforms are consumers really shopping on?

Facebook

More than one-third of the survey respondents above have purchased a product directly from Facebook.

Facebook's online shopping popularity isn't surprising. Even before the 2020 launch of Facebook Shops, users flocked to Facebook Marketplace to find items or products being sold by residents nearby, independent sellers, or even local stores.

While Facebook Marketplace is more like Craigslist than an ecommerce store -- and still requires you to contact a seller or go to their website before buying a product, its years of success likely helped justify the launch of Facebook's newest shopping features.

Here's a brief rundown of the newest ways people shop on Facebook:

Facebook Shops

Facebook Shops, which rolled out this summer, enables business page admins to create a "Shop" featuring a list of products or product collections.

Users who visit the brand's Facebook Business Page can tap or click a View Shop button to see products, add items to their cart, and purchase them directly from a Facebook Checkout page.

Facebook Shop examples

Facebook Messenger

Social media users who aren't interested in sifting through a Shop's list of products can also message brands on Facebook Messenger. Once a brand creates a Facebook Shop, they can integrate it with their Messenger account, WhatsApp account, or Instagram account for a smooth customer purchasing experience directly in their threads.

When customers message brands with Shop integrations to learn more about specific products, they'll receive automated messages with product suggestions from the Shop owner -- as seen in the image below.

Facebook Messenger Shopping Features

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The Facebook Shops' Messenger integration isn't the first feature Facebook has offered that enabled consumers to shop via message thread. Between 2016 and 2019, Facebook allowed business pages to send messages that included a product shot, basic description, and a Buy Now button which allowed customers to buy products in the Messenger app via their phone's payment feature. Here's what this looked like:

Facebook IM purchasing

Image Source

Takeaways for Marketers

Currently, launching a Facebook Shop might be one of the best ways to sell products on social platforms. Not only does Facebook have the largest and broadest reach of all the platforms on this list, but Facebook Shops can also integrate with Instagram and WhatsApp, allowing you to easily expand to multiple social media platforms when you're ready.

Even if you already have an ecommerce site, Facebook Shops can still be beneficial if you have large audiences on social media who primarily use mobile phones and apps to surf the web. For example, if a new prospect comes across your brand on the Facebook app, they can simply click into your Shop, check out a few products, and even buy a few using their phone's payment tool. This might create much less friction than they'd receive if they needed to leave their social media app to browse through a large list of products shown in your ecommerce store.

Ultimately, Shops' versatile options could be a good fit if you sell to a broad audience, are interested in expanding to Instagram or WhatsApp, or are an experienced online seller who also wants to turn social media followers into customers.

Instagram

Although most of Instagram's shopping features were added after Facebook Shops launched, nearly a quarter of respondents have bought products on Instagram.

Below are Instagram's most notable shopping features:

Instagram Shops

Instagram Shops essentially uses the same design, layout, and technology Facebook Shops, but is linked to Instagram Business Pages specifically. Like Facebook Shops, you'll also need admin access to a Facebook Business Page and a Facebook Shop to use this feature.

To leverage this feature, you merely need to go to your Facebook Commerce Manager settings, link your Facebook and Instagram Business pages to each other, and enable your Shop on your Instagram Business profile so your visitors will see a View Shop button. Once this Shop is activated, your Instagram Shop's viewers will see the same mini-online store they'd see if they entered your Facebook Shop on that platform.

Instagram Shoppable Posts

While you'll still need a Facebook catalog that lists your products, you do not need a Facebook Shop to launch Instagram Shoppable posts. This feature allows you to link your Instagram feed posts and images directly to the product's Instagram Checkout page.

Image Source

While this feature began specifically with feed-style posts, it has now stretched to Instagram Stories, Instagram Live (shown below), and -- most recently -- Instagram Reels.

Instagram live shopping content

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While an Instagram Shop allows your followers to see all the major products or collections your selling, Instagram Shoppable posts allow you to highlight your product with creative content, such as reviews or demos, while also linking directly to a purchasing page. This enables users to discover a product, watch it in action, and buy it almost immediately if they like what they've seen.

Instagram's Shopping Tab

You can also optimize your Instagram product content to show up in the Shopping tab of Instagram's app. With this tool, prospects that might not know about your brand might search for products, find items from your brand, and add them to their bag. From there, they can tap the bag icon in the corner and purchase these products directly from the Instagram app.

Instagram Shopping tab

Takeaways for Marketers

Instagram's shopping features might be useful to your brand if you already have a presence on Instagram, target the Gen Z or millennial audiences, and have engaging or intriguing photo or video assets to market your product, brand, or service.

If you already have a Facebook Shop and want to expand your social media ecommerce strategy to Instagram, it's also scalable and easy. Because Instagram Shops are carbon copies of pre-created Facebook shops, you only need to take a few steps to place a Shops button on your Instagram Business Page. But, if you don't have interest in a Facebook account, you can still leverage Instagram Live Shopping, Shopping Posts, and highlight your products in the Instagram Shopping tab.

To learn more about each of these tools, how they work, and how brands can leverage them, check out this post for more details.

While WhatsApp, also owned by Facebook, doesn't have its own shopping platform, users can still chat with brands, request to purchase a product from the companies WhatsApp for Business catalog, and pay for it directly in the message thread.

The WhatsApp payment feature, shown below, is quite similar to Facebook Messenger's older "Buy Now" feature, shown in the section above:

WhatsApp payments in whatsapp message threads

Image Source

Takeaways for Marketers

While buying products might take a bit longer on WhatsApp than on a Facebook or Instagram Shop, roughly 13.5% of respondents have still done it.

As WhatsApp continues to grow and expand its business features, this app might be worth keeping on your radar if you are interested in building a chat-based community and social revenue stream at the same time.

While this app might be opportunistic for conversational marketers, this app might also be beneficial if you're looking to sell internationally. While Facebook and Instagram also have audiences around the world, most of WhatsApp's user base lives outside of the U.S. In fact, WhatsApp's largest audiences are from India and Brazil.

Until recently -- Pinterest users could buy some of the products they saw directly in the Pinterest app. Interestingly enough, it launched and discontinued its tool before Facebook and Instagram launched similar features.

From 2015 to 2018, Pinterest enabled brands to create Buyable Pins that allowed you to purchased pinned products directly from the app. Next to each Buyable Pin's "Save" button was a blue "Buy It" button. When tapped, it sent users directly to a Pinterest purchasing screen.

Pinterest's old shopping feature

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While Pinterest offered its in-app purchasing feature for years, the brand converted Buyable Pins to more scalable Product Pins in 2018.

Product Pins, which the platform now uses, send app users to a company's website checkout page rather than a Pinterest app page.

While the conversion to Product Pins prevented Pinterest from needing to manage millions of transactions a year, it was also more beneficial to the brands. In a 2018 statement to AdWeek, Pinterest revealed that Product Pins received 40% more clicks than Buyable Pins.

Although Buyable Pins are no longer active, 10.5% of respondents still say they've purchased products directly on the platform.

While respondents could have purchased items from Buyable Pins in the past, they also could have made purchases through Product Pins, which open an in-app browser to a brand's checkout page without requiring users to leave Pinterest. Although the transaction itself isn't happening on Pinterest's servers, the feature still enables users to make a quick purchase without interrupting their social media experience.

Takeaways for Marketers

Although Pinterest no longer enables consumers to make purchases directly from the platform, you should still take its product marketing opportunities, such as Product Pins, seriously.

After all, many different audiences use Pinterest to create inspiration boards filled with products or items they might want to purchase. And Pinterest data shows that users like to search or learn about products on the platform

Aside from the brand-friendly nature of Pinterest's platform, marketers should also take note of its consistent growth. By Q3 of 2020, Pinterest surpassed 442 million monthly active users, up from 322 million in Q3 of 2019. Even if it doesn't seem like Pinterest is the right platform for your brand now, it might be useful to your strategy later as its audience continues to grow, evolve, and use the platform to look for products or inspiration.

Which Social Platforms Should You Sell On?

While many of the respondents above still haven't purchased a product through a social media platform, this might change as shoppers continue to embrace online shopping.

Additionally, as more brands leverage social shopping tools in place of ecommerce stores, shoppers might become accustomed to using social media shopping options.

If and when you do decide to launch a social media shopping feature for your brand, you'll want to look at your audience when determining the right place to start.

For example, if your audience is made up of many different age groups, Facebook might be the best place to set up shop. Meanwhile, if your audience is primarily Gen Z, you might want to embrace Instagram's tools.

Additionally, you should prioritize social media shopping tactics on platforms you've already built a following on. For example, if you have a large, engaged WhatsApp audience, selling products there might be a scalable expansion to an already-strong social media strategy.

Ultimately, the best strategy will be to determine where your audiences are most likely going to shop or surf social media and then meet them where they are with your product listings or online shop

To learn more about where your target social media audience might be, check out this helpful post on social media demographics.

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Ducks grind their way through to end their 9-game winless streak

If the Ducks were mired in a nine-game winless skid in past seasons they could have eased the tension by going to dinner together, dropping the bill in the laps of their rookies. Or they could have called off practice and gone bowling or held a ping pong, pool or golf tournament.

One time, they scrimmaged outdoors on the frozen Rideau Canal in Ottawa, taking a break from the grind of the 2005-06 season. Teemu Selanne and Todd Marchant served as coaches. Goaltender J-S Giguere shed his pads and mask and played forward, scoring a goal.

Two days, later the Ducks beat the Senators.

Team bonding exercises are banned because of the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. Players cannot go to dinner together, on the road or at home. Bowling, ping pong, pool and golf in groups are forbidden activities. Their time at the rink is limited, too.

So, what’s a struggling team to do?

In the Ducks’ case, the answer was to keep grinding through what longtime team captain Ryan Getzlaf called “probably the most challenging (time) I’ve encountered here in my 15 years.” So much of their past lives has been altered and not in a favorable way.

“There’s a lot of different methods of breaking out of slumps and team troubles and all that kind of stuff,” Getzlaf said. “But most of them involve something off the ice, where you get together as a group. You do some things as a group, a team dinner or whatever it is. You’re just not able to do any of that stuff. You have to find a way to do it in the locker room, night in and night out.”

In the end, the Ducks ended their 0-6-3 winless streak Saturday with a determined effort that featured Getzlaf’s goal in overtime, miraculous goaltending by Ryan Miller, a career night by Troy Terry, a three-point game by Rickard Rakell and Kevin Shattenkirk’s first goal with the Ducks.

It added up to a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in OT.

“The frustration goes up and down,” Getzlaf said. “It’s not like we were getting blown out. In a lot of the games, we had the lead. We’ve just got to figure out how to play confidently throughout the whole game. It’s an opportunity to build something and learn from it.”

HAPPY HOMECOMING

Terry, a Denver native who played at the University of Denver, recorded the first two-goal game of his career and fired a season-high seven shots on goal Saturday against the Avalanche. He scored even-strength goals at 4:26 of the second period and 13:03 of the third.

“He was dancing tonight and he was feeling it,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “It was probably one of his best games we’ve seen all season. Just a real good performance, and that whole line was good (Saturday), him, (Max) Comtois and ‘Getzy.’”

Comtois assisted on Terry’s second goal as the linemates totaled three goals and three assists.

GOING STREAKING

Rakell scored one goal and assisted on two others, including Getzlaf’s power-play strike 1:59 into OT, extending his points streak to five consecutive games. Rakell has three goals and six assists during his streak and has four goals and 12 assists overall.

Rakell and Comtois are the Ducks’ co-leaders with 16 points.

MINOR REPORT

Goalie Olle Eriksson Ek made 39 saves in his AHL debut with the San Diego Gulls, a 3-2 overtime victory Saturday over the San Jose Barracuda at Great Park Ice in Irvine. Eriksson Ek, 21, is the second-youngest goalie to win a game for the Gulls behind only Lukas Dostal, 21, earlier this season.

Andrew Agozzino scored the OT winner, his fourth goal in as many games.

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Ducks grind their way through to end their 9-game winless streak

Two days, later the Ducks beat the Senators.

So, what’s a struggling team to do?

It added up to a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in OT.

HAPPY HOMECOMING

Comtois assisted on Terry’s second goal as the linemates totaled three goals and three assists.

GOING STREAKING

Rakell and Comtois are the Ducks’ co-leaders with 16 points.

MINOR REPORT

Andrew Agozzino scored the OT winner, his fourth goal in as many games.

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Steph Curry sinks last shot, wins another 3-point contest

The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry competes in the 2021 NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest on Sunday in Atlanta. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry competes in the 2021 NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest on Sunday in Atlanta. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry celebrates while competing in the NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest on Sunday in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry celebrates after winning the 2021 NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest on Sunday in Atlanta. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry celebrates after winning the 3-point contest at basketball’s NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry competes in the 2021 NBA All-Star – MTN DEW 3-Point Contest during All-Star Sunday Night at State Farm Arena on March 07, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, left, embraces the Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry following the 2021 NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest on Sunday in Atlanta. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry holds the trophy after winning the 3-point contest at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Expand

ATLANTA — Steph Curry shot his way to another 3-point title and Domantas Sabonis made sure the Skills Challenge still belongs to the bigs.

Curry, the Golden State Warriors superstar, provided a dramatic preview for his seventh All-Star Game appearance when he sank his final 3-pointer to edge Utah’s Mike Conley for the title on Sunday night. Curry also won the 3-point content in 2015.

Conley had the lead with 27 points before Curry was the final shooter of the contest. Curry had 26 points before sinking his final shot from the corner for 28 points and the win.

“I could hear the temperature rise a little bit,” Curry said of the reaction from the small crowd allowed in State Farm Arena.

“It was some awesome competition,” Curry said. “I’m glad I got it done.”

After a runner-up finish to 2020 Skills Challenge winner and fellow big man Bam Adebayo of Miami, Indiana’s Sabonis returned to win the title.

The 6-foot-11 Sabonis did not miss a pass or 3-point shot in elimination wins over Julius Randle of the New York Knicks and Luka Doncic of Dallas in the test of passing, ball-handling and shooting ability. Doncic fell behind by missing in his first two tests of his passing accuracy.

Sabonis beat Orlando’s 7-foot Nikola Vucevic in the matchup of big men for the skills title. Each missed two 3-point shots before Sabonis sank his third attempt and then clenched his fist in victory.

“It was fun,” Sabonis said. “I wanted to come out and make sure I got it done this time.”

Curry had 31 points in the first round to lead the contest. Also advancing were Jayson Tatum, with 25 points, and Conley, with 28.

Tatum led off the final round with 17 points while making only one shot from the “money ball” rack. Conley nearly duplicated his first-round total and it appeared it might be enough until Curry solidified his reputation as one of the top shooters in NBA history.

The slam dunk contest was scheduled for halftime of the All-Star Game.

“This one goes out to @KlayThompson” @StephenCurry30 || #NBAAllStar https://t.co/S7Dm9vuO1p pic.twitter.com/Dxz8Tcz7Zt

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 8, 2021

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California’s embarrassment of tax riches

California politicians, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and majority party legislators, practically break their arms trying to pat themselves on the back for the fact that California has a large and unexpected budget surplus. According to last month’s report from the California Department of Finance, general fund receipts for the first seven months of the current fiscal year were $10.5 billion above the Governor’s Budget forecast.

But government policies had little to do with the generation of this excess revenue. After all, more so than most other states, California imposed some of the most draconian lockdown laws (many pursuant to executive orders) in the nation. But California taxpayers continued to contribute to state revenue in large amounts, not because of these regulations, but in spite of them. The reality is that the private sector can adapt with more innovation and flexibility than is ever demonstrated in the public sector. Companies allowed their employees to work from home and for many businesses, particularly in the technology sector, operations scarcely skipped a beat.

That doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been private-sector pain. The government-imposed lockdowns have crushed many service industries such as hair salons, restaurants, the travel industry and theme parks. This is evidenced by California’s continued high unemployment rate and steady outmigration of both businesses and individuals. Nonetheless, the “California Tax Machine” (the actual title of a book) continues to chug along.

Strangely enough, the billions of dollars of unanticipated revenue in California presents an embarrassing situation for Democrats in both Sacramento and Washington. In the state Capitol, a brimming treasury removes the need for more tax hikes. Such calls for new taxes were difficult enough with California’s already highest-in-the-nation income tax rate, state sales tax rate and gas tax. But now such proposals just look greedy, much like a billionaire expecting a working class relative to pick up the check at a posh restaurant.

Of course, that hasn’t stopped the most radical of progressives from putting several such proposals on the table, but even some Democrats are pushing back on the idea of higher taxes. For example, Gov. Newsom has so far rejected the idea of one of the more radical proposals, a wealth tax on California’s millionaires and billionaires.

Shamelessness on the part of progressives is also evident in Washington, D.C., as Democrats debate Republicans over the next round of COVID-19 relief. The former have argued for a massive $1.9 trillion package while Republicans argue for a more targeted package. As of this writing, it appears that Democrats will get most of what they want with a final product close to the $1.9 trillion passed by the House of Representatives with only a few minor tweaks in the Senate.

This is a shame because less than ten percent of the $1.9 trillion is actually related to COVID-19 relief. The rest is nothing more than a bailout package for mismanaged, profligate states and public-sector unions. For example, there is a special provision giving federal employees a cash payment if they have been unable to go to work because they had to stay home with their children. A nice perk, but why not give it to private-sector employees as well?

Fiscally prudent states also have a legitimate complaint that $86 billion in so-called “COVID relief” will actually go to shore up the public pension funds of states run by Democrats. Illinois and California are the two biggest examples.

Last week, the non-partisan Tax Foundation released a shocking analysis showing that the state aid in the so-called American Rescue Plan Act is actually 116 times the states’ revenue losses: “The preliminary data suggest that states closed out calendar year 2020 with only $1.7 billion less revenue than they generated in 2019 (a decline of less than 0.2 percent), not counting federal assistance, while municipal governments actually experienced substantial revenue growth due to rising property values. Yet the American Rescue Plan Act sets aside $350 billion in additional state and local aid. Increasingly, federal proposals to provide a cash infusion for state and local governments has become a solution in search of a problem.”

Consistent with the Tax Foundation’s report, California has increased spending at levels far in excess of both inflation and population gains. Perhaps that is why Californians wisely rejected statewide tax hikes including the infamous “split roll” proposal which went down to defeat in November.

Will this potential embarrassment be enough to derail adding $1.9 trillion to the federal debt? Probably not. Democrats, while they have paper-thin majorities in both houses, seem immune to shameful scrutiny. But just as in President Barack Obama’s first two years, which included jamming through the ironically labeled “Affordable Care Act,” progressives have a way of overreaching when given power. This could very well catch up with them in the midterm elections, and 2022 is not that far away.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

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