NBA All-Star Game – What You Need to Know
The 2020 NBA All-Star game is upon us and it’s set to be a massive weekend at United Center in Chicago. Team Lebron and Team Giannis will go head to head on Sunday February 16th, and not only will the stadium be bursting at the seams with an exciting variety of favourite players and talented first-starters, but the NBA will pay homage to the late Kobe Bryant with a changed game format.
Honouring Kobe Bryant
Still mourning the tragic loss of legendary Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant, the NBA world is set to honour his impact on the sport with a changed format during the All-Star game.
The new rules are as follows:
- The first three quarters will each begin with a score 0-0 and run on a 12-minute timer.
- Each team will compete to win the three quarters separately and the scores will reset after each one.
- The fourth quarter will be untimed, with each team instead playing to reach a final target score.
- This target is determined by adding Team Lebron’s and Team Giannis’ cumulative scores from the first three quarters, then adding 24 to whichever team has more points. From there, the teams will compete to hit that number first.
- The winner of each of the first three quarters will be allocated $100,000 per quarter to donate to community organisations in Chicago. In the event of a tie, the money will roll over the next quarters allotment.
- The winning team of the untimed fourth quarter will be given $200,000 to allocate.
Slam Dunk Contest
Returning for the first time in 11 years, former slam dunk champion Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers is back to reclaim his crown. Joined by dunking royalty Aaron Gordon of Orlando Magic, athletic phenomenon Derrick Jones Jr of the Miami Heat and first timer Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks, the competition is sure to be feat of fierce athletic ability. It’s worth noting that predicated Rookie of the Year, Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, turned down the invite to participate in the slam dunk contest to instead focus on the season and continue his team’s push for a spot in the playoffs.
Players to Keep an Eye On
The NBA All-star game is welcoming an impressive range of first-time starters this year from both conferences.
Eastern Conference:
Pascal Siakam – The reigning Champion and 2019 Most Improved Player is putting together a spectacular season and is amongst the front runners for the award in 2020. The Toronto Raptors are currently enjoying a team record 12-game winning streak, so Siakam will be entering United Center with an extra spring in his step.
Trae Young – The Atlanta Hawks are currently undergoing a rebuild, but this rookie point guard is shining through. Although a relatively controversial pick to play in the All-Star game, Young has been putting up incredible numbers and highlight reel plays on his way to becoming a fan favourite. Watch out for his dazzling ball-handling skills, slick assist and logo 3s.
Western Conference:
Luka Doncic – After just missing out on making the All-Star team last year, Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks Exploded in his sophomore season, roaring into MIP & MVP conversations on route his debut All Star Appearance. Already considered one of the best European players to ever hit the NBA stage, he is often described as a position-less guard, with attributes of point guard, shooting guard and small forward, making him a thrilling player to watch.
The Unexpected Snubs
Always a heated topic of discussion with every All-Star game, the players who didn’t make the cut are usually worthy of as much conversation as those who did. From strong first-timers to regular All-Stars, here are some of the players from both conferences who deserved consideration.
Western Conference:
Devin Booker – Averaging 27.1 points per game, the shooting guard and point guard of the Phoenix Suns is one of the top 10 scoring All-Star snubs in the NBA history. Tailing off after their fiery start to the season, Booker is a casualty in the age-old dilemma of a good player on a bad team.
Karl-Anthony Towns – The 2018 and 2019 All-Star center of Minnesota Timberwolves averages an impressive 27 points per game, topped off with 10.7 re-bounds per game, but just like Booker his team just isn’t good. It’s also argued that if he had not missed 17 games due to injury, he may have stood a better chance of being voted in.
Eastern Conference:
Bradley Beal – Caught in the crossfire of coaches only rewarding players from winning teams, Beal of the Washing Wizards pulls in an incredible average score of 29+ points per game. The shooting guard is tipped to be the first call should an injury replacement be required.
Zach LaVine – The Chicago Bulls shooting guard and point guard was an interesting snub due to the simple fact of the city of Chicago hosting the event. Averaging 25 points per game, the two-time dunk champion has unfortunately developed a ‘good stats bad team’ reputation.
The epic weekend kicks off on Friday February 14th, with events across the Saturday and wrapping up with the All-Star game on the Sunday. From the rising stars game, celebrity game for charity, skills challenge and more, it’s sure to be a blockbuster.