NBA
Why is there no NBA All-Star Draft this year? How are teams selected?
The US professional league is honoring Indiana’s rich basketball heritage by bringing back the classic East vs. West game at this year’s All-Star weekend.
The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will feature the return of the classic matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference and the traditional scoring system with four 12-minute quarters. The voting process for the NBA All-Stars remained the same, with 12 players selected from each conference.
What is the new/old format of the NBA All-Star game?
The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced in October significant changes for the All-Star Game. The game will no longer have an untimed fourth quarter and will not end when one team reaches the Final Target Score. Instead, teams will compete in each quarter to win for a charitable organization of their choosing. This change aims to bring back the competitive spirit and excitement in the All-Star Game.
The NBA has also named the team captains for the upcoming All-Star Game. Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead the Eastern Conference, while LeBron James will lead the Western Conference. These two players were chosen as captains because they received the most fan votes in their respective conferences during the NBA All-Star Voting.
How are teams selected?
The NBA All-Star Game starters are selected based on a 50-25-25 split between fan, player, and media votes, with two guards and three frontcourt players chosen per conference.
First team’s lineups
Eastern Conference starters:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (injured)
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
- Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
- Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
Western Conference starters:
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder