Despite the reservations of key players, media members and even fans, the NBA decided to move ahead with the plans to host an All-Star event this year. However, the usual All-Star “weekend” will all be condensed in just one night, for the first time, with on-court action beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT. In other words, the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, 3Point Contest and The Slam Dunk will all take place together on March 7th in Atlanta. Good or bad choice by the NBA? 2021 NBA All-Star – Everything You Need To Know.
Details & Schedule
Here is what you need to know about the All-Star game, from details to the full schedule:
- Place: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
- Date: Wednesday, March 7th, 2021
- Time: Shortly after 5 p.m. PST
As for the schedule, the league will start with the Skills Challenge and 3-point contest and will hold the Slam Dunk at the All-Star game’s halftime.
All-Star Game Format
2021 NBA All-Star – Everything You Need To Know. This year’s game will have the same competitive format as the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. The two All-Star teams will compete to win each quarter for their respective sides. Moreover, the 4th quarter will be untimed and the teams will play to a Final Target Score, meaning that the game will end with a made basket or a made free throw instead of with the clock running out. How will that Target score be determined? By taking the leading team’s total cumulative score through 3 quarters and adding 24 points, to honor the late Kobe Bryant, who wore No. 24 for the final 10 seasons of his career. Here are the details on how this format will work exactly:
For example, here is last year’s scenario, to give you a clearer image:
- Team Giannis scored 41, 51 and 41 points in the first three quarters for a total cumulative score of 133 points.
- Team LeBron scored 53, 30 and 41 points in the first three quarters for a total cumulative score of 124 points.
- Meaning that through 3 quarters, the score was: Team Giannis 133, Team LeBron 124.
Consequently, the Final Target Score was set at 157 points (leading team’s cumulative score of 133 + 24). In that case, at the start of the 4th quarter, Team Giannis needed to score 24 points(157-133) before Team LeBron scored 33 points (157-124).
All-Star Team Selection
The rosters will be determined through the NBA All-Star Draft, where the two team captains will select from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference and make their picks without regard to conference affiliation. This year’s captains are Lebron and Durant. Here are the starters and bench players that they will select from:
Furthermore, Domantas Sabonis will replace the injured Durant on the roster, while Tatum will take his starting position. On the other hand, Booker will replace the injured Anthony Davis as well. Team Durant will be coached by Doc Rivers, while Team Lebron will be coached by Quin Synder. The team selection will take place this Thursday, March 4th.
Who Are Your Biggest Snubs?
Like every year, while choosing the full roster to participate, a lot of players are left out due to the limited seats available. After all there are more than 24 talented players in the league. This year, though, might have felt even more challenging than before, because there have been so many good players that deserved a spot as well. Snubs or not, you could easily fill a 3rd All-Star with these talents. Let’s take a closer look.
West Side:
- Devin Booker: Despite “replacing” AD on the reserves list, Booker might have been this year’s biggest snub. With the Suns flying in the West this season, his numbers have only dropped marginally on last season, in large part due to CP3’s arrival, and he might have been penalized for that. Despite that, Booker is averaging 24.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 4.3 APG. Numbers that the king himself felt deserving of a spot.
- Mike Conley: The Jazz have the best record in the NBA and the veteran plays a huge role in that. With a 27-7 record, Utah are the team to beat at the moment, so giving them 3 spots was not “out of the question”. Conley is averaging 16.4 points and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 41% from a 3-point range and is having as big an impact as the other 2 All-Stars from his team. At 33, this could have been his last shot. Was he snubbed?
- Demar Derozen: A 17-12 record has the Spurs 5th in the west, as the Veteran leads this young core as a scorer and playmaker. Averaging 19.8 points and 6.9 assists, while ranking 12th in the league in clutch scoring. Demar was able to transform his game and adapt to what Pop is asking him, unfortunately it was not enough to make it. Was this his best year in the league?
East Side:
- Trae Young: Between the flashy plays, nutmegs and logo threes, Trae is putting out absurd numbers. Just check it out below. Snub or not?
- Domantas Sabonis: Despite coming on as a replacement, you just feel that he should have been picked first. He is playing better basketball than last season, where he was an All-Star. How is that possible? Putting up 21.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game for the Pacers. Should he get more media attention?
Honourable Mentions:
In addition, and due to the big numbers of talents in the league, there are still players worth mentioning in our case.
- Brandon Ingram
- Ja Morant
- Jimmy Butler
- Tobias Harris
- Bam Adebayo
And many others. These are the type of players you want to see in an All-Star game. Unfortunately, there is not enough room for everyone.
Beneficiaries and Community Partners:
2021 NBA All-Star – Everything You Need To Know. Despite the critics around whether there should be an All-Star event this year, we do have a positive side. The NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced that they will commit more than $2.5 million in funds and resources toward Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and provide additional support and awareness around equity and access to COVID-19 care, relief and vaccines. Giving back to the community is always needed, especially in times like these.
Prediction:
Who do you think the captains should pick? Form your own team and share your ideas. What are your predictions for the game? Are you Team Lebron or Team Durant?
Make Your Own Draft:
What if you had the chance to make your own team? to draft the players you want and make them battle. Who would you choose and why? Check out my “Make Your Own Draft” version here, where I built my own teams and let me know what you think. Feel free to do the same, let’s have some fun together.
Conclusion:
2021 NBA All-Star – Everything You Need To Know. At last, after reading all of our opinions and comments, are you with or against this event taking place? Feel free to give your honest opinion in our comment section below, regarding any area you want. Do you like the fact that all the events are in one day? Also, what do you think of the biggest snubs this year? Do they make a strong case? or do you have other players in mind? Feel free to share them below. We are awaiting your answers.
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