FanPost

Ultimate All-Star Weekend Primer

I’m not sure if anyone usually does this around here, but I had already compiled much of this stuff for another place on the web so I decided to post this here.

Here is your ultimate All-Star weekend Primer filled with all the info you need from the line-ups for each event, to links to articles about the rule changes, to videos of great moments from past all-star weekends.

All-Star Weekend is taking place in the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. There are many events, including the All-Star Game, Rising Stars Challenge, Celebrity Game, Dunk Contest, 3-Point Shoot-out, Skills Competition, and the Team Shooting Competition.

Here is the full schedule for all of the events

http://www.nba.com/news/as.game/2014-all-star-schedule/index.html

I’m not going to talk about anything that is going on today because most of it is on NBA TV, which I don’t have and I don’t think anyone else really has and not really anything is happening.

Friday

7 p.m. Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game (ESPN)

The ever famous Celebrity All-Star game is going to keep going on, and here are the people who are going to be in it.

Kevin Hart (two-time MVP)

Erin Heatherton – Victoria’s Secret Model, Actress, and Philanthropist

Nick Cannon – Host of "America’s Got Talent"

Mike Golic – Hosts "Mike & Mike"

Mike Greenberg – Hosts "Mike & Mike"

Jesse Williams – "Grey’s Anatomy"

Columbus Short – "Scandal"

Michael B. Jordan – "That Awkward Moment"

Arne Duncan – U.S. Secretary of Education

Bruce Bowen – Three-time NBA Champion and ESPN NBA analyst

Terrence Jenkins – "E! News" anchor

Kristen Ledlow – "NBA Inside Stuff presented by Samsung Galaxy" co-host

Stan Verrett – ESPN Anchor

Skylar Diggins – WNBA player for the Tulsa Shock

Elena Delle Donne – WNBA player for the Chicago Sky.

Coaches – Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose

It doesn’t say who is on what team though, and the assistant coaches will be selected through the "Sprint’s Assistant Coach For A Day Sweepstakes."

More info

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/as.celebrity.game/01/29/2014-celebrity-game-participants-official-release

9 p.m. BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge

Team Hill

-Damian Lillard (Portland, Soph)

-Bradley Beal (Washington, Soph)

-Andre Drummond (Detroit, Soph)

-Harrison Barnes (Golden State, Soph)

-Terrence Jones (Houston, Soph)

-Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee, Rookie)

-Jonas Valanciunas (Toronto, Soph)

-Dion Waiters (Cleveland, Soph)

-Miles Plumlee (Phoenix, Soph.) *Replaces Atlanta’s Pero Antic who is injured

Team Webber

-Anthony Davis (New Orleans, Soph)

-Michael Carter-Williams (Philadelphia, Rookie)

-Tim Hardaway Jr. (New York, Rookie)

-Trey Burke (Utah, Rookie)

-Victor Oladipo (Orlando, Rookie)

-Steven Adams (OKC, Rookie)

-Kelly Olynyk (Boston, Rookie)

More info

http://www.nba.com/news/as.rising.stars/2014-rising-stars-challenge-event-page/index.html

Saturday

8:30 State Farm All-Star Saturday Night

1st Event – Sear Shooting Stars

This year in the Shooting Stars competition they are still following the Current Player, Legend, and WNBA Player format.

The competitors include:

Eastern Conference

-Team 1: Tim Hardaway Jr. (NYK); Tim Hardaway Sr. (Legend); Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky)

-Team 2: Chris Bosh (MIA); Dominique Wilkins (Legend); Swin Cash (Chicago Sky)

Western Conference

-Team 1: Stephen Curry (GS); Dell Curry (Legend); Becky Hammon (San Antonio Stars)

-Team 2: Kevin Durant (OKC); Karl Malone (Legend); Skylar Diggins (Tulsa Shock)

More info

http://www.nba.com/news/as.shooting.stars/2014-shooting-stars-event-page/index.html

2nd Event – Taco Bell Skills Challenge

This year they changed some of the rules so that there are teams, instead of individuals. They will compete in relay format, with one overall time.

Eastern Conference

Team One

-Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

-DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

Team Two

-Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers

-Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic

Western Conference

Team One

-Trey Burke, Utah Jazz

-Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

Team Two

-Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns

-Reggie Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder

More info

http://www.nba.com/news/as.skills.challenge/2014-skills-challenge-event-page/index.html

http://www.nba.com/news/as.saturday.night/2014-all-star-saturday-night-event-page/index.html#2

Event 3 – Foot Locker Three-Point Contest

The 3-Point Contest is a little different this year. There will be the usual 4 regular balls and 1 "Money ball" at each station, but each player gets to pick one of the five location to put a "Money ball rack" there, which consists of only money balls (I think we all know where Love is putting his).

Eastern Conference

-Arron Afflalo, Orlando Magic

-Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards

-Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

-Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets

Western Conference

-Marco Belinelli, San Antonio Spurs

-Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

-Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

-Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

More Info

http://www.nba.com/news/as.3pt.contest/2014-three-point-contest-event-page/index.html

http://stats.nba.com/featured/show_me_the_money_ball_2014_02_07.html?ls=nba:allstarhub:editorialfull4

Event 4 – Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

The popular dunk contest is back, but with a spin. They changed up the rules and format, which I think will make for an interesting dunk contest but it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

The first round consist of a "Freestyle Round", where each conference will have 90 seconds to do as many dunks as they want. After that is over, a panel of judges will determine the winner of the freestyle competition by conference. The winning conference will be able to decide if its dunkers will dunk first or second in the head-to-head competition in the "Battle Round." The Battle Round is a head-to-head competition between a dunker from the East and a dunker from the West. If a dunker loses their individual match-up, they will be eliminated for the night. The first team to win three battles will win the competition. Also, the fans will still have a chance to vote for the "Sprite Slam Dunker of the Night" for the best dunker of the evening.

Eastern Conference

-Paul George, Indiana Pacers

-Terrence Ross, Toronto Raptors

-John Wall, Washington Wizards

Western Conference

-Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors

-Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

-Ben McLemore, Sacremento Kings

More Info

http://www.nba.com/news/as.dunk.contest/2014-dunk-contest-event-page/index.html

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/2/6/5388168/nba-slam-dunk-contest-2014-rules

Sunday

8 p.m. 63rd NBA All-Star Game

The final event All-Star weekend of course, is the All-Star game. Here is the roster for the game:

Eastern Conference Starters:

-Carmelo Anthony, New York

-Paul George, Indiana

-Kyrie Irving, Cleveland

-LeBron James, Miami

-Dwyane Wade, Mimi

Reserves:

-Chris Bosh, Miami

-DeMar DeRozan, Toronto

-Roy Hibbert, Indiana

-Joe Johnson, Brooklyn

-Paul Millsap, Atlanta

-Joakim Noah, Chicago

-John Wall, Washington

Head Coach – Frank Vogel, Indiana

Western Conference Starters:

-Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

-Stephen Curry, Golden State

-Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City

-Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers

-Kevin Love, Minnesota

Reserves:

-LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland

-James Harden, Houson

-Dwight Howard, Houston

-Damian Lillard, Portland

-Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas

-Tony Parker, San Antonio

-Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers

More Info

http://www.nba.com/news/as.game/2014-all-star-game-event-page/index.html

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/01/23/nba-all-star-2014-starters-announced-release/index.html

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/as.game/01/30/all-star-2014-reserves-announced-official-release/index.html

So that is it for all of the main events for All-Star weekend. I'm excited to watch especially with all of the rule changes which should hopefully make things even more interesting. If you want to know more about All-Star Weekend or other events that are going on that I didn't list, just go to the NBAs website where they have all of the information. You can also go to the schedule that I linked at the beginning which has links on it which talks more about everything that goes on.

So I'm going to end this with my favorite dunk in the dunk contest ever, by former T-wolf Gerald Green