Around the NBA: All-Star 2021 preview

The Basketball Movement previews the unique 2021 NBA All-Star “weekend.”

As you may expect, the 2021 version of NBA All-Star weekend is unique compared to previous years. The game format remains roughly the same and will encourage the competitive style we saw at the last event. There will still be a Skill Challenge, Three-Point Competition, and Dunk Contest, though everything will be taking place in one wild night.

All-Star 2021 was announced as canceled last November in anticipation of the worsening pandemic. The league and NBA Players Association met and decided that the event could still be held if conducted properly. The event will take place in Atlanta.

In order to minimize exposure, what is normally a three-night event is being crammed into one - Sunday, March 7th on TNT. The Taco Bell Skills Competition and MTN Dew 3-Point Competition will take place right before the game, with the Slam Dunk Contest happening during halftime. You may need to pop two bags of popcorn for this jam-packed evening.

Missing this year is the Rising Stars Game made up of rookie and sophomore players, which always provides a fun look at the league’s future. Less of a bummer is the lack of a celebrity game and NBA Legends Brunch. Our condolences to big fans of those.

The format of the All-Star Game itself will be similar to last year, encouraging healthy competition each quarter. It can be a bit complicated to spell out, so check the below tweet for a breakdown:

Shoutout to the NBA for continuing to honor the legacy of Kobe Bryant, who was an inspiration to so many of the evening’s participants and was taken far too soon.

Another parallel from previous years is the playground-style method of picking teams. Top Western Conference vote-getter, LeBron James will be a team captain and Kevin Durant will represent the East. The captains will take turns selecting first from the pool of starters and then the reserves. See the selections below based on fan voting, player and media votes, and coaches:

Devin Booker has since been selected to replace the injured Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis will replace the banged-up Durant.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had been captain representative from the East the last few seasons but Durant takes the throne this year. The draft always makes for interesting TV - you can tune in Thursday, March 4th at 7:00 pm Central on TNT.

UPDATE: Check the below tweets to see who LeBron and Durant selected for their teams. Devin Booker has since sustained an injury and will be replaced by Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz.

Slam Dunk, Three-Point, and Skill Competition participants should be announced soon. The whole league still gets a four-day break, though they are restricted on travel and such per league and NBPA agreed-upon protocols.

UPDATE: Check the below tweets to see the participants in the Dunk, Three-Point, and Skills Competition. Mike Conley will be replacing Booker in the Three-Point Contest as well:

The Basketball Movement will be updating you on Twitter as the fields fill out. We will also be recapping the big night, so keep an eye out right here down the road. This is lined up to be a great evening of hoops - we hope you tune in with us!