The 2021 NBA season has reached its first half finale, and it’s finally time for the All-Star weekend. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all of this year’s events will be held on a single day.
The usual three day long spectacle of a dunk contest, a three points contest, and a skills contest would now take place before and during the All-star game itself.
The skills and three points contests would be held pre-game, while the dunk contest would be held during the halftime show.
This year’s dunk contest pits Portland Trail Blazers’ Anfernee Simon’s with Cassius Stanley of the Indiana Pacers and Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks.
In the skills contest, the participants are Robert Covington of the Portland Trail Blazers, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns’ Chris Paul, New York Knicks’ Julius Randle, Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers and Nikola Vucevic of Orlando Magic.
In the three points contest, Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker takes on Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry, Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Donovan Mitchell of Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
For the All-Star game, both captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant have made their picks.
LeBron James picked in this order; Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, Chris Paul, Jaylen Brown, Paul George, Domantas Sabonis, and Rudy Gobert.
For Kevin Durant’s team, he picked in this order; Kyrie Irving, Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, James Harden, Devin Booker, Zion Williamson, Zach LaVine, Julius Randle, Nikola Vucevic, and Donovan Mitchell.
Durant would not be a part of the game as he remains out with a hamstring injury suffered in February, while James is expected to be part of the game despite missing his side’s last game in the NBA.
This year sees James and Antetokoumpo on the same side in an All-Star game for the first time since Antetokounmpo’s first All-Star appearance, as both were captains in the last two All-Star games.
The sides have picked the charities they hope to fund, with LeBron’s team playing for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Durant’s team playing for the United Negro College Fund. The game is holding on Sunday March 7th.
This year’s US versus the World All-Star rookie event will not be held due to the pandemic situation. However, the teams were named honorarily. Representing the US team are LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tyrese Haliburton of the Sacramento Kings, Tyler Herro of Miami Heat, De’Andre Hunter of the Atlanta Hawks, Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant, Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr, Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans, and James Wiseman of the Golden State Warriors.
Team World is comprised of Nigeria’s Precious Achiuwa of Miami Heat, Nickeil Alexander-Walker of the New Orleans Pelicans, Deni Avdija of the Washington Wizards, RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks, Facundo Campazzo of the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke, Luguentz Dort of Oklahoma City Thunder, Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Theo Maledon, and Mychal Mulder of the Golden State Warriors.
If you like betting on Basketball, you can put your money where your mouth is supporting any of the teams to win it all come Monday 8th of March, 2021.
