NBA NEWS - NBA All-Star Game starters & SKILLS CHALLENGE

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LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo will captain the West and East squads, respectively - Raptors' Scottie Barnes and Hawks' Trae Young named injury replacements for 2024 NBA All-Star Game - SKILLS CHALLENGE - THIS DAY IN THE NBA

NEW YORK,. NY USA - (NBA)

Tuesday February 13, 2024

The league is returning to an East vs. West format, so the following players will team up for their respective conference in the 73rd NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18:

Eastern Conference starters

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks*

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

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

* = denotes team captain

How were the NBA All-Star starters determined?

Starters for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game were selected by fans, current NBA players and a media panel. Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote to determine the starters, while players and media accounted for 25 percent each.

After all votes were tallied, players were ranked in each conference by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups. Each player’s score was calculated by averaging his weighted rank from the fan votes, the player votes and the media votes. The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference were named NBA All-Star Game starters.

Official Release | February 6, 2024 NEW YORK

Toronto Raptors forward-guard Scottie Barnes and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young have been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as injury replacements on the Eastern Conference team for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. The two players will replace Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and New York Knicks forward Julius Randle.

The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers. The classic matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will air at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States and reach fans in 214 countries and territories in 60 languages.

Barnes, the 2021-22 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, has been named an NBA All-Star for the first time. In his third NBA season, the 6-7 Barnes is averaging career highs of 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.48 blocks and 1.24 steals in 35.3 minutes in 50 games.

He joins 2024 NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks as the only NBA players to have at least 1,000 points, 400 rebounds, 250 assists, 50 blocks and 50 steals this season. Barnes has already set a career high in three-pointers made in a season (95) and is shooting a career-high 36.5% from three-point range.

Young has earned his third NBA All-Star selection in six NBA seasons, all spent with the Hawks. He is averaging 27.3 points and career highs of 10.9 assists and 1.47 steals in 36.6 minutes in 45 games.

Young, the reigning NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week, ranks eighth in the NBA in points, second in assists and seventh in both steals and minutes per game, and he is fourth in three-pointers made (154). The 6-1 Young has recorded an NBA-high 490 total assists - a category he also led in each of the previous two seasons.

Embiid (lateral meniscus injury in left knee) and Randle (dislocated right shoulder) will not play in the NBA All-Star Game after being selected as a starter and a reserve, respectively. Eastern Conference head coach Doc Rivers of Milwaukee will select a reserve from the East roster to replace Embiid in the starting lineup.

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THIS DAY IN THE NBA

February 13, 1977 Julius Erving, playing in his first NBA All-Star Game, was voted MVP following a 30-point, 12-rebound performance, despite his East team losing 125-124.

February 13, 1994 Chicago’s Scottie Pippen hit five three-pointers and scored a game-high 29 points, helping lift the East to a 127-118 win over the West at the 44th annual NBA All-Star Game in Minnesota. Pippen captured All-Star Game MVP honors for his performance.

February 13, 2000 Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, the starting frontcourt of 7-footers for the West All-Stars, combined for 70 points and 33 rebounds as the West held off several strong challenges from the East to score a 137-126 victory before an energized crowd at The Arena in Oakland. O’Neal and Duncan shared MVP honors.

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