SAN FRANCISCO -- All-Star weekend goes to San Francisco this year for the NBA's annual midseason showcase.
There are three nights of on-court events, highlighted by the Rising Stars competition for first- and second-year players on Friday, the dunk and 3-point contest on Saturday and then the All-Star Game on Sunday.
It's a new format for the All-Star Game this year. It's now a mini-tournament with games going only to 40 points.
Here's some of what to know about All-Star weekend:
Mostly TNT and truTV. Here's the rundown (all times Eastern):
Friday - All-Star celebrity game, 7 p.m., Oakland Arena (ESPN); Rising Stars competition, 9 p.m., Chase Center (TNT, truTV)
Saturday - NBA All-Star practice, 2 p.m., Oakland Arena (NBA TV); NBA HBCU Classic, 5 p.m., Oakland Arena (truTV, NBA TV, Max and ESPN+); All-Star Saturday Night, 8 p.m., Chase Center (TNT and truTV)
Sunday - NBA All-Star Game, 8 p.m., Chase Center (TNT, truTV, Max); NBA All-Star postgame (NBA TV).
The All-Stars are split into three teams of eight players this year, drafted by TNT analysts Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. The rundown:
Chuck's Global Stars: Denver's Nikola Jokic, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama, Indiana's Pascal Siakam, Houston's Alperen Sengun, New York's Karl-Anthony Towns, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell, Atlanta's Trae Young. (Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo was supposed to play but cannot because of injury. Young replaced him for the game.)
Shaq's OGs: Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Dallas' Kyrie Irving, Boston teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Phoenix's Kevin Durant, Milwaukee's Damian Lillard and the Los Angeles Clippers' James Harden. (Dallas' Anthony Davis was supposed to play but cannot because of injury. Irving replaced him for the game.)
Kenny's Young Stars: Minnesota's Anthony Edwards, New York's Jalen Brunson, Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr., Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams, Cleveland teammates Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, Detroit's Cade Cunningham and Miami's Tyler Herro.
The NBA has made the All-Star Game a mini-tournament this year, with four teams playing games to 40 points. There's no clock (other than the shot clock) and nobody fouls out.
The fourth team in the tournament will be the one that wins the Rising Stars competition on Friday. For All-Star Game purposes, it will be called Candace's Rising Stars, in honor of Candace Parker.
The semifinal matchups: Chuck's Global Stars vs. Kenny's Young Stars, Shaq's OGs vs. Candace's Rising Stars.
The NBA Skills Challenge will consist of four teams of two players going head-to-head in a number of skill-specific events.
Team Cavaliers will be led by Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Team Rooks will be led by the No. 1 and 2 picks in the 2024 NBA draft, Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards. Team Spurs consists of veteran point guard Chris Paul and rising superstar Victor Wembanyama. Last, Team Warriors will be led by Draymond Green and Moses Moody.
The first event of Saturday, Feb. 15 will take place at 8 p.m. ET and televised on TNT.
Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard aims for his third-straight 3-point contest victory as he returns home to the Bay Area. Seven other 3-point connoisseurs will face off in this challenge, including Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), who is third in the league in total three-pointers made.
Other participants include: Jalen Brunson, (New York Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers), Buddy Hield (Golden State Warriors), Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), and Norman Powell (LA Clippers).
The event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 15 following the Skills Challenge and televised on TNT.
Mac McClung will defend his consecutive titles against first-time participants Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls, Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs and Andre Jackson Jr. of the Milwaukee Bucks in All-Star slam dunk contest.
McClung, who currently plays for the Osceola Magic in the NBA G League, will be looking to become the first player to three-peat in the event. Nate Robinson, who won in 2006, 2009 and 2010, is the only player to win the dunk contest more than twice.
Judges will include NBA legends Baron Davis, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and Jason Richardson.
The event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 15 following the Skills Challenge and the 3-point contest and televised on TNT.
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, Team Shaq is the All-Star favorite at +155, just ahead of Team Chuck (+165). Team Kenny is at +375 and Team Candace is at +650.
For the Skills Competition, it's Team Cavs (Mitchell and Mobley) as the favorites. They're at +200, just ahead of Team Spurs (Wembanyama and Chris Paul, +225), Team Warriors (Draymond Green and Moses Moody, +275) and Team Rooks (Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher and Washington's Alex Sarr, +375).
And Lillard is favored to win his third consecutive 3-point contest, with odds of +375. Herro and Garland are both +500, tied as the second choice, just ahead of Buddy Hield and the Clippers' Norman Powell (both +525).
DJ Cassidy, Too $hort, Saweetie, En Vogue and Raphael Saadiq will be among the featured performers on All-Star Sunday. For All-Star Saturday night, H.E.R. and LiAngelo Ball - the brother of NBA guards Lonzo Ball and LaMelo Ball - will be among the performers. And Bay Area rapper LaRussell will take the stage to perform an original song to introduce the Rising Stars on Friday night.
Starting Tuesday, Feb. 11, through Sunday, Feb. 16 streets closures will begin around San Francisco as the city gears up for the NBA All-Star game.
Moscone Center
The following streets will have closures from 6 a.m. Friday, February 14, to 9 p.m. Sunday, February 16:
- Howard between Third (3rd) and Fourth (4th) streets
- Third between Howard and Folsom
- The westernmost lane ONLY
- Fourth between Howard and Folsom
-The easternmost lane ONLY
- Folsom between 3rd and 4th
- The northernmost travel lane and parking lane ONLY
From 6 a.m. Friday, February 14 to 12 p.m. (noon) Sunday, February 16:
- Minna between New Montgomery and 3rd
Chase Center
The following streets will have closures from 6 a.m. Tuesday, February 4, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, February 17:
- 16th between 3rd and Terry A. Francois Boulevard
- Warriors Way between 3rd and Bridgeview Way
From 12:01 a.m. Friday, February 7 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, February 17:
- Terry A. Francois Boulevard between 16th and Mission Bay Boulevard South
- Southbound traffic lanes ONLY
From 8 a.m. Friday, February 14 until the conclusion of event, daily, Sunday, February 16:
- Terry A. Francois Boulevard between 16th and Warriors Way
From 3 p.m. Friday, February 14 until the conclusion of event, daily, Sunday, February 16:
- 3rd between 16th and Warriors Way
- Northbound traffic lanes ONLY
From 2 p.m. Friday, February 14 until the conclusion of event, daily, Sunday, February 16:
- Illinois between 16th and Mariposa
Pier 48 (South of Oracle Park)
From 6 a.m. Thursday, February 13, to 2 a.m. Monday, February 17:
- Mission Rock between 3rd and Terry A. Francois Boulevard
- Toni Stone Crossing between 3rd and Terry A. Francois Boulevard
- Terry A. Francois Boulevard between Mission Rock and Toni Stone Crossing
For maps and more on how to navigate the road closures head to SFMTA's website.