NBA All Star Weekend (and Valentine’s Day, too)
February 13, 2009 by jane
Filed under Basketball, Entertainment, Events, General, TV
This is a great weekend for lovers as well as hoops fans as the NBA All Star Weekend hits Phoenix.
What makes the NBA All-Star Weekend so special? Well, it’s a spectacle to be sure. Every February, since 1951, the National Basketball Association has held this time-honored tradition.
It’s a chance for the league’s best players to compete as both showmen and players. The NBA All Star Weekend is an extravaganza of events and competitions topped off by an All-Star Game – well not so much a game but a showcase filled with fast breaks, dunks, behind-the-back passes, crossover dribbles and fancy lay-ups.
The weekend kicks off with tonight’s Celebrity All Star Game. Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Dominique Wilkins join comedian Chris Tucker, Desperate Housewives’ James Denton, Scrubs’ Donald Faison, three-time NBA champion Rick Fox, and WNBA stars Lisa Leslie of the L.A. Sparks and Kara Lawson of the Sacramento Monarchs, as well as Harlem Globetrotters “Wildkat” Edgerson, “Special K” Daley, “Scooter” Christensen and “Handles” Franklin along with other stars of Hollywood, music and sport.
Als on on tap tonight is the Rookie-Sophomore game where the best young stars will be on display.
Saturday may be Valentine’s Day but it’s also the centerpiece of the All Star weekend. Even though the actual game takes place Sunday night at 8 p.m., you don’t want to do is miss all of the fun events Saturday night such as the Dunk Contest and the Three-Point Shootout.
Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant and O.J. Mayo highlight the field for a H-O-R-S-E competition during All-Star Saturday night. Actually it’s a game of G-E-I-C-O (thanks to the insurance company paying a premium for the name change) but we’ll still get to see the players throw up some crazy shots.
Need a crib sheet for some behind the scenes action this weekend?
Shaq, Kobe back together for NBA All-Star game
Game of G-E-I-C-O will be All-Star Weekend highlight
Grizzlies kick off campaign for Rookie Mayo
Compared to past All-Star Weekends, this one seems a bit low key. Big names like Diddy and Jermaine Dupri seem to be taking a break from throwing parties but Ludacris, T.I. and Snoop Dog are scheduled to show up at some of the bashes. Still, it’s nothing like two years ago in Vegas when All-Star Weekend coincided with Magic – the big fashion tradeshow. Guess it’s the economy.
Of course for ordinary fans, the NBA All-Star Jam Block Party will take place in downtown Phoenix.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, February 13
NBA All-Star celebrity game, 7 ET (ESPN)
Rookie Challenge: Rookies vs. Sophomores, 9 ET (TNT, ESPN Radio)
Saturday, February 14
Shooting Stars, 3-Point Shootout, Skills Challenge, H-O-R-S-E, Slam Dunk Contest, 8 ET (TNT, ESPN Radio)
Sunday, February 15
All Star Game: East vs. West, 8 ET (TNT, ESPN Radio)
In 56 years, the Eastern Conference has beaten the Western Conference 34 times, while the West has won only 22 times. (Ten All-Star Games to remember). Place your bets now.
Hope you have a great weekend/Valentine’s Day with your special someone and enjoy some romance as well as the NBA All-Star festivities.
