Team LeBron at Team Giannis
The best players in the NBA get together on Sunday in Charlotte for the annual All-Star Game and for the second straight year the leading vote-getter from each conference got to serve as captain and pick his squad. Team Giannis, led by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will serve as host against Team LeBron, led by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
James is a captain for the second consecutive season and loaded his squad with three of the top five scorers in the NBA, including leading scorer James Harden (36.6 points), disgruntled New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (28.1) and free agent to-be Kevin Durant (27.6) of the Golden State Warriors. Antetokounmpo, who ranks seventh in scoring at an average of 27.2 points, grabbed No. 2 scorer Paul George (28.7) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and unofficial All-Star host Stephen Curry (28.6) of the Golden State Warriors, who grew up in the Charlotte area while his father, Dell, played for the Hornets. "I'm extremely excited," Curry told the Undefeated. "All-Star Weekend in general is usually fun. ... Every city has something unique to offer. I know Kemba (Walker) is hosting in Charlotte. He'll be playing for the Hornets and whatnot, but unofficially it's like a little mini homecoming where I get all the sights and sounds and familiar faces." Walker, who sits 12th in the NBA in scoring at 24.9 points per game, will start alongside Curry in the backcourt for Team Giannis as the lone All-Star representative from the Hornets.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT TEAM LEBRON: James, who is trying to build a winner in Los Angeles, stacked his team with players who can become free agents after the season, including Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate and current Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving and Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard. James' team will bring four-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard off the bench along with Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, 76ers point guard Ben Simmons, Spurs power forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns. Joining the team as a special selection by commissioner Adam Silver and making his 13th All-Star appearance is James' friend and former teammate Dwyane Wade, who is set to retire at the end of the season.
ABOUT TEAM GIANNIS: Antetokounmpo picked Philadelphia center Joel Embiid to round out his starting five and is stacked in the frontcourt with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic and Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin all coming off the bench. Jokic and Vucevic are making their All-Star debuts along with Antetokounmpo's Bucks teammate Khris Middleton and Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell, who was named as an injury replacement for Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (knee). Point guards Kyle Lowry of Toronto and former MVP Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City come off the bench for Team Giannis along with future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, who was named as a special pick by Silver along with Wade.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Antetokounmpo and James executed a trade at the draft, swapping Westbrook and Simmons.
2. Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone and his staff will coach Team LeBron while Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer and his staff will coach Team Giannis.
3. Team LeBron beat Team Stephen (Curry) last season 148-145 in the first All-Star game contested with a draft-style format, with James taking MVP honors.