Feb. 15, 2008 - If you waited too long to get tickets to tonight’s sold-out NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and Sunday’s sold-out 57th NBA All-Star Game, there’s no need to feel left out. You can catch the action on ESPN and TNT.
If you’re lucky enough to be in New Orleans for All Star Weekend, here’s a run-down of events.
Rookies vs. Sophomores - The best first and second year players compete against each other for Bayou bragging rights. This year the second overall draft pick Kevin Durant hopes to lead the Rookie team to victory. A win for them would be the first time ever the Rookies notch a W.
All-Star Celebrity Game. - 2008 Grammy Award winners Ne-Yo and Common, “Rush Hour 3″ star Chris Tucker, “Friday Night Lights” star Zach Gilford, 2006 “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks, and two-time Super Bowl champion Deion Sanders are among 20 celebrities who will battle it out in the McDonald’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
The Celebrity Game features WNBA All-Stars Ruth Riley (San Antonio Silver Stars) and Swin Cash (Detroit Shock). Former all-star high school point guard and actress Gabrielle Union and actress and Touch fashion designer Alyssa Milano, will serve as head coaches for the squads. Hip hop star Lupe Fiasco will perform during the exciting halftime show. The game will air live on ESPN, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile at 7 p.m.
Five events highlight Saturday’s line-up:
D-League Game - This comp will allow lesser-known players a chance to shine.
The Shooting Stars contest combines WNBA, NBA and retired NBA players on the same team. The three players will represent teams from the same city. Team Detroit is the reigning champion of this event. Bill Laimbeer, Chauncey Billups and Swin Cash will attempt to repeat last year’s outcome. Each player tries to make a free throw, three-pointer and a shot from center court.
Three Point Shootout - Defending champion Jason Kapono of the Miami Heat is the one to beat.
Slam Dunk Contest - The most anticipated event of the night will undoubtedly be the Slam Dunk Contest. Reigning champion Gerald Green of the Minnesota Timberwolves will be there to defend his crown. Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Jamario Moon of the Toronto Raptors will attempt to dethrone Green. In order to generate slam dunks, the contest participants have turned to the fans for new ideas so this should be one of the more exciting competitions in recent years.
The Big Game - Sunday 8 p.m. TNT - Kobe Bryant likely won’t play much because of his damaged finger, there’s the whole Jason Kidd issue and the East has already lost Kevin Garnett and Caron Butler. But when All-Star game will tips off, some of the most talented basketball players on earth will be on the floor. The game will include three first timers, Chris Paul and David West both of the New Orleans Hornets and Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers.
In addition to Kobe, the usual suspects include Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Lebron James and Yao Ming. The game however will be missing one of the NBA’s biggest stars, Shaquille O’Neal. This will be the first time in 14 years the game will be played without him.
Here’s a tip: it’s a show for the first three quarters and then they get serious. Last year the West beat the East 153-132.
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