What time is the 2024 NBA All-Star Game? What's new this year?

By Dan LoumenaAssistant Sports Editor

Feb. 15, 2024 4 AM PT

The 73rd NBA All-Star Game will take place Sunday. It seems each year there are new twists to the game and activities during the three-day celebration of the best basketball players in the world. This year is no exception.

Here’s what you need to know:

All-Star Game

When: Sunday, 5 p.m. PST (TNT)

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

This year’s big change? It’s back to East vs. West. While LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are again team captains, they won’t be drafting their teams. Each squad is set with five starters and seven reserves from each conference.

It was six years ago when the NBA started having the leading vote getters in the East and West draft teams from the pools of starters and reserves, regardless of conference. Four years ago the game was played quarter by quarter with the winning team of each quarter earning money for its charitable causes. The game was decided in the fourth quarter by the first team to reach a target score (known as the Elam Ending), which is the leading team’s overall total after three quarters plus 24 points in honor of the late Kobe Bryant’s jersey number.

Showing their skills

When: 5 p.m. PST Saturday

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium

Warriors guard Stephen Curry holds out his right arm after following through on a three-point shot.

The new twist to Saturday’s events is a one-on-one shootout between long-range specialists Stephen Curry of the NBA and Sabrina Ionescu of the WNBA. The New York Liberty star issued a challenge to the Golden State Warriors’ sharpshooter after she set an NBA/WNBA record of 37 points in last year’s three-point competition.

The slam dunk contest, with a two-round format featuring four contestants, will cap Saturday night’s festivities. Each player is given 90 seconds to complete two dunks — with three attempts per dunk — for a five-judge panel. At the end of their time, they’ll be given one last attempt. The top two scorers advance to the final under the same format. Competitors: defending champion Mac McClung (G League), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat) and Jacob Toppin (New York Knicks).

The skills challenge, featuring three three-player teams, and three-point contest, featuring eight participants, precede Stephen vs. Sabrina. The skills challenge features three events: relay, passing and shooting. Points will be awarded based on finishes in each competition. Competing are Team Pacers (Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Myles Turner), Team Top Picks (Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic; Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves; Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs) and Team All-Stars (Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors; Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers; Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks).

The three-point contest features five racks of five balls, four of them containing one “money ball” worth two points instead of one, and one rack of five money balls positioned at the player’s choice. There are also two “Starry ball” pedestals behind the third rack, to the left and right, worth three points. The top three shooters advance to the final round. Competitors: defending champion Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks; Malik Beasley, Bucks, Jalen Brunson, Knicks; Haliburton, Indiana Pacers; Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz; Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers; Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves; Young, Hawks.

Rising Stars tournament

When: 6 p.m. PST Friday

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, shoots over Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith

The three-game tournament begins with the first of two semifinal games. For the third straight year, the showcase event features NBA rookies, sophomores and G League players. All three games will be played to a final target score, which will be 40 points in the semifinals and 25 in the final.

The four teams are:

Team Pau (Gasol): Wembanyama, rookie, Spurs; Brandon Miller, rookie, Charlotte Hornets; Brandin Podziemski, rookie, Warriors; Jaquez, rookie, Heat; Jabari Smith Jr., sophomore, Houston Rockets; Cason Wallace, rookie, Oklahoma City Thunder; Bilal Coulibaly, rookie, Washington Wizards.

Team Tamika (Catchings): Banchero, sophomore, Magic; Jaden Ivey, sophomore, Detroit Pistons; Jalen Duren, Sophomore, Detroit Pistons; Keegan Murray, sophomore, Sacramento Kings; Scoot Henderson, Rookie, portland Trail Blazers; Keyonte George, rookie, Jazz; Dyson Daniels, sophomore, New Orleans Pelicans.

Team Jalen (Rose): Chet Holmgren, rookie, Thunder; Jalen Williams, sophomore, Thunder; Mathurin, sophomore, Pacers; Shaedon Sharpe, sophomore, Trail Blazers* (replaced by Jeremy Sochan, sophomore, Spurs); Dereck Lively II, rookie, Dallas Mavericks; Jordan Hawkins, rookie, Pelicans; Walker Kessler, sophomore, Jazz.

Team Detlef (Schrempf): Izan Almansa, G League Ignite; Matas Buzelis, Ignite; Ron Holland, Ignite; McClung, Osceola Magic; Tyler Smith, Ignite; Oscar Tshiebwe, Indiana Mad Ants; Alondes Williams, Sioux Falls Skyforce.

* injured

Next Up

When: 10:30 a.m. PST Sunday

Where: Indiana Convention Center

Quinndary Weatherspoon warms up before a Warriors game

The G League Up Next games return to All-Star weekend after their debut last year. They will feature 28 players selected by fan vote and then drafted onto one of four teams by social media influencers. It’s the same three-game format as the rising stars tournament.

Here are the teams:

Team Giraffe Stars: Matas Buzelis, Ignite; Collin Gillespie, Grand Rapids Gold; Ron Holland, Ignite; Keyontae Johnson, Oklahoma City Blue; Kenneth Lofton Jr., Delaware Blue Coats* (replaced by Kyle Mangas, Mad Ants); Jermaine Samuels, Rio Grande Valley Vipers; Quinndary Weatherspoon, South Bay Lakers.

Team EYL: Ashton Hagans, Rip City Remix; Dink Pate, Ignite; Trevelin Queen, Osceola Magic; Babacar Sane, Ignite
Ethan Thompson, Mexico City Capitanes; Tshiebwe, Mad Ants; Williams, Skyforce.

Team BallIsLife: Almansa, Ignite; Emoni Bates, Cleveland Charge; JD Davison, Maine Celtics; Kevon Harris, Osceola Magic; Javan Johnson, Santa Cruz Warriors; London Johnson, Ignite; Skal Labissiere, Stockton Kings.

Team Strictly: Dominick Barlow, Austin Spurs; Darius Bazley, Blue Coats; Thierry Darlan, Ignite; Luka Garza, Iowa Wolves; Markquis Nowell, Raptors 905* (replaced by Isaiah Wong, Mad Ants); Smith, Ignite; Cole Swider, Skyforce.

* injured