The NBA’s 71st annual All-Star Game celebration kicks off tonight with the celebrity game and rising stars game, then tomorrow it’s the skills challenge, three point contest & slam dunk contest and then finally on Sunday the actual All-Star game. This year’s contest will be hosted by Cleveland for the third time in NBA history. The All-Star festivities will coincide with Shaq’s upcoming 50th birthday party which will be going down in The Land as well. So as an ode to the 15 time all star himself the one and the only Big-Aristotle lets look back at some interesting Shaq facts and history in relation to the All-Star game. At the bottom of this article find the times and channels to watch all the All Star festivities.
Shaq and Lebron Dance Off
This will be LeBron’s 18th All-Star game appearance, he is Shaq’s last remaining former teammate in the All-Star game. Additionally, only six of this years All-Stars played during the Shaq era (LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, and Chris Paul). It has been 13 years since Shaq’s last All-Star appearance and 13 years since his last All-Star game MVP. In 1993, then a rookie, Shaquille O’Neal made it to his first NBA All-Star Game. At the time the 20-year-old center became the first rookie since 1985 (Michael Jordan) to play at the prestigious event in his debut season.
Shaq has a plethora of iconic moments from the All-Star game that will live on in infamy likely as long as the NBA exists. There will never be another player as dominate as Shaq that also comes with his exuberant personality. Some of these All-Star moments include: Shaq using the shimmy on MJ in warmups, him having a break dance battle mid court with LeBron, when Shaq came out with the Jabbawockeez, the Shaq shoe phone, and when he won co-MVP with Kobe.
Who has the most NBA ALL Star Appearances?
Shaq is tied at third for most All-Star appearances all time at 15 with Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. He’s behind Lebron’s (18), Kobe’s (18), and Kareem with the most at (19) appearances. Shaq was named All-Star co-MVP , two of the four times it has happened in NBA history. The first being in 2000 with Tim Duncan and the second being in 2009 with Kobe Bryant.
Shaq was named All-Star MVP three times in his illustrious NBA career the first coming in 2000, the second in 2004, and the third in 2009. Although, through all of his 15 All-Star appearances he has been just as dominant as he is in the regular season averaging 16.8 points per game, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per All-Star appearance.
Shaq has had one of the greatest NBA careers of all time and is up there for one of the greatest to ever play this game. Many of those historic moments and memories we all remember were made at the All-Star game. Hopefully the 2022 game will have its own moments that will live on forever through NBA legend or at least an NBA fan can dream…..
How to watch sports and movies for free or at a discount?
Chlorox Rising Stars
- When: Friday, Feb. 18
- Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, Ohio
- Time: 9 p.m. ET | TV: TNT
How it works: In a new format, 28 players – comprising 12 rookies, 12 sophomores and four members of the NBA G League Ignite developmental squad; see roster above – were drafted onto four teams to compete in three games. Per the NBA, each game will be played to a Final Target Score, ending with a made basket or free throw instead of with the clock running out. It will be a “Race to 75” to celebrate the league’s 75th anniversary season — Games 1 and 2 will be played until a team reaches 50 points; Game 3 will be played until a team reaches 25 points.
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
- When: Saturday, Feb. 19
- Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, Ohio
- Time: 8 p.m. ET (first event) | TV: TNT
How it works: Three teams — the Antetokounmpo brothers, the Cavaliers and rookies — will compete in a new format that features a four-round competition that tests shooting, passing and dribbling ability. Per the NBA, each of the three teams will compete in the first three rounds of the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. The two teams with the most “Challenge Points” after the first three rounds will advance to the Final Round. Challenge Points are earned by winning each of the first three rounds.
Round one is team shooting, round two is team passing, round three is team relay and the final round is half-court shots.
MTN DEW 3-Point Contest
- When: Saturday, Feb. 19
- Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, Ohio
- Time: 8 p.m. ET (second event) | TV: TNT
How it works: The 3-point contest will feature the same format as it has in the past. Per the NBA, each competitor will have 70 seconds (1:10) to shoot as many of the 27 balls as he can, with a maximum possible score of 40 points in a single round. The three competitors with the highest scores in the first round will advance to the championship round. The player with the highest score in the championship round will win the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest.
AT&T Slam Dunk
- When: Saturday, Feb. 19
- Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, Ohio
- Time: 8 p.m. ET (third event) | TV: TNT
How it works: The dunk contest will follow the same format as it has in the past. Per the NBA, all four competitors will get two dunks in the first round. The two players with the highest combined score for their two dunks will advance to the final round. The two finalists will then get two dunks in the final round. The dunker with the highest combined score for his two dunks in the final round will win.
71st NBA All-Star Game
- When: Sunday, Feb. 20
- Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, Ohio
- Time: 8 p.m. ET | TV: TNT