2012 NBA All-Star Game

Jan 4 2012

The Orlando Magic play host to the NBA's biggest stars this February, when NBA All-Star Weekend returns to the returns to central Florida.

This will be the 61st All-Star Game; the second in Orlando, but the first in the Amway Center, which opened in 2010.

The first all-star game played in Orlando - the 1992 game - was also one of the most memorable, as it featured Magic Johnson's return to the court after his announcement that he was HIV-positive. Johnson unforgettably challenged Isiah Thomas and Michael Jordan to defend him in the closing minutes of that game, scored on both future hall-of-famers, and won all-star MVP honors.

The game and all other all-star events will be televised on TNT.

Schedule of Events

• February 24th: NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge
• February 25th: All-Star Saturday: Three-point Shootout, Dunk contest, skills challenge, etc.
• February 26th: 2011 NBA All-Star Game

Rosters

The starters for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star teams will be selected via fan vote. Voting began on January 4 and continues through the 31st, with teams to be announced on February 2nd.

Reserves are selected by a vote of the coaches in each conference. Coaches are asked to vote for two forwards, two guards and a center - but are not held to the same strict positional classifications as in the fan voting - and are not permitted to vote for their own players.

Coaches

The Eastern and Western Conference all-star teams will be led by the coaches with the best records in their respective conferences as of February 12 - two weeks before the game. Last year's coaches - Boston's Doc Rivers and San Antonio's Gregg Popovic - are ineligible; league rules prohibit a coach from running the all-star team in consecutive seasons.

Miami's Erik Spoelstra and Oklahoma City's Scott Brooks seem likely candidates to coach the 2012 teams.

Injuries

If a player is injured an unable to participate, the league will names replacement. If a starter misses the game, the all-star coach selects another starter from among the reserves. For example - in 2011, Yao Ming was voted the Western Conference's starting center, despite the fact that he had already sustained a season (and career) ending injury. The league named Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love as Yao's replacement on the roster, but West coach Popovic gave his own player - Tim Duncan - the starting nod.

Tickets

Ticket packages are available via NBAevents.com - but beware sticker-shock. Courtside seats are expected to go for $6500.

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