Captains to pick teams for All-Star game

NEW YORK: The NBA is scrapping the East v West format for its All-Star Game and will have captains pick teams this season.

The league said on Tuesday the two starters with the highest fan vote totals from each conference will choose teams from the pool of players who were voted as starters and reserves.

The change will begin with this season’s game in Los Angeles on Feb 18.

Players and league officials have been eager to inject new interest in the game, and they decided to act after another dull affair last February in New Orleans.

“I’m thrilled with what the players and the league have done to improve the AllStar Game, which has been a priority for all of us,’’ National Basketball Players Association president Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets said. “We’re looking forward to putting on an entertaining show in LA.’’

The sides worked closely — with Charlotte owner Michael Jordan, chairman of the league’s Labour Relations Committee, heavily involved in the conversations — and chose a format that has been used by the NFL and NHL for what will be the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn’t pit the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference.

The 10 starters will continue to be chosen by a combination of fan, player and media balloting, with the coaches from each conference then selecting the 14 reserves. The captains will then draft their teams at an undetermined time — making certain that those chosen starters are split up so they remain starters.

The teams will play for charity. They will select either a Los Angeles-area or national organisation for donations to go.