Curry named starter a 7th time
Warriors star led all guards in votes, gives tepid commitment to March’s exhibition
Despite ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and pushback from players, the NBA announced Thursday its plans to hold the All-Star Game in Atlanta on March 7. Though Stephen Curry stopped short of a full endorsement, he made it clear he accepts the league’s decision.
“It’s a business and we understand that. We know what we all signed up for,” said Curry, who was selected as one of five AllStar
starters in the Western Conference. “We know it’s happening and we know we’re required and expected to be there, and that is what it is.”
Curry received 5,481,033 fan votes. He also finished first among West guards in media and player votes.
However, he fell short of becoming the conference’s captain as LeBron James earned that honor for the West and Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant for the East. James and Durant will pick their ros
“It’s a business and we understand that. We know what we all signed up for.”
– Stephen Curry, who was selected as an All-Star starter in the West.
ters, which begs the question of whether Durant will choose his former Warriors teammate Curry during the televised draft if given the chance?
Curry and James will be joined in the Western Conference’s starting lineup by Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, who outlasted Damian Lillard of the Blazers for the second guard spot.
In the East, Durant is a starter, as are Nets teammate Kyrie Irving, Wizards guard Bradley Beal, 76ers center Joel Embiid and Bucks forward and reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks.
Under the plan, the league will hold a scaleddown All-Star weekend during the midseason break from March 5-10. The AllStar Game will tip off March 7 at 5 p.m. at State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks. This year’s events will also include a 3-point contest starting at 3:30 p.m. and a dunk contest at halftime of the game, which will follow the same “Elam Ending” format as last year. Teams compete to win each quarter and play to a final “target score” during an untimed fourth quarter.
This week, it was reported that Lillard will participate in the 3-point contest. Asked if he would join Lillard in the event, Curry — who leads the league in points scored (869) and 3-pointers made (145) — was non-committal.
“We’ll see what happens,”
Curry said after Wednesday’s win over the Miami Heat. “To be honest, haven’t committed either way yet.”
To safely facilitate the event, the NBA and the players association will create a “mini-bubble” environment within a single hotel for players and coaches. Participants will fly private into Atlanta and undergo PCR testing daily.
While the Hawks last month announced plans to host a small percentage of fans at State Farm Arena for games, the NBA said there would be “no fan activities, ticketed events or hospitality functions” this year.
Although initial plans to hold this year’s All-Star weekend in Indianapolis were spoiled by the pandemic, the league pushed forward with the showcase in Atlanta, from where the
event’s broadcast partner Turner Sports is based. According to The Athletic, AllStar weekend generates approximately $30 million in ad revenue for Turner. This year, the league announced it will commit more than $2.5 million in funds and resources toward historically Black colleges and universities and support awareness around COVID-19 relief and vaccines.
Rosters for the All-Star Game are determined by a combination of a fan (50%), media (25%) and coaches (25%) vote.
This will be the seventh All-Star appearance for the 32-year-old Curry. After making it each season from 2013 to 2019, his streak of six straight All-Star honors came to end when he missed most of last season recovering from a broken hand.