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The 2013 NBA All-Star Game won't tip until Sunday, but the events of NBA All-Star Saturday Night are arguably bigger draws for hoops die-hards year-in and year-out. The 2013 festivities begin Saturday at 8 PM Eastern on TNT. Orlando Pinstriped Post's open thread for the event will appear in this StoryStream at 6 PM.
In a wrinkle added to the proceedings for 2013, Saturday's events will pit East against West, with the conference that earns the most points throughout the evening winning $350,000 for charities of its choice. The runner-up conference will earn $150,000 for its charities.
Learn more about the events by clicking the links below or by scrolling down the page.
Shooting Stars | Skills Challenge | Three-Point Contest | Slam Dunk
Sears Shooting Stars
The field:
Eastern Conference: Team Bosh (Chris Bosh, Swin Cash, and Dominique Wilkins) and Team Lopez (Brook Lopez, Tamika Catchings, and Muggsy Bogues).
Western Conference: Team Harden (James Harden, Tina Thompson, and Sam Cassell) and Team Westbrook (Russell Westbrook, Maya Moore, and Robert Horry).
This competition pits four teams of three players--one current NBA player, one WNBA player, and one NBA legend-- in a shooting contest. Teams must make shots from six specific spots on the floor in numeric order in the fastest time possible. The shots increase in difficulty and culminate with an attempt from halfcourt. The teams must use the same shooting order throughout the competition.
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
The field:
Eastern Conference: Jrue Holiday, Brandon Knight, and Jeff Teague.
Western Conference: Damian Lillard, Jeremy Lin, and Tony Parker (defending champion).
Some of the league's most dynamic point guards will take part in the Skills Challenge, wherein competitors must navigate an obstacle course that tests their dribbling, passing, and shooting acumen. The player who finishes with the fastest time wins.
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest
The field:
Eastern Conference: Paul George, Kyrie Irving, and Steve Novak.
Western Conference: Ryan Anderson, Matt Bonner, and Stephen Curry.
In this classic event, competitors have one minute to fire six three-pointers from five racks arrayed around the arc.
Kevin Love, the reigning three-point champion, will not compete in 2013 due to injury.
Sprite Slam Dunk
The field:
Eastern Conference: Gerald Green, Terrence Ross, and James White.
Western Conference: Eric Bledsoe, Jeremy Evans (defending champion), and Kenneth Faried.
All-Star Saturday Night concludes with the Slam Dunk, the most-anticipated event every year. The dunkers will have 90 seconds to convert a slam, with unlimited missed dunks during that time. A panel of judges will rate each dunk on a scale ranging from six to 10. After each entrant has completed two dunks, the highest-scoring dunker from each conference will advance to the championship round, wherein each player will perform two more dunks with the same time-limit rules in effect.
Fans will have the final say in who wins the Slam Dunk title. They can vote via text message, Twitter, the NBA mobile app, or NBA.com.
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