2011 NBA All-Star Weekend from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Ca. is upon us and Atlanta will be well represented in the festivities.
Here is a breakdown of the main events of the weekend along with a special emphasis on your Atlanta Hawks that will be participating in the events.
All times ET. Visit SB Nation's NBA hub for more on non-Hawks.
Friday, February 18
BBVA All-Star Celebrity Game 7:00 p.m.. ESPN: Magic Johnson. Justin Bieber. Justin Bieber. Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson. Justin Bieber. Stars and former basketball greats will take to the court for a basketball game like no other. I mean, where else will you see Magic and tween recording artist Justin Bieber on the same court? Do you have Bieber fever? If not, Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullen, Jimmy Kimmel, Jason Alexander and the rapper Common will take to the Staples Center L.A. Convention Center court. Just don't ask me what BVAA stands for. I don't know and I don't care.
T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam, 9 p.m., TNT: Former Georgia Tech star Derrick Favors and Los Angeles Clippers phenom Blake Griffin leads the rookie team against a sophomore team that includes Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks. The rooks upset the sophomore team last season. Can they keep the streak alive and win for the second straight season?
Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown, 9:30 p.m., NBA TV: No, this isn't the slam dunk competition. It's a bunch of amateurs dunking the ball at the adjacent L.A. Convention Center. I have no clue who is in it, nor should you.
Saturday, February 19
D-League All-Star Game, 5:00 p.m., NBA TV: The best from the NBA's minor leagues face off in a battle that pits the East vs. West. Patrick Ewing, Jr. is among the prospects participating in what basically is a way for the NBA to make more money on concessions in another venue ahead of the slam dunk contest.
All-Star Saturday Night, 8 p.m., TNT
Haier Shooting Stars: Al Horford, Coco Miller of the Atlanta Dream and former Hawk Steve Smith represent Team Atlanta in a three-team shooting skills competition. They will face Dirk Nowitzki and the defending champ Team Texas and Pau Gasol and Team Los Angeles in the contest where the teams try to make six shots on the floor in the fastest period of time.
Taco Bell Skills Challenge: Got skillz? New Orleans Hornets PG Chris Paul does. He will be one of five NBA players trying to dribble and shoot their way through an obstacle course in the quickest period of time. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, John Wall of the Washington Wizards and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder are the other participants in the field, which is missing defending champ Steve Nash.
Foot Locker 3-Point Contest: Ray Allen. Paul Pierce.Paul Pierce. Ray Allen. Ray Allen. Paul Pierce. And Kevin Durant, too. Pierce will try to defend his 3-point title in a competition, which includes his teammate Allen, Durant and Dorell Wright of Golden State and James Jones of the Miami Heat. Even the Cleveland Cavaliers have a representative in this one -- Daniel Gibson didn't take his services to South Beach. He will try to do something LeBron James never managed to do for the beleaguered citizens of that Ohio city -- bring a title home.
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest: Griffin will try to become just the second Clipper to win the dunk title when the hometown favorite headlines a field of four vying for the NBA player with the most ups. 2010 runner up DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors, Serge Ibaka of the Thunder and JaVale McGee of the Wizards round out the field that's without defending two-time champion Nate Robinson. For those degenerate gamblers out there, Griffin is a -250 favorite, followed by DeRozan +450, McGee +500 and Ibaka +850.
Sunday, February 20
60th NBA All-Star Game, 8:00 p.m. TNT: Finally, the big game. Throw defense out the window when East meets West for edition No. 60 of the battle of the best of the game, which will end with some sort of ridiculous 138-137 score. Horford and Joe Johnson represent the Hawks on the Eastern Conference team, which includes some dudes named LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo and Atlanta's own Dwight Howard.