The 72nd edition of the NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, February 19, 2023, at Vivint Arena, home of the Utah Jazz. As always, the star-studded match will feature the best of the best from the NBA in a spectacular display of skills and showmanship.
This year’s game will come with a new twist as the captains, who first made their appearance in the 2018 edition, will now draft their teams in the arena just before tip-off. LeBron James is a veteran of the captaincy role and has won all the games he has captained. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is making his third appearance as captain, will be looking to end James’s unbeaten streak.
As fans wait to witness what promises to be another memorable All-Star game, let us take a quick look back at some of the highlights of the past editions.
First NBA All- Star Game in history
The NBA All-Star Game was first held in 1951 at the Boston Garden, where the East beat the West 111-94. The event has been held annually since then, except for 1999, which was cancelled due to the NBA lockout.
On top of the 71 prior NBA All-Star Games, there were also nine ABA All-Star Games from 1968 to 1976.
Player with most NBA All-Star appearances
This month, James will surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the second time in NBA history.
On Sunday, James will participate in his 19th NBA All-Star Game, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s previous record of 18 appearances. Following Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan have each played in 15 All-Star Games. In 2020, the NBA named the All-Star Game MVP Award after Bryant.
LeBron James is the only captain to have won an NBA All-Star Game, having captained five teams that emerged victorious over the years. He is also the player who has played in the most All-Star games, with 19 appearances.
Also read | King James’ reign continues: Remembering LeBron’s record-breaking 61-point game
NBA All-Star Game went overtime 6 times
The NBA All-Star Game has gone into overtime six times, with the most recent occurrence being in 2003. The West required two overtimes to defeat the East in that game, which was played in Atlanta.
However, overtimes are a thing of the past, as the NBA introduced the Elam Ending in 2020.
What is Elam Ending?
The Elam Ending is a game format that aims to create a more organic end to basketball games by turning off the game clock during the fourth quarter. This involves establishing a Target Score by adding eight points to the leading team’s score, with the first team to reach this score declared the winner.
This eliminates the need for trailing teams to focus on running out the clock, allowing them to concentrate on getting stops and leading to more competitive and exciting defensive play.
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) tested the format in 2017 before implementing it for all games in 2018, with players and fans alike embracing the concept and finding the experience more intense and exhilarating.
NBA All-Star game record since 1951
The Eastern Conference has dominated the game, with 37 victories, while the West has managed to clinch 29 wins. The West, however, had a more successful run from 2011 to 2017 when they won six of the seven games played, preceding the captaincy format.
In the 71 games that have been played so far, the East has emerged victorious in 38 games, while the West has won 33 games. The scores of these games range from the East’s 111-94 win in the inaugural game in 1951 to the West’s 170-150 win in the 2022 edition.
Here are the scores from NBA All-Star Games since 1951:
1951: East 111, West 94
1952: East 108, West 91
1953: West 79, East 75
1954: East 98, West 93 (OT)
1955: East 100, West 91
1956: West 108, East 94
1957: East 109, West 97
1958: East 130, West 118
1959: West 124, East 108
1960: East 125, West 115
1961: West 153, East 131
1962: West 150, East 130
1963: East 115, West 108
1964: East 111, West 107
1965: East 124, West 123
1966: East 137, West 94
1967: West 135, East 120
1968: East 144, West 124
1969: East 123, West 112
1970: East 142, West 135
1971: West 108, East 107
1972: West 112, East 110
1973: East 104, West 84
1974: West 134, East 123
1975: East 108, West 102
1976: East 123, West 109
1977: West 125, East 124
1978: East 133, West 125
1979: West 134, East 129
1980: East 144, West 136 (OT)
1981: East 123, West 120
1982: East 120, West 118
1983: East 132, West 123
1984: East 154, West 145 (OT)
1985: West 140, East 129
1986: East 139, West 132
1987: West 154, East 149 (OT)
1988: East 138, West 133
1989: West 143, East 134
1990: East 130, West 113
1991: East 116, West 114
1992: West 153, East 113
1993: West 135, East 132 (OT)
1994: East 127, West 118
1995: West 139, East 112
1996: East 129, West 118
1997: East 132, West 120
1998: East 135, West 114
2000: West 137, East 126
2001: East 111, West 110
2002: West 135, East 120
2003: West 155, East 145 (2OT)
2004: West 136, East 132
2005: East 125, West 115
2006: East 122, West 120
2007: West 153, East 132
2008: East 134, West 128
2009: West 146, East 119
2010: East 141, West 139
2011: West 148, East 143
2012: West 152, East 149
2013: West 143, East 138
2014: East 163, West 155
2015: West 163, East 158
2016: West 196, East 173
2017: West 192, East 182
Past 5 NBA All-Star Games
2018: Team LeBron 148, Team Stephen 145
2019: Team LeBron 178, Team Giannis 164
2020: Team LeBron 157, Team Giannis 155
2021: Team LeBron 170, Team Durant 150
2022: Team Lebron 163, Team Durant 160
Also read | Timetable, teams and tickets; All you need to know about NBA All-Star Game 2023
With a new captain selection process, the 2023 NBA All-Star game promises to be as exciting as ever. Fans will be hoping to witness another historic showdown, and players will be eager to showcase their skills in front of millions of viewers worldwide.
