NBA All-Star Game 2015: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Rosters and Prediction
The 2015 NBA All-Star Game marks the 64th edition of the midseason showcase that continues to enthrall basketball fans by pitting the Association's most talented players against each other. The contest provides a brief pause in the regular-season action and allows us to relax and take in a fun contest full of high-octane action and, well, very little defense.
Last year, Carmelo Anthony set an All-Star Game record, bucketing eight shots from downtown in the East's 163-155 comeback victory. This year, however, the New York Knicks swingman is expected to play on a limited basis and is likely to be shut down for the rest of the regular season thereafter.
Can the East repeat this year with Anthony limited and 2014 MVP Kyrie Irving missing out on a starting role—they did combine for 61 points last year—or will a strong West squad featuring the electrifying Stephen Curry prevail? Well, before we go ahead and predict an answer to that question, here's a look at the game's complete viewing information and rosters.
2015 NBA All-Star Game Schedule
When: Sunday, Feb. 15
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Channel: TNT (coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET)
Live Stream: TNT Overtime
Rosters
| Carmelo Anthony | F | Knicks |
| LeBron James | F | Cavaliers |
| Pau Gasol | C-F | Bulls |
| John Wall | G | Wizards |
| Kyle Lowry | G | Raptors |
| Chris Bosh | C | Heat |
| Jimmy Butler* | G-F | Bulls |
| Al Horford | C-F | Hawks |
| Kyrie Irving | G | Cavaliers |
| Kyle Korver | G | Hawks |
| Paul Millsap | F | Hawks |
| Jeff Teague | G | Hawks |
| Dwayne Wade* | G | Heat |
| Blake Griffin* | F | Clippers |
| Marc Gasol | C | Grizzlies |
| Kobe Bryant* | G | Lakers |
| Anthony Davis* | C-F | Pelicans |
| Stephen Curry | G | Warriors |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | F | Trail Blazers |
| DeMarcus Cousins | C | Kings |
| Tim Duncan | F | Spurs |
| Kevin Durant | F | Thunder |
| James Harden | G | Rockets |
| Damian Lillard | G | Trail Blazers |
| Dirk Nowitzki | F | Mavericks |
| Chris Paul | G | Clippers |
| Klay Thompson | G | Warriors |
| Russell Westbrook | G | Thunder |
All-Star Game rosters courtesy of NBA.com.
Prediction
The easiest aspect of the All-Star Game to predict should be the final score. Defense may win championships, but offense wins during All-Star Weekend. No team has scored fewer than 138 points since the East managed to put up only 119 in 2009. In fact, 2014 set new all-time records, as the East's 163 points were the most by a single team, and the contest's total of 318 was the most combined.
Although, we're here to predict the winner, not to bet on the game's over/under.
Perhaps the biggest factor in this year's midseason showcase is each team overcoming injuries to starting players.
Earlier, we touched on Anthony's expected limited minutes for the East. If he's pulled early in the game, the team could find itself rather short on swingmen, as Chicago Bulls star Jimmy Butler recently aggravated a strained right shoulder and is planning a return after the break, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
That's not a good sign for the already struggling Knicks, according to this tweet from ESPN Stats & Info:
So if the East wants to stay big up front, we should be seeing one of the four Atlanta Hawks in action quickly—most likely Paul Millsap, who is averaging 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from downtown this season.
Having Millsap could end up being a benefit to the East, as teammates Al Horford, Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver are likely to join him on the court eventually, and that could lead to a scoring frenzy due to the huge amount of chemistry between them. After all, the four Hawks All-Stars did tell NBA.com they "do everything as a team":
The West has a few injury issues to overcome. Blake Griffin, Kobe Bryant and Anthony Davis were all voted in as starters, but they were all scratched due to injuries—the team's only remaining original starters are Stephen Curry and Marc Gasol.
Still, the conference is chock-full of talent, and the likes of James Harden and Klay Thompson have been named replacement starters. A fifth starter has yet to be named; however, the current rotation lacks a power forward, so we can speculate LaMarcus Aldridge could see some early action.
Despite the injuries suffered by the West, this team has a great deal of star power. Curry is having an MVP-worthy season, averaging 23.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 48.1 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from three-point range. Combined with Harden's impressive play, this team's backcourt is simply phenomenal.
Magic Johnson tweeted his MVP candidates before the break, and two of the four names he mentions happen to reside in the West's backcourt:
The West's frontcourt may not have the likes of LeBron James in the fold, but the team's guards are excellent facilitators, and we should expect Thompson, Gasol and Co. to get plenty of open looks. While the East may have better team chemistry, the West squad is poised to do some serious damage on the offensive end of the court. It gets the nod in a close, high-scoring game.
Prediction: West 146, East 142
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