NBA All-Star Game 2015: Latest Rosters, TV Schedule and MVP Odds for Sunday
With the Rising Stars Challenge Friday night, All-Star Saturday's events and all the other festivities over the weekend, don't forget to leave room for the main course Sunday evening—the 2015 NBA All-Star Game.
The Association has done a fantastic job of filling All-Star Weekend with tons of entertaining events, but nothing can ever compare to the game itself on Sunday. While recent emerging players and budding stars often take the spotlight Friday and Saturday night, the main event is reserved for only the 12 best in each conference.
Even amid a slew of injury replacements, there's no lack of elite ability in what is heralded as the best pickup game of basketball that planet Earth can put on.
Here's a late look at all the information you need to know for Sunday's events.
When: Sunday, February 15, 2015
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York
Start Time (ET): 8:30 p.m.
TV: TNT
Complete Sunday TV schedule available at NBA.com.
All-Star Rosters and MVP Odds
| Carmelo Anthony, F | Knicks | 7-1 |
| LeBron James, F | Cavaliers | 4-1 |
| Pau Gasol, F | Bulls | 60-1 |
| John Wall, G | Wizards | 15-1 |
| Kyle Lowry, G | Raptors | 25-1 |
| Chris Bosh, C | Heat | 50-1 |
| Jimmy Butler, G-F | Bulls | 60-1 |
| Al Horford, C | Hawks | 50-1 |
| Kyrie Irving, G | Cavaliers | 14-1 |
| Kyle Korver, G | Hawks | 50-1 |
| Paul Millsap, F | Hawks | 50-1 |
| Jeff Teague, G | Hawks | 50-1 |
| Dwyane Wade, G* | Heat | - |
| Blake Griffin, F* | Clippers | - |
| Marc Gasol, C | Grizzlies | 50-1 |
| Kobe Bryant, G* | Lakers | - |
| Anthony Davis, F* | Pelicans | - |
| Stephen Curry, G | Warriors | 13-4 |
| LaMarcus Aldridge, F | Trail Blazers | 50-1 |
| DeMarcus Cousins, C | Kings | 50-1 |
| Tim Duncan, F | Spurs | 50-1 |
| Kevin Durant, F | Thunder | 4-1 |
| James Harden, G | Rockets | 11-2 |
| Damian Lillard, G | Trail Blazers | 25-1 |
| Dirk Nowitzki, F | Mavericks | 65-1 |
| Chris Paul, G | Clippers | 22-1 |
| Klay Thompson, G | Warriors | 16-1 |
| Russell Westbrook, G | Thunder | 15-1 |
Note: MVP odds courtesy of Odds Shark, updated as of Feb. 14
All-Star Game Preview
With all due respect to the events of All-Star Saturday and the excitement that comes along with them, folks will have to wait until Sunday evening for the real action.
That's when the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the rest of the NBA's elite—minus a few injury absences—will take the court at Madison Square Garden for 48 minutes of the most glorified pickup game in the world.
And just like the big stage of the Garden, the level of play should be seismic.
Leading the charge for the game is Curry, just like he's done all season long for the NBA-best Golden State Warriors. If it weren't for insane play from James Harden, Curry might have run away with the MVP trophy by now with his splendid 23.6 points and 7.9 assists per game on 48 percent shooting.
But the young Curry isn't far removed from being snubbed altogether just two years ago, although it's tough to imagine his failing to be included in the All-Star Game for many years to come.
"I remember where I was the night I didn't hear my name called and thought that was a real possibility," Curry told The Associated Press' Rob Mahoney of two years ago. "I was in Chicago sitting in the hotel room watching the announcements and obviously (David) Lee was a representative, so happy for him, but in two short years obviously where it is now, it's unreal."
Despite his 13-4 odds of winning the MVP, which lead the rest of the pack, Curry figures to have his hands full with Kyrie Irving prepared to do battle.
The Cavaliers point guard didn't get the starting nod for the East over Kyle Lowry but left no doubt of his ability to scorch the league's best in the 2014 event. Not only is he the reigning MVP, but he has also been historically dominant inside the Garden, as told by ESPN Stats and Info:
The impact of a young crop of attacking guards can't be overstated, with emerging stars John Wall, Damian Lillard and others joining both Curry and Irving on the big stage. But will any of them be able to outshine the best of the best?
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant was passed over for a starting spot largely due to an early-season injury, but he had no trouble making the field with nearly 26 points per game. His chief priority is likely getting his Thunder back into the playoff hunt in the West, but he'll come into New York with a chip on his shoulder after not being given a starting role, per Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman:
Durant, however, can't stack up to the career All-Star appearances of LeBron James or Dirk Nowitzki—who have a combined 24 between them. It would be 32 if you included Carmelo Anthony, who is playing host to the league's best superstars as they visit his home arena.
Anthony may be "very likely" to shut it down after the season, per ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley, but he's sticking it out for Sunday's game and the crowd has reacted accordingly, per Pro Basketball Talk's Kurt Helin:
While the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Anthony Davis and Blake Griffin are all missing out on the big game due to injuries, there's no shortage of top talent in the fold. Those late absences only allowed for snubbed players like DeMarcus Cousins and Lillard to make late arrivals to the rosters—much-deserved arrivals, at that.
So you have a lethal crop of budding superstars at the point guard spot, the typical handful of can't-miss superstars and a growing group of emerging stars ready to take advantage of the spotlight.
Add that to the big stage of New York, and you have yourself a show suitable for Broadway.
