NBA All-Star Game 2015: TV Schedule, Live Stream Info and Rosters
Following a couple of action-packed days that featured celebrities going head-to-head—which resulted in Mo'ne Davis completely schooling Kevin Hart—the Three-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest, the highly anticipated 2015 NBA All-Star Game is finally just hours away.
One of the year's most entertaining games—especially if you're not a fan of defense—the contest brings a welcome break from the regular-season drama and allows us to enjoy a glorified pick-up game featuring the best players from around the Association. What's not to like about that?
Whether you're tuning in to see your favorite players in action or just to check if your prop bets look like they'll pay out, another look at the game's complete viewing information is in order. Since the contest's participants have been altered due to a rash of injuries, let's go ahead and follow that up with an overview and analysis of the updated 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 |
| Dwyane 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 |
*Denotes injured player
All-Star Game rosters courtesy of NBA.com.
Roster Analysis
The East is lucky enough to have all five of its starters intact for the All-Star Game. Although, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony has generated plenty of recent headlines due to his lingering knee injury. According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, the team may shut Anthony down following the game:
"New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony said Thursday on ESPN Radio that it's "very likely" he will shut it down after the All-Star Game.
Anthony maintained that he plans to play in Sunday's game at Madison Square Garden, "even if it's just a few minutes"—but likely will be done playing after that.
"
Once Anthony is pulled from the game, the game may see the first Atlanta Hawk on the floor—the closest player the East has to Anthony's size and skill set is shooting guard Kyle Korver.
The Hawks are generating quite a good amount of hype heading into the All-Star Game. They sent four players to the midseason showcase and own the NBA's best record at 43-11, which bodes very well for their championship aspirations, according to a tweet from ESPN Stats & Info:
LeBron James and Pau Gasol round out the team's frontcourt, and both players will be participating in the All-Star Game for new teams this season. James is back with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he's really caught fire lately, scoring more than 30 points in seven of his last 16 games. In his first season with the Chicago Bulls, Gasol is averaging a double-double with 18.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.
John Wall and Kyle Lowry will start in the backcourt for the East. Wall is one of basketball's most entertaining point guards, possessing a great blend of scoring and facilitating. He's averaging 17.4 points and 10.1 assists per game this season. Lowry has a similar skill set and will round out a formidable backcourt duo.
There's a bit of a different story for the West's starters. Fan voting gave Blake Griffin, Kobe Bryant and Anthony Davis starting gigs in the All-Star Game; however, unfortunate injuries will prevent all three from playing in Sunday's contest.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr announced Klay Thompson and James Harden would start in place of Griffin and Bryant, respectively; however, a replacement for Davis wasn't confirmed until Saturday, via a tweet from ESPN's Marc Stein:
Getting the start over Kevin Durant is absolutely huge for LaMarcus Aldridge. The Portland Trail Blazers star has been overlooked in past seasons and is finally getting the recognition he deserves. So far this year, he's averaging 23.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the floor.
Gasol joins Aldridge in the West's frontcourt, and he brings one of the game's more intriguing storylines, as he'll be facing his brother, Pau—the first time in the contest's history that has happened, according to a tweet from NBA.com:
Here's what Pau had to say about the upcoming matchup, via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
Marc may not be averaging a double-double like his brother, but he's playing very well this season, bucketing 18.3 points and accumulating 8.1 rebounds per game.
The duo that will attract the attention of the game's spectators—and members of the East squad—are Stephen Curry and James Harden. It can be argued both are having MVP-worthy seasons, and the fact they will be sharing the same backcourt is terrifying.
Curry has been phenomenal for the Golden State Warriors this season, averaging 23.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game, while consistently connecting from all over the floor. Harden has been equally as impressive, averaging 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game.
Both squads are jam-packed with extremely talented rosters, and considering the hot streaks many participating players are riding heading into the All-Star Game, we could be in for another record-breaking shootout this year. Be sure to tune in.
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