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The 2022 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition game played on February 20, 2022, during the National Basketball Association's 2021–22 season. It was the 71st edition of the NBA All-Star Game. The game was hosted by the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. This was the third time that the Cleveland area hosted the All-Star Game, the first being in 1981 at the Coliseum in nearby Richfield, Ohio, and most recently in 1997—three years after the Cavaliers moved back to downtown Cleveland to play in the newly built Gund Arena, which is now known as Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Coincidentally, on the occasion Cleveland hosted an All-Star Game, the NBA celebrated its 35th season (1981), 50th anniversary (1997), and 75th anniversary (2022). The announcement of the site selection was made on November 1, 2018, at a press conference held by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With teams captained by LeBron James and Kevin Durant, Team LeBron won the game 163–160. Team LeBron's Stephen Curry, who scored 50 points, set the record for most three-pointers made in an All-Star quarter (6), half (8), and game (16), and was also named the All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player. This was Team LeBron's fifth consecutive All-Star win.
As had been the case in previous years, the rosters for the All-Star Game were selected through a voting process. The fans could vote through the NBA website and the NBA App. The starters were chosen by the fans, media, and current NBA players. Fans made up 50% of the vote, and NBA players and media each comprised 25% of the vote. The two guards and three frontcourt players who received the highest cumulative vote totals in each conferences were named the All-Star starters and two players in each conferences with the highest votes were named team captains. NBA head coaches voted for the reserves for their respective conferences, none of which could be players from their own team. Each coach selected two guards, three frontcourt players and two wild cards, with each selected player ranked in order of preference within each category. If a multi-position player was to be selected, coaches were encouraged to vote for the player at the position that was "most advantageous for the All-Star team", regardless of where the player was listed on the All-Star ballot or the position he was listed in box scores.
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors were named to the starting backcourt in the West, earning their first and eighth all-star appearances, respectively. In the frontcourt, Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers were named to their first and 18th all-star selections, respectively. Joining them was reigning MVP Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets, in his fourth all-star selection. Wiggins was the third first-time All-Star to be voted a starter in his eighth season or later. He also became the first No. 1 overall draft pick in the modern draft era (since 1966) to earn their first All-Star selection in their eighth season or later.
Italics indicates leading vote-getters per conference.
^INJ1 Kevin Durant was unable to play due to a knee injury. ^REP1 LaMelo Ball was selected as Kevin Durant's replacement. ^INJ2 Draymond Green was unable to play due to a lower disc injury. ^REP2 Dejounte Murray was selected as Draymond Green's replacement. ^ST Jayson Tatum was selected to start in place of Durant. ^INJ3 James Harden was unable to play due to a hamstring injury, but was present for the halftime ceremony. ^REP3 Jarrett Allen was selected as James Harden's replacement.
Draft
The NBA-All Star draft took place on February 10, 2022. LeBron James and Kevin Durant were named captains for the second straight year, as they both received the most votes from the West and East, respectively. The first eight players to be drafted were starters. The next 14 players, chosen by NBA head coaches (seven from each conference), were then drafted. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver selected replacements for any player unable to participate in the All-Star Game, choosing a player from the same conference as the player who was being replaced. Silver's selection joined the team that drafted the replaced player. If a replaced player is a starter, the head coach of that team would choose a new starter from their cast of players. James picked Giannis Antetokounmpo with his first pick, and Durant picked Joel Embiid second. Team Durant was the home team due to the Eastern Conference having home team status for the game.
The 2022 All-Star Game used the same format as the 2020 edition; the team that scores the most points during each of the first three 12-minute quarters received a cash prize, which was donated to a designated charity; the pot would roll over if the teams are tied. The fourth quarter was untimed under the rules of the Elam Ending, in which the first team to meet or exceed a "target score"—the score of the leading team in total scoring after three quarters plus 24—was declared the winner.
The 2022 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was played on Friday, February 18, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The coaches for the 2022 game were NBA legends Bill Walton and Dominique Wilkins. Team Walton defeated Team Nique 65–51 and Alex Toussaint took home the MVP award with 18 points.
^INJ1 Chris Duarte was unable to participate due to a toe injury. ^REP1 Jonathan Kuminga was selected as Chris Duarte's replacement. ^INJ2 Davion Mitchell was unable to participate due to a hand injury. ^REP2 Bones Hyland was selected as Davion Mitchell's replacement.
The Skills Challenge took place on February 19. Team Rooks advanced to the finals after winning the third round and receiving 200 points in the round. Team Cavs defeated Team Rooks in the finals after Evan Mobley drilled a half-court shot.
The Three-Point Contest took place on February 19. Towns won his first Three-Point Contest by defeating Trae Young and Luke Kennard. Towns set the record for most points in the final round with 29 surpassing Devin Booker who had 28 in 2018, becoming the first center to win the event and the first Timberwolves player since Kevin Love in 2012.
The Slam Dunk Contest took place on February 19. Toppin won his first NBA Slam Dunk Contest by defeating Juan Toscano-Anderson in the finals. The contest was heavily criticized by analysts, players, and fans, with Dwyane Wade, who was calling the contest, describing it as "a solid six", which in the contest is the lowest score a dunk can receive.
The game was televised nationally in the United States by TNT. This is the first All-Star Game since 2000 (then aired on NBC) to not be called by Marv Albert, as he retired at the end of the 2020–21 NBA season. (Albert, however, did call the 2000 All-Star Weekend as the event was aired on TNT and not NBC.) Sister network TBS carried an alternate feed, Inside the All-Star Game, which featured a conversational presentation of the game featuring the Inside the NBA panel of Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kenny Smith, with guests such as Draymond Green. Coaches, referees, and selected players also wore microphones. It was also the only time Kevin Harlan called the All-Star Game, with Brian Anderson taking over starting 2023.
In Canada, the game was televised nationally by Sportsnet.
Team Durant
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Phoenix Suns' Monty Williams (left) and Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra (right) were selected as head coach for Team LeBron and Team Durant, respectively.
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