The 2012 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 26, 2012, during the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2011–12 season. It was the 61st edition of the NBA All-Star Game, and was played at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, home of the Orlando Magic. The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 152–149. Kevin Durant was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.
The Orlando Magic were awarded the All-Star Game in an announcement by commissioner David Stern on May 4, 2010. This was also the second time that Orlando has hosted the All-Star Game; the city had previously hosted the event in 1992 in the Orlando Arena, the Magic's previous home arena. Despite the 2011 NBA lockout, which reduced the regular season to sixty-six games on a condensed schedule, the All-Star Game took place as scheduled.
The All-Star Weekend began on Friday, February 24, 2012, with the Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars Challenge, a game featuring the league's best rookies and second-year players. On Saturday, the event continued with the All-Star Saturday Night, which featured the Shooting Stars Competition, Skills Challenge, Three-Point Shootout and Slam Dunk Contest. The D-League All-Star Game and the D-League Dream Factory, which includes the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Shootout and Shooting Stars Competition, also took place during the All-Star Weekend. Both events were held on Saturday before the NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
All-Star Game
Coaches
The coaches for the All-Star game are the head coaches who led the teams with the best winning percentages in their conference through the games of February 15, 2012. The head coaches from the previous year, Doc Rivers and Gregg Popovich were not eligible for selection.
The coach for the Western Conference team was Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks. The Thunder had a 22–7 record on February 15, the best record in the Western Conference. The coach for the Eastern Conference team was Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Bulls had a 23–7 record on February 15, the best record in the Eastern Conference and in the league. This was the first All-Star Game selection for both Brooks and Thibodeau.
Players
The rosters for the All-Star Game were chosen in two ways. The starters were chosen via a fan ballot. Two guards, two forwards and one center who received the highest vote were named the All-Star starters. The reserves were chosen by votes among the NBA head coaches in their respective conferences. The coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. The reserves consist of two guards, two forwards, one center and two players regardless of position. If a player is unable to participate due to injury, the commissioner will select a replacement.
Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic topped the ballots with 1,600,390 votes, which earned him a starting position as a center in the Eastern Conference team. Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony completed the Eastern Conference starting position. Howard, Rose, Wade and James were starters for the previous year's Eastern Conference team, while Anthony started for the Western Conference team. The Eastern Conference reserves includes three first-time selections, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, and Roy Hibbert. Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson suffered an injury and was replaced by Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. The Miami Heat is represented by three players, Wade, James and Chris Bosh, while the Chicago Bulls and the Celtics are represented by two players each.
The Western Conference's leading vote-getter was Kobe Bryant, who earned his fourteenth consecutive All-Star Game selection with 1,555,479 votes. Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Andrew Bynum completed the Western Conference starting positions. Bryant, Paul and Durant were starters for the previous year's Western Conference team. Griffin became an All-Star Game starter for the first time after he was selected as a reserve in last year's game. Bynum received 1,051,945 votes to earn his first All-Star Game selection and a starting position at center. Bryant/Bynum and Paul/Griffin became the first two pair of teammates who were voted to start for one conference since the 1997 game. The Western Conference reserves include two other first-time selections, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol. Both Los Angeles teams, the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, are represented by two players each, all of them are starters. Durant, of the Oklahoma City Thunder, is the only Western Conference starter that does not play in either teams of Los Angeles. The Thunder is also represented by two players, Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Roster
+Western Conference All-StarsPosPlayerTeamNo. of selectionsVotesStartersGChris PaulLos Angeles Clippers51,138,743GKobe BryantLos Angeles Lakers141,555,479FKevin DurantOklahoma City Thunder31,345,566FBlake GriffinLos Angeles Clippers21,200,560CAndrew BynumLos Angeles Lakers11,051,945ReservesFLaMarcus AldridgePortland Trail Blazers1—CMarc GasolMemphis Grizzlies1—FKevin LoveMinnesota Timberwolves2—GSteve NashPhoenix Suns8—FDirk NowitzkiDallas Mavericks11—GTony ParkerSan Antonio Spurs4—GRussell WestbrookOklahoma City Thunder2—Head coach: Scott Brooks (Oklahoma City Thunder)
+Eastern Conference All-StarsPosPlayerTeamNo. of selectionsVotesStartersGDerrick RoseChicago Bulls31,514,723GDwyane WadeMiami Heat81,334,223FLeBron JamesMiami Heat81,360,680FCarmelo AnthonyNew York Knicks51,041,290CDwight HowardOrlando Magic61,600,390ReservesFChris BoshMiami Heat7—FLuol DengChicago Bulls1—CRoy HibbertIndiana Pacers1—F/GAndre IguodalaPhiladelphia 76ers1—GJoe JohnsonAtlanta Hawks6—FPaul PierceBoston Celtics10—GRajon RondoBoston Celtics3—GDeron WilliamsNew Jersey Nets3—Head coach: Tom Thibodeau (Chicago Bulls)
Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury. Rajon Rondo was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.
Game
The West led by as many as 21 points and held on to win the game, 152–149. Kevin Durant scored 34 of his game-high 36 points in the first three quarters and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. LeBron James also scored 36. The West's lead was reduced to one point at 148–147 after a Deron Williams' steal and layup with 1:44 remaining. Leading 151–149, Blake Griffin secured the victory by intercepting James' pass. Griffin was fouled and made one of two free throws with 1.1 seconds left. Kobe Bryant was guarding James on the play and chastised James for not attempting the potential game-winning shot. Bryant left the game earlier in the third quarter after he was bloodied from a hard foul to his face by Dwyane Wade. He was diagnosed after the game with a broken nose and a concussion.
Bryant finished with 27 points and became the leading scorer in All-Star history (271), passing Michael Jordan (262). Wade had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, joining James and Jordan as the only players to record a triple-double in the All-Star game. The West set an All-Star record with 88 first-half points, and the teams' 157 combined points at the half was also a record. The 301 combined points at the end of the game were two shy of the record set (in overtime) in the 1987 NBA All-Star Game. The East made 14 three-point field goals, another record.
All-Star Weekend
BBVA Rising Stars Challenge
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge featured the best first-year players ('Rookies') and the best second-year players ('Sophomores') going at each other. The game was divided into two twenty-minute halves, similar to college basketball. For this edition of the Rising Stars Challenge, a pool of the participating players was selected by the league's assistant coaches. Then, the teams were drafted by former NBA players and current TNT analysts Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley, who serve as "General Managers" for their respective teams. Former NBA player and current TNT analyst Kenny Smith served as the "Honorary Commissioner" for the Rising Stars Challenge. Sophomore Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks and rookie Norris Cole of the Miami Heat were two last-minute additions to the player pool. Sophomore Derrick Favors of the Utah Jazz was selected as an injury replacement for Tiago Splitter. Lin played only nine minutes in the game, at his request, due to exhaustion from his rise to stardom that month.
+Team Shaq Round Pick Pos. Player Team Rookie / Sophomore 1 1 F Blake Griffin Los Angeles Clippers Sophomore 2 3 G Jeremy Lin New York Knicks Sophomore 3 5 G Ricky Rubio Minnesota Timberwolves Rookie 4 7 F/C Greg Monroe Detroit Pistons Sophomore 5 9 F Markieff Morris Phoenix Suns Rookie 6 11 G Kemba Walker Charlotte Bobcats Rookie 7 13 G Landry Fields New York Knicks Sophomore 8 15 G Norris Cole Miami Heat RookieDraw G Brandon Knight Detroit Pistons RookieDraw F Tristan Thompson Cleveland Cavaliers Rookie Co-head coach: Ron Adams (Chicago Bulls) Co-head coach: Steve Kerr General manager: Shaquille O'Neal
+Team Chuck Round Pick Pos. Player Team Rookie / Sophomore 1 2 G Kyrie Irving Cleveland Cavaliers Rookie 2 4 C DeMarcus Cousins Sacramento Kings Sophomore 3 6 G/F Paul George Indiana Pacers Sophomore 4 8 F Derrick Williams Minnesota Timberwolves Rookie 5 10 G/F MarShon Brooks New Jersey Nets Rookie 6 12 G John Wall Washington Wizards Sophomore 7 14 F Gordon Hayward Utah Jazz Sophomore 8 16 F/C Tiago Splitter San Antonio Spurs SophomoreDraw F Kawhi Leonard San Antonio Spurs RookieDraw G/F Evan Turner Philadelphia 76ers Sophomore– F Derrick Favors Utah Jazz Sophomore Co-head coach: Maurice Cheeks (Oklahoma City Thunder) Co-head coach: Mike Fratello General manager: Charles Barkley
Tiago Splitter was unable to participate due to injury. Derrick Favors was named Tiago Splitter's replacement. Kawhi Leonard did not play due to injury.
Kyrie Irving, who scored 34 points on 8/8 three-point shooting, won the MVP award of the Rising Stars Challenge.
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest
+Contestants Pos. Player Team Height Weight Pct F Chase Budinger Houston Rockets 6–7 218 28% F Jeremy Evans Utah Jazz 6–9 194 29% G/F Paul George Indiana Pacers 6–8 215 F Derrick Williams Minnesota Timberwolves 6–8 241 G Iman Shumpert New York Knicks 6–5 220
Iman Shumpert was unable to participate due to injury. Jeremy Evans was named Iman Shumpert's replacement.
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest
+Contestants Pos. Player Team Height Weight First round Tiebreaker(24 seconds) Final round Tiebreaker(60 seconds) F Kevin Love Minnesota Timberwolves 6–10 260 18 5 16 17 F Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder 6–9 235 20 — 16 14 F James Jones Miami Heat 6–8 215 22 — 12 — G Mario Chalmers Miami Heat 6–2 190 18 4 — F Ryan Anderson Orlando Magic 6–10 240 17 — G Anthony Morrow New Jersey Nets 6–5 210 14 — G Joe Johnson Atlanta Hawks 6–7 240 —
Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury. Kevin Durant was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
+Contestants Pos. Player Team Height Weight First round Final round G Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs 6–2 180 29.2 32.8 G Rajon Rondo Boston Celtics 6–1 186 32.8 34.6 G Deron Williams New Jersey Nets 6–3 209 28.3 41.4 G John Wall Washington Wizards 6–4 195 32.8 — G Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder 6–3 187 33.8 — G Kyrie Irving Cleveland Cavaliers 6–3 191 42.2 — G Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors 6–3 185 —
Stephen Curry was unable to participate due to injury. Rajon Rondo was named as Curry's replacement.
Haier Shooting Stars Competition