NEW YORK (Sporting Alert) — The NBA All-Star weekend concludes on Sunday with the 64th NBA All-Star Game, which will see the Western Conference Stars battling those from the East at Madison Square Garden.
Live Coverage From The Garden Will Be On TNT, Starting At 8:00 PM ET | The TNT Overtime Player Will Provide Live Online Streaming
Sunday’s game will be hosted in New York for the first time since 1998, and Cleveland Cavaliers star forward LeBron James is looking forward to braving the cold weather and have some fun at the basketball prestigious venue.
“It’s going to be the best All-Star Game for me, to be able to be in the Garden,” James was quoted as saying. “I love my fans back in Cleveland. I loved my fans when I was in Miami.
“But if I could have 82 regular-season games in the Garden, you know I would, because it’s the mecca of basketball. You get a great feeling when you walk in there because there is so much history. It’s going to be fun.”
Injuries have pushed the organizers to make several adjustments in the West, with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis among the superstars forced to watch the action from the sideline.
Nevertheless, the Western All-Stars will still have free scoring Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors and Memphis’ Marc Gasol, who both survived the injury curse.
New York’s Carmelo Anthony says he will play for the East despite growing concerns about his knee problems, while the Washington Wizards pacey point guard John Wall has also recovered from an ankle problem and will start the game as originally planned.
Anthony told reporters that he didn’t feel any pain during his light session on Saturday, but will be as cautious as possible in what is expected to be a limited minute night for the Knick star forward.
Meanwhile, Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade has a hamstring injury and will miss the game.
Still, the veteran guard is bracing for a special time watching the action in New York.
“You do appreciate being an All-Star no matter how many years you’ve been,” Wade said. “I think when you get here, you enjoy being an All-Star. It doesn’t matter how you got here.”
