NBA All Star Game

The NBA staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the East against the best in the West.

Minnesota's Garnett Leads West to Double-OT Win in 2003
In a classic double-overtime contest, All-Star Game MVP Kevin Garnett scored 37 points -- seven points in the second overtime -- to boost the West to a 155-145 win last year in Atlanta. In his final appearance, Michael Jordan nearly won the game when he hit a jumper late in the first OT.

Behind a combined 44 points from host-city stars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, the West All-Stars edged the East in a 136-132 classic Sunday night at Los Angeles' STAPLES Center. O'Neal, who also hauled in 11 rebounds, took home MVP honors as the game's top performer. Jamaal Magloire's 19 points led the Eastern All-Stars while Jason Kidd shined with 14 points and 10 assists.

3 Point Shootoout

The Three-point Shootout is a National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend contest held on the Saturday before the All-Star Game. Competitors try to score as many points as possible in one minute. There are five ball racks laid out over the three point arc: one on each baseline, one halfway between the baseline and the top of the arc on each side, and one at the top of the arc.

Each rack has five balls, four of which are worth one point and one is worth two points. The two point ball is the final ball on the rack. The first four balls are standard NBA balls, orange in color. The fifth ball (also known as the 'the money ball') is multi-colored. That makes the best possible score 30 points.

In the first round each contestant has one chance to score as many points as possible. The three with the top three scores advance to the finals. Typically, six players take part in the contest. The final round is played in the same way as the qualifying round.

Larry Bird and Craig Hodges have both won three straight times. Hodges holds the single round scoring record with 25 points, as well as the record for consecutive made shots at 19 (which was NOT in the same round as the 25 points).

NBA Dunk Contest

The Slam Dunk Contest is a slam dunk competition where competitors try and perform their best slam dunks.

The Slam Dunk Contest was inaugurated by the American Basketball Association at their All-Star Game in 1976 in Denver, just as the slam dunk was legalized in the NCAA. It enabled players to showcase their dunking skills and try to out-dunk each other. However, this contest would be short-lived as the ABA merged the following year with the National Basketball Association. Realizing the popularity of slam dunks, the NBA soon created a contest of their own.

The first slam dunk contest was in 1976 at the ABA All-Star Game, Julius Erving won that competition.

NBA All Star Weekend