NBA All Star Game History

As the main, prime-time event during NBA All Star weekend, the NBA All Star Game is always a high-flying affair!

NBA All Star Game: About the Game
Dating back to 1951, the NBA All Star Game has become an annual event that pits the best NBA players from the Eastern Conference against the best players from the Western Conference. Fans who have owned NBA All Star Game tickets in the past know that this is one of the most exciting exhibition games in sports. NBA superstars and the top talents in the league put on what is usually an offensive showdown featuring plenty of fast breaks and alley oops, monster dunks, triple-digit scoring, and little – if any – defense.

During halftime, fans with NBA All Star Game tickets will enjoy popular musical artists of the day performing at center court. NBA All Star Game tickets have showcased the likes of Elton John, Carrie Underwood, Beyonce, John Legend, Mariah Carey, and Outkast. Last year, the NBA All Star Game was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and featured a New Orleans-flavored musical collaboration with Harry Connick Jr., Branford Marsalis, Dr. John, Art Neville, Ivan Neville, and more.

NBA All Star Game: Who’s In…
All-Star Game starters are selected by fan ballots, while head coaches vote in the All-Star Game reserves. Should a player get injured before the All-Star Game, the NBA Commissioner selects a replacement. Coaches are selected two weeks prior to the NBA All Star Game in order to see which teams have the best conference records. The coaches of those two teams will coach their respective conference in the NBA All Star Game. Fans with NBA All Star Game tickets are counting down the days until the votes are finalized and lineups and coaches are announced.

NBA All Star Game: Results
While the outcome of the game doesn’t have any playoff implications like the MLB All Star Game does (the winner of the game has home-field advantage in the World Series), NBA All Star Game ticketholders enjoy cheering for their favorite NBA conference and are entitled to bragging rights more than anything else. Throughout the NBA All Star Game’s history, the Eastern Conference has dominated with 35 wins compared to the Western Conference’s 22 wins. Within the last decade, the Eastern Conference and Western Conference teams have won NBA All Star Games apiece:

• 2008 Results: East 134 v. West 128
• 2007 Results: West 153 v. East 132
• 2006 Results: East 122 v. West 120
• 2005 Results: East 125 v. West 115
• 2004 Results: West 136 v. East 132
• 2003 Results: West 155 v. East 145 (2OT)
• 2002 Results: West 135 v. East 120
• 2001 Results: East 111 v. West 110
• 2000 Results: West 137 v. East 126
• 1998 Results: East 136 v. West 114

NBA All Star Game: Recent MVPs
Like in the regular NBA basketball season or in the NBA playoffs and finals, a Most Valuable Player is crowned based on a panel of media members’ votes at the end of the game. The first NBA All-Star Game MVP honors were awarded to Ed McCauley during the 1951 NBA All Star Game. Fans with NBA All Star Game tickets may remember Bob Pettit who won the most NBA All Star Game MVP titles with four, while both Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan have each won the award thrice.

• 2008 MVP – LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• 2007 MVP – Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
• 2006 MVP – LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• 2005 MVP – Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers)
• 2004 MVP – Shaquille O’Neal, (Los Angeles Lakers)
• 2003 MVP – Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves)
• 2002 MVP – Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
• 2001 MVP – Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers)
• 2000 MVP – Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs); Shaquille O’Neal, (Los Angeles Lakers)
• 1998 MVP – Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)

NBA All Star Game: 2009 in Phoenix
The 58th annual NBA All Star Game will heat up Phoenix, Arizona’s US Airways Center in 2009, the third time that the city has hosted the event. Even though the teams have not yet been announced, NBA All Star Game tickets are already in high demand as fans are sure that superstar players such as LeBron James and Dwight Howard will headline the East while Kobe Bryant and Yao Ming lead the way in the West. Don’t miss out on other All Star Weekend activities, including the Slam Dunk contest, three-point shooting contest, and other events leading up to Sunday’s main event. Order your premium NBA All Star Game tickets from OnlineTickets.com today!