D-League All-Star Game: Haier Shooting Stars: What: Haier Shooting Stars When: Feb. 25, 8:30 p.m. ET (1st event) Where: Amway Center TV: All-Star Saturday Night coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET on TNT The home team, Team Orlando, includes the Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson, an All-Star in 2009; Florida native and three-time WNBA All-Star Marie Ferdinand-Harris; and former Magic great Dennis Scott, who spent seven seasons with Orlando after the team made him the fourth overall selection of the 1990 NBA Draft. Team Atlanta features the Atlanta Hawks' Jerry Stackhouse, who replaces six-time All-Star Joe Johnson; Lindsey Harding of the reigning WNBA Eastern Conference champion Atlanta Dream; and NBA TV analyst Steve Smith, an All-Star selection in 1998 with the Hawks and a member of the 2003 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Team New York is comprised of the New York Knicks' Landry Fields, who will also play for Team Shaq in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend; the New York Liberty's Cappie Pondexter, a four-time WNBA All-Star and one of the league's top scorers; and former Knicks great Allan Houston, who averaged 17.3 points over his 12-year NBA career, and currently works in New York's front office as an assistant general manager. Team Texas is represented by the Houston Rockets' Chandler Parsons, an Orlando-area native and second-round pick in 2011, who's worked his way into the Rockets' starting lineup as a rookie; the San Antonio Silver Stars' Sophia Young, a four-time WNBA All-Star, who averaged 13.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in 2011; and TNT analyst Kenny Smith, a two-time NBA champion with the Houston Rockets (1994, 1995). Taco Bell Skills Challenge: What: Taco Bell Skills Challenge When: Feb. 25, 8:30 p.m. ET (2nd event) Where: Amway Center TV: All-Star Saturday Night coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET on TNT Due to injury, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will not be able to defend his Taco Bell Skills Challenge title against a field consisting of Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets. Instead, Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics will compete in Curry's place. The 2012 Taco Bell Skills Challenge will take place on Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando. Foot Locker 3-PT Shootout: What: Foot Locker Three-Point Contest When: Feb. 25, 8:30 p.m. ET (3rd event) Where: Amway Center TV: All-Star Saturday Night coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET on TNT Reigning champion James Jones of the Miami Heat will defend his title in this year's Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night. Rounding out the field are Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ryan Anderson of the hometown Orlando Magic, Anthony Morrow of the New Jersey Nets, and Mario Chalmers of the Heat. The Hawks' Joe Johnson was scheduled to compete, but will now miss due to a knee injury. Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant will compete in his place. Sprite Slam Dunk What: 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk | #SpriteSlam When: Feb. 25, 8:30 p.m. ET (4th event) Where: Amway Center TV: All-Star Saturday Night coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET on TNT The 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk in Orlando will feature a series of firsts, including four first-time participants, a new single-round format in which the winner will be chosen solely by fan vote, and the introduction of fan voting via Twitter. The four players who will vie for the Sprite Slam Dunk championship on Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando (TNT, 8 p.m. ET) include the Houston Rockets' Chase Budinger, the Indiana Pacers' Paul George, the Utah Jazz's Jeremy Evans, and the Minnesota Timberwolves' Derrick Williams. Evans is replacing Knicks guard Iman Shumpert (Left patella tendinitis). A new format will be implemented for the 2012 competition. The contest will consist of only one round and each competitor will execute three dunks. Fan voting will open after all four players have completed their first dunk. Previously, the Sprite Slam Dunk contest consisted of two rounds, with the first round scored by a panel of judges which determined two finalists.
I'm embarrassed to admit this as a big basketball fan, but I had no idea Jerry Stackhouse was still playing until I saw that he was replacing Joe Johnson in the Shooting Stars competition. Even then my first thought was "it's not fair that they are making the Hawks used a retired player."
Well, it took the TNT crew all of 15 seconds to confuse Budinger and Parsons, and it was Parsons' own Shooting Stars 'teammate', Kenny. Brilliant.
LOL. Kenny was trying to think of Bud's name after his Parsons gaff. Then was like forget it, I'll just repeat myself on Paul George.
