​The most exciting weekend in the ​NBA is upon us, with all the stars set to shine bright down in Charlotte starting Friday night. The first night of All-Star weekend includes the always entertaining celebrity game, set for 7 p.m. Guys like Bad Bunny and Chris Daughtry will try to check guys like Ray Allen and Jay Williams, so it should be very competitive and low scoring to be sure. That game is followed up by the Rising Stars Game (9 p.m. ET), which will be highlighted by young guns such as Ben Simmons and Luka Doncic. Ben Simmons, Luka Doncic, Donovan Mitchell Headline Rising Stars Showcase https://t.co/45EpyYOHId — RealGM (@RealGM) January 30, 2019 Saturday night of All-Star weekend is set to start at 8 p.m. with the skills competition, 3-point shootout and then the dunk contest. Who remembers this epic 3-point performance? ​​A classic showing by Larry Bird, who famously walked into the locker room prior to the contest asking something to the effect of "who's gonna finish second?" If the Curry brothers, old man Dirk Nowitzki and others can come with that same energy, this should be a dandy of a shootout. We know how hyped fans are for the dunk contest, too. Michael Jordan will always be remembered for putting on a show during ASG weekend for his incredible dunks. Who will be next to step up to the plate and gets fans off their seats? This year's contest will feature Miles Bridges, John Collins, Hamidou Diallo and Dennis Smith Jr. With the conclusion of the weekend comes the All-Star game on Sunday, which returns to Charlotte for the first time since 1991. ​Team LeBron with​ Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and others will face off against ​Team Giannis, led by the Greek Freak, Steph Curry and Joel Embiid. The opening tip is set for 8 p.m. ET. Adding Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade to these two teams was a nice touch by the commissioner, so this weekend is looking all the more special now.<doc-sep>CHARLOTTE, NC — Basketball fever is spreading all over the Queen City in preparation for this weekend's NBA All-Star Game, which is expected to bring 150,000 visitors to the Charlotte metro region. That means there's going to be a lot of traffic, say city officials. TRAFFIC CHOKEPOINTS Charlotte police warn that higher than normal volume of traffic should be expected near SouthPark Mall, Northlake Mall, Spectrum Center, Bojangles Coliseum and the Charlotte Convention Center. Here's what you need to know about game schedules, traffic choke points, road closures and more. ROAD CONSTRUCTION The N.C. Department of Transportation is temporarily suspending lane closures related to the ongoing Interstate 277 bridge improvement project, the City of Charlotte said. 3 p.m. — NBA Legends Brunch, NBA TV coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET 8 p.m. — 68th NBA All-Star Game, TNT coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET (also available on TBS) Source: City of Charlotte Here are more details about transportation logistics, including ride share pick-up locations, according to the City of Charlotte: Transit Center Located at 7th Street: At the start of Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) service on Friday, Feb.15, the Charlotte Transportation Center (CTC) will be temporarily relocated to the surface lot across from the LYNX 7th Street parking deck. The temporary transit center will provide pass sales and information, connections to other CATS bus routes, heated customer waiting area, restrooms and on-site safety and security personnel. The CTC will resume normal operation at the start of service on Monday, Feb. 18. Spectrum Center: All bags, including, briefcases, luggage and backpacks, will be prohibited from entering the facility. Diaper bags and purses must be smaller than 14" x 14" x 6". Guests who are in possession of items that exceed the size limit must take them back to their vehicle or hotel. Traffic Impacts and Street Closures: Heavy pedestrian traffic is expected in Uptown, with road closures around Spectrum Center. If you do not need to travel to Uptown during this time, please avoid the area. It is recommended to avoid Independence Boulevard and the Bojangles' Coliseum area on Friday afternoon. Parking around the AvidXchange Music Factory will be limited. For updates on closures, follow the Charlotte Department of Transportation on Twitter. Parking Impacts: Parking garages around Uptown may have limited or no availability during the weekend. Valet parking will also be disbanded and many on-street parking spaces will be unavailable. View on-street parking restrictions with this interactive map. Travel Light on LYNX: The LYNX Blue Line will operate during NBA All-Star Weekend, however, additional security measures will be in place. Beginning at 5 p.m. until end of day service on Friday, Feb. 15, Saturday, Feb. 16 and Sunday, Feb. 17, purses, backpacks, suitcases, large tote bags or bulky items will not be allowed on board LYNX trains or at station platforms. After 5 p.m. each day, riders who choose to travel with their personal belongings should put them in a CLEAR bag. Any clear bag is acceptable. This will allow the customer to reboard LYNX at the 3rd Street or 7th Street Stations – after the security sweep – and continue their trip through the CTC/Arena Station. All riders will be required to get off at the 3rd Street or 7th Street Stations; the train will then undergo a security sweep. Riders with no bags or a clear bag will be allowed to reboard after the sweep and continue their trip. Riders with belongings that are not in a clear bag will not be allowed to reboard the train and must walk to an open LYNX station to continue their trip. This security measure will be in place until the end of service each night. During NBA All-Star Weekend, customers traveling from I-485 to UNC Charlotte must exit at the 3rd Street Station; Customers traveling from UNC Charlotte Main Station to I-485 must exit at the 7th Street Station. Customers can continue their trip after the security sweep has been completed. Beginning at 5 p.m. until end of day service on Friday, Feb. 15, Saturday, Feb. 16 and Sunday, Feb. 17, there will be no light rail service at the CTC/Arena Station. Customers will need to walk to 3rd Street or 7th Street Stations for light rail service. Please Plan Ahead for #NBAAllStar Event You may find yourself in traffic around these areas: pic.twitter.com/ILZBwzoTNN — CMPD News (@CMPD) February 13, 2019 Roads and Uber/Lyft/E-Scooters: Pick-up and drop-off locations will be altered, and E-scooters and bicycles will not be allowed in areas around Spectrum Center. Uber and Lyft pickup locations: Bojangles' Coliseum: Independence Blvd. on Paul Buck Blvd. Spectrum Arena: 3rd and 8th Ave. Heavy pedestrian traffic is expected in Uptown. The following roads surrounding Spectrum Arena will be closed to public traffic beginning Thursday, Feb. 14: Caldwell Street and Brevard Street between 4th Street and 6th Street East Trade Street and East 5th Street between College Street and North Davidson Street Safety and Security: If you see something, say something. To report illegal or suspicious activity, or in the event of an emergency, dial 911. For non-emergency related cases, dial 311. CharMeck 311 is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Residents can also submit service requests online 24 hours a day. Follow instructions from uniformed safety and security personnel, police officers or fire officials. When possible, walk in groups and avoid low-lit areas. Keep track of your belongings in taxis and be sure to monitor your personal items in public places – never leave your property unattended. Review the fire/life safety procedures at your hotel and keep your hotel room door secured at all times. Make a copy of your passport, credit and debit cards in the event they are lost. NBA All-Star security updates can be found on the NBA All-Star App. Hotel Footprint: All Uptown hotels will be impacted with travelers to All-Star events, as well as hotels in the Executive Park and South Park areas. (For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.) Photo via Shutterstock<doc-sep>
The 2019 All-Star Game saw Team LeBron rally past Team Giannis at MJ's house. Here's everything you need to know after All-Star Weekend took over Charlotte, North Carolina. 68th NBA All-Star Game: Team LeBron is king Team LeBron rallies to win: Behind All-Star Game MVP Kevin Durant, Team LeBron stormed back in the second half to capture the victory in Charlotte. King of recruiting? : LeBron James' All-Star draft led to the "Team Tamper" nickname. Now that the game is over, will any of his All-Star teammates make Team LeBron a reality? Dirk and D-Wade's last dance: Dirk Nowitzki let some trademark 3-pointers fly, while Dwyane Wade tossed up one final vintage alley-oop to BFF LeBron James. Grading the All-Stars: Giannis Antetokounmpo may have thrown down the dunk of the night, but how did he and his Team Giannis squad fare in Charlotte? Kevin Pelton grades every player to hit the court. More: Full rosters and draft results | ASG history All-Star Saturday Night: Skills, shots and slams Skills: Tatum's half-court heave wins it In a final-round showdown against Trae Young, the Boston Celtics' sophomore let one fly from half court to take home the title. 3s: Nothin' but net It was all setting up to be Stephen Curry's night, but Joe Harris had other plans. The Brooklyn Nets marksman outshot the hometown favorite 26-24 in the final round to win the 3-point title. Dunks: Diallo brings the Thunder Oklahoma City rookie Hamidou Diallo channeled his inner Superman, leaping over Shaquille O'Neal and finishing with a Vince Carter-esque slam to capture the crown as dunk-contest king. Grading every player on All-Star Saturday Night How did Seth Curry fare in the 3-point contest? What about Charlotte's own Miles Bridges in the dunk contest? Kevin Pelton grades all 22 participants that hit the court. More: Participants | Previous winners All-Star celebrities: Ray's still got game Someone give Ray a 10-day! Ray Allen hasn't played since the 2014 NBA Finals, but it didn't show Friday as the Hall of Famer put on a shooting display in Charlotte. Allen put up 24 points and nine rebounds, including plenty of "4-pointers" in a losing effort. Famous Los wins MVP: The comedian, Instagram star and former Division II baller poured in 22 points to take home the MVP and lead Team Home to the thrilling 82-80 victory. He also put up the game's only 5-point play! Rising Stars: USA! USA! MVP Kuzma leads the way: Rising Stars MVP Kyle Kuzma dropped a game-high 35 points to propel Team USA to a 161-144 victory Friday. Ben Simmons carried Team World with 28 of his own. Dunk contest ... on a Friday? Hawks high flyer John Collins, who participated in the dunk contest Saturday night, warmed up with handful of highlight-reel slams. Rising Stars grades: How did Rookie of the Year favorite Luka Doncic fare? What about stars Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum? Kevin Pelton grades the games of all 20 players to hit the court in Charlotte. More: Full rosters | Rising Stars history Step into the shoes of one of this year's NBA All-Star captains and pick your squad like you're back on the playground. Can you draft a winning team? All-Star news and analysis ROSTERS AND INFO All-Star Celebrity Game When: Friday Where: Bojangles' Coliseum, Charlotte TV: ESPN (7 p.m. ET) All-Star Celebrity Game Rosters HOME AWAY Terrence J AJ Buckley Rapsody Marc Lasry Chris Daughtry Amanda Seales Bo Rinehart Quavo Doctor Oz Adam Ray Mike Colter Brad Williams Famous Los Ronnie 2K JB Smoove Bad Bunny Steve Smith Hasan Minhaj A'Ja Wilson Stefanie Dolson Jay Williams Ray Allen Jason Weinmann James Shaw Jr. Dawn Staley* Sue Bird* * Coaches Rising Stars Challenge When: Friday Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte TV: TNT (9 p.m. ET) All-Star Saturday: Dunks, 3s and skills When: Saturday Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte TV: TNT (8 p.m. ET) 68th NBA All-Star Game When: Sunday Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte TV: TNT (8 p.m. ET)