NBA All-Star Game returns to original East vs. West format

The NBA All-Star Game returns to its original format this season in Indianapolis, the league announced Wednesday.

The game, which will take place on February 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, will feature one team from the Eastern Conference and one team from the Western Conference, consisting of 12 players from each conference.

This change will end the All-Star Draft that has taken place for the past six seasons, and team captains will be determined by fan voting of each team’s five starters.

“This year’s theme is ‘Return to Basketball,'” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday.

There will also no longer be a target score in the fourth quarter, with the game reverting to a standard 12-minute game over four quarters.

We’re looking at potential changes to the format,” Silver said on ESPN’s “First Take” last week. “Maybe a return to something more traditional in terms of how teams are presented.”

“A lot of it is about reinforcing to our players and our teams how important this is to the fans. … We’re not expecting playoff intensity. But we’re expecting a competitive game for our fans,” he added.