The NBA has announced some major changes to the format of the NBA All-Star Game this year, and one of those changes will pay tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.
For the first time ever, the 2020 All-Star Game will be broken into a series of mini-games in which teams can raise money for Chicago-area charities. Scores will be reset to 0-0 at the end of the second and third quarters, with the winners of each of the first three quarters receiving $100,000 to donate to their charity. When the fourth quarter begins, the scores for each team from the first three quarters combined will be redisplayed, and the team that wins the All-Star Game will be the first to reach a target score in the untimed fourth quarter.
That target score will be determined by the total score the leading team has through three quarters, plus 24. The 24 is a nod to Bryant’s jersey number. For example, if the East’s combined score through three quarters is 110 and the West’s combined score is 100, the winning team will be the first team to 134 points.
The target score idea has been in the works for a while as the NBA seeks ways to make the All-Star Game more competitive, but NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell said the tragic events of this week determined what the target number would be.
“We spent a lot of time considering the right target number to use for the fourth quarter,” Spruell said. “Through the events of this week it became clear to us that the only appropriate number for this season’s All-Star game is 24.”
Each of the first three quarters will be worth $100,000, and the money will roll over to the next quarter in the event of a tie. The final score is worth $200,000, making the total game worth $500,000 for local charities. If one team leads the entire way through, the losing team will still get $100,000 to donate to its charity, anyway.
The NBA said there will be multiple tributes to Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven other victims of Sunday’s crash during what will be an extremely emotional All-Star Game. NBA players have been finding ways to honor Bryant and his family over the past week, and the league will continue with that through the All-Star Game and beyond.
More Larry Brown Sports coverage of Kobe Bryant’s death:
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Other victims of the helicopter crash:
– John Altobelli, junior college baseball coach, also died in helicopter crash
– Christina Mauser, girls’ basketball coach, among the helicopter crash victims
– Sarah Chester, daughter Payton were also killed in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash
– Ara Zobayan was the pilot in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash
Tributes to Kobe:
– Vanessa Bryant posts first Instagram message since death of Kobe, Gianna
– NBA players changing jersey numbers in honor of Kobe Bryant
– Bill Belichick shares touching anecdote in tribute to Kobe Bryant
– UConn honors Gianna Bryant with own jersey, spot on the bench
– Video: Shaq gets emotional talking about Kobe Bryant on TNT
– LeBron James had inspirational message for Lakers during meeting about Kobe
– Dallas Mavericks retire Kobe Bryant’s No. 24 jersey
– Video: Raptors, Spurs start game with amazing tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Shaq posts heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Michael Jordan releases statement on death of ‘little brother’ Kobe Bryant
– Video: Doc Rivers breaks down crying talking about Kobe Bryant
– Phil Jackson calls Kobe Bryant ‘a chosen one’ in statement on his death
– NBA commissioner Adam Silver issues statement on death of Kobe Bryant
– Video: Dwyane Wade posts emotional message reacting to Kobe Bryant’s death
– Kendrick Perkins extends olive branch to Kevin Durant after Kobe Bryant’s death
– Gilbert Arenas vows to begin coaching career like Kobe Bryant urged him to
– Video: Emotional Mike Breen sums up NBA world’s emotions about Kobe Bryant’s death
– Trae Young’s huge game was full of Kobe Bryant-related statistical coincidences
More coverage:
– Video: Kobe Bryant helicopter audio released
– Investigators release chilling drone footage from Kobe Bryant helicopter crash site
– Media errors, rumors, poor judgment run rampant in reporting of Kobe Bryant news
– TMZ says they had permission from Kobe’s people to report Bryant had died
– NBA postpones Tuesday’s Lakers-Clippers game after Kobe Bryant’s death
– Shaq says he had not spoken to Kobe Bryant in nearly four years
– Kobe Bryant recently filed for ‘Mambacita’ trademark for daughter Gianna
– Kobe Bryant checked in on Shaq’s son Shareef morning of helicopter crash
– No, Rick Fox did not die in helicopter crash that killed Kobe, Gianna Bryant
– Lakers fans start memorial to Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center
– Kobe Bryant’s last tweet was congratulating LeBron James on passing him
– Sports world stunned over Kobe Bryant news
– Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash – dead at 41
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