Know the score: All-Star Game format explained

NBA All-Star 2021 will be held on Sunday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, where the league's annual global celebration of the game will take place on one night for the first time, with on-court action beginning at 6:30 pm local time (09:00 am Beijing time).

What is the competitive format for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game?

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will have the same competitive format as last year's edition.

The two All-Star teams will compete to win each quarter for their respective beneficiaries. These donations will include support for COVID-19 care, relief and vaccines in the US. The fourth quarter will be un-timed and the teams will play to a Final Target Score, meaning that the game will end with a made basket or a made free throw instead of with the clock running out.

How does the competitive format work?

Each of the first three quarters will begin with the score at 0-0 and will last 12 minutes. The winner of each 12-minute quarter (first, second and third) will be the team that scores the most points within that quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the game clock will be turned off and a Final Target Score will be set. Once the Final Target Score is set, the teams will play an un-timed fourth quarter and the first team to reach (or surpass) the Final Target Score will win the NBA All-Star Game.

How is the Final Target Score determined?

The Final Target Score will be determined by taking the leading team's total cumulative score through three quarters and adding 24 points.

Why use 24 points to help determine the Final Target Score?

For the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, the league incorporated 24 points into the calculation of the Final Target Score to honor the late Kobe Bryant, who wore No 24 for the final 10 seasons of his career. The same method for determining the Final Target Score will be used for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.