2020 NBA All-Star Game Format Changes Honor Kobe, Raise Funds for Charities

Photo by: Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo

The NBA announced a new format for the upcoming 2020 NBA All-Star Game to make each quarter count for charity, and a way to honor Kobe Bryant in the fourth quarter.

In quarters 1-3, Team Giannis and Team LeBron will compete to win each period. Every quarter will start with a 0-0 score and will last the usual 12 minutes.

The winner of the first three quarters (whichever team has the most points in that particular 12-minute period), will earn $100,000 for the charity they’re playing for on Feb. 16.

After the first three quarters, a Final Target Score will be set. To get the Final Target Score, the NBA will add 24 points–to honor Bryant–to the leading team’s total cumulative score through the first three quarters.

For example, if Team Giannis scores 100 points combined in the first three quarters, while Team LeBron scores 95, the Final Target Score would be 124.

Once the Final Target Score is set, the two teams will play an “untimed fourth quarter” to try and reach the Final Target Score. Whichever team reaches that number first, wins the All-Star Game.

So, to re-use our example. If the Team Giannis had 100, and Team LeBron had 95 with the Final Target Score at 124, then Team Giannis would need to score 24 points before Team LeBron scores 29 points.

The All-Star Game champion then earns $200,000 for their designated community organization. If any of that was too confusing, here’s the NBA’s tweet to explain the new format.

The NBA announced today a new format for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game that makes the outcome of every quarter count for charity. The changes include a new fourth-quarter format that will honor the late Kobe Bryant.

Full release: https://t.co/l6e25lgQCa pic.twitter.com/C3gDppTYiw

— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2020