The NBA All-Star Game will once again pit East against West.
The NBA said on Wednesday that the All-Star Game in Indianapolis will resume in its original format this season.
Twelve players from each conference will compete in the game, which is scheduled for February 18 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The teams are from the Eastern and Western conferences.
The All-Star draft, which has been held for the previous six seasons, will no longer take place, and team captains will henceforth be chosen by fan vote from among each team's five starters.
"'Back to basketball' is the theme this year," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said to reporters on Wednesday.
The game will resume as a typical 12-minute, four-quarter affair, with no longer being a target score in the fourth quarter.
Last week, Silver stated, "We're looking at some potential changes in format," on ESPN's "First Take." "Maybe a return to something more traditional in terms of how the teams are presented."
"Much of it involves reassuring our players and teams of the significance of this for the supporters. We don't anticipate playoff-level play. However, we anticipate a close game for our supporters," he continued.
