Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder and Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers have been named the coaches for the two teams in the All-Star Game taking place on March 7. Snyder will coach the team captained by LeBron James while Rivers will coach Kevin Durant’s team.
Snyder and Rivers were awarded this honor by being the No. 1 seed in each conference. The Jazz have been the surprise team of the 2020-21 season, easily fighting through the first half of their schedule.
Through 30 games, they sit with the best record in the NBA at 24-6, two full games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 76ers are the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed, holding a slight advantage over the Brooklyn Nets with a 20-10 record. Led by MVP candidate Joel Embiid, the 76ers are finally looking like the championship contender they have been trying to be for years.
James and Durant were chosen as captains by winning the combination of fan, player and media vote. They will select their teams in a playground style draft that will take place in the near future.
This is Snyder’s first selection as an All-Star Game head coach, and the first Jazz coach to be selected for this honor since Frank Layden in 1984. As for Rivers, he is more experienced with the All-Star festivities, as this is his third selection. His first two came in 2008 and 2011 when he was with the Boston Celtics.
While this is a remarkable achievement for both coaches, the 2021 edition of the exhibition will be marred in controversy. Multiple players who will be playing have come out against having an All-Star Game during a pandemic, creating unnecessary exposure and travel for players who would have preferred to take a five-day break instead.
The All-Star Game will take place in Atlanta, with coverage of the jam-packed night beginning at 2:00 p.m. PT with NBA Tip-Off. The Taco Bell Skills Challenge and Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest will start at 3:30 p.m. PT, as the game itself will tip off at 5:00 p.m. PT. The AT&T Slam Dunk Contest will occur at halftime.
Atlanta Mayor voices concern over All-Star Game
As if there weren’t enough issues surrounding the players not wanting to play in an All-Star Game, the mayor of Atlanta — Keisha Lance Bottoms — also has her fair share of issues.
She urged fans to not fly to Atlanta for any reason in an attempt to be a part of the festivities, and stressed that this is a made-for-TV only event.
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