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New York (AFP) – LeBron James and French prodigy Victor Wembanyama could line up alongside each other at next year's NBA All-Star game after the league announced the annual showpiece will return to a classic Eastern Conference versus Western Conference format on Wednesday.

NBA - Figure 1
Photo FRANCE 24

Issued on: 25/10/2023 - 23:31

1 min

The NBA All-Star Game will revert to a traditional Eastern Confernce versus Western Conference matchup for next February's contest at Indianapolis © Garrett Ellwood / NBAE / Getty Images/AFP/File

The showdown of elite NBA talent will be played on February 18 at Indianapolis at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers. Indianapolis will host the NBA All-Star for the first time since 1985.

The voting process for the 73rd NBA All-Star Game to determine the All-Stars lineup will remain the same with 12 players chosen from each conference.

For the past six years, the league had used a format in which the top vote-getters from each conference were named team captains and held a draft to select a roster among the rest of the players, regardless of conference.

In 2020, the NBA changed the scoring format to create a "target score" in which the point total of the leading team after three quarters was raised by 24 points, in a nod to the late Kobe Bryant's jersey number, and whichever team reached the target score would win the contest.

NBA All-Star Game team captains will continue to be the starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes.

Under the prior format, Team LeBron James won five NBA All-Star Games in a row before losing to Team Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this year.

Through the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, the East had earned a 37-29 edge over the West in the All-Star Game rivalry.

© 2023 AFP