All-Star Sunday: Can Curry carry Team Stephen to victory?

The 2018 NBA All-Star Game is here!

Warriors’ superstar Stephen Curry will try to carry his hand-picked team over LeBron James, Golden State teammate Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans) and other dominant players.

How to watch

When: Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018 — 5:00 PM PST

Coverage begins at 4:00 PM PST.

Where: Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles

National TV: TNT

Local TV: TNT-SAP

How does Team LeBron stack up?

Player totals in all but one stat category give the edge to Team LeBron. But it will be interesting to see how the absence of injured players will impact the game.

Team LeBron will be operating without the paint presence of Kristaps Porzingis (New York Knicks) and DeMarcus Cousins (New Orleans Pelicans) — both of whom are out with season-ending injuries. Rebounding stalwart and Cavs’ teammate Kevin Love will also miss the action due to a hand fracture that will keep him out at least six weeks.

Thankfully for LeBron, he can no doubt count on energetic play from Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), Durant, former teammate Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics), and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).

Team LeBron will be coached by Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors.

How does Team Stephen stack up?

Team Stephen will feature some of the highest-scoring, most exciting players in the league: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), DeMar DeRozan (all-time leading scorer for the Toronto Raptors), NBA scoring leader James Harden (Houston Rockets), and first-time NBA All-Star/former Rihanna admirer Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers).

His reserve squad, however, is dominated by underperforming, weak-on-defense players like Warriors’ teammates Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. Hopefully Portland’s Damian Lillard and Minnesota’s Jimmy Butler can pick up the slack for these two ne’er-do-wells.

And, with any hope, Steph’s vicious, hardcore coaching style at practice will have whipped slackers Green and Thompson into shape.

Team Stephen will be coached by Houston Rockets’ Mike D’Antoni.