NBA to Bring Back Elam Ending, Team Captains at 2021 All-Star Game

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are currently slated to be captains for the 2021 All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The 2021 All-Star Game in Atlanta will feature a far different atmosphere than last year's contest, but the contest will still sport the same format as 2020. 

The NBA announced on Thursday that the Elam Ending will be used to determine the winning team, with a final target score set during an untimed fourth quarter. The rosters for the 2021 All-Star Game will also follow the 2020 format. There will be two captains who select each team, with the captains determined by who receives the most All-Star votes in each conference. 

Lakers forward LeBron James and Nets forward Kevin Durant are currently slated to be the team captains. 

The All-Star Game will feature:

*Captains and Elam Ending scoring with a target score of 24 in Kobe Bryant's honor

*Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest beforehand

*Dunk Contest at halftime

*More than $2.5 million to support HBCUs as well as COVID-19 care, relief and vaccines pic.twitter.com/JNf1fwpfOt

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 18, 2021

The 2021 All-Star Game starters will be announced on Thursday night on TNT. The reserve pool will then be selected by players and coaches at a later date. The All-Star player draft featuring James and Durant has not been scheduled. 

The All-Star Game will be held at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Sunday, March 7. Numerous players have objected to holding an All-Star Game amid the COVID-19 crisis, but attendance is still mandatory for those who are selected. The annual skills challenge, three-point contest and dunk contest are also slated to be held on March 7. 

A "mini bubble" has been created for players attending All-Star weekend, per the NBA. Players will travel privately to Atlanta from their home markets, and they will stay at the same hotel. All players will be tested for COVID-19 each day during the All-Star break regardless of their participation in the weekend's events.