The NBA All-Star Game will see drastic changes this year, in part to honor Kobe Bryant.
Instead of the traditional four-quarter contest, each of the first three quarters will act as sort of mini games. Whichever team wins the quarter will win $100,000 to award to charity. The scores will reset after the second and third, and if there’s a tie, the money will go into the next quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the cumulative score from the first three quarters will come back. The teams will then play to a “target score” to determine a winner. The number will be plus-24 of the team that’s ahead, an homage to Bryant’s No. 24.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The goal is to make the game more competitive and altogether, $500,000 for charity is up for grabs. The proceeds will go to charities in the Chicago area, where the 2020 game will take place on Feb. 16.
There will also be several tributes to Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and the seven other victims of the helicopter crash that occurred Sunday.
Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.
More on the Sixers
-
If you don’t think Ben Simmons is an All-Star, you haven’t been paying attention
-
Brett Brown is willing to tinker as he figures out Sixers’ offense, reintegrates Joel Embiid
-
Embiid honors Kobe, channels his own 'Mamba Mentality' in return
-
Zhaire Smith changes number to honor Kobe, has a keepsake for his future 'man cave'