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Knicks, Nets to share hosting duties for 2015 NBA All-Star Game – Metro US

Knicks, Nets to share hosting duties for 2015 NBA All-Star Game

Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points for the Knicks Sunday. Credit: Getty Images Madison Square Garden will play host to the league’s best in 2015.
Credit: Getty Images

The Knicks and Nets can’t guarantee a championship by 2015, but they will get a chance to host the league’s best by then.

The NBA announced Wednesday that the 2015 NBA All-Star Game will be coming to New York City. The hosting duties will be shared by the Knicks and the Nets. The Friday and Saturday night proceedings, including the rookie-sophomore game, skills challenge, 3-point contest and slam dunk contest, will be held at the Barclays Center. The game itself will be played at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined Knicks owner James Dolan, NBA Commissioner David Stern, Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver and Nets representative Irina Pavlova for a 2 p.m. press conference to announce the event on Wednesday.

“The only thing better than having the All-Star game at MSG or Barclays Center is having it at both of them,” Stern said.

Earlier reports indicated the deal had been in the works for months.

It’s no secret Dolan and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who was not at the announcement Wednesday, have had a frosty relationship since the Nets initiated the move to Brooklyn. But Prokhorov, Dolan and Stern did sit down for a lunch to work out the details of the All-Star Game.

“To our friends in Brooklyn, we’re looking forward to giving our rivalry a little rest that weekend,” Dolan said.

Players on both sides have traded barbs much of the summer, ever since Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry joined Brooklyn.

Dolan, who actually hasn’t spoken to Knicks beat writers since 2007, said he would not be discussing the rivalry.

“I’m not going to make any predictions here,” Dolan said. “This is about the All-Star Game.”

Two teams have never hosted an All-Star Game before, but it is not the first time two arena have hosted the game. In 2010, the Saturday night festivities were held at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, with the game played at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium).

“We’re thrilled to have so many events at Barclays Center and are excited to welcome the NBA family to Brooklyn,” said Pavlova, who manages much of Nets’ operations while Prokhorov lives in Russia.

The game has come to New York many times before. It was last played at Madison Square Garden in 1998. Knicks arch enemy Michael Jordan won his third All-Star Game MVP in that game.

The game was also held at MSG in 1968, when the Sixers’ Hal Green won the MVP; 1955, when the Celtics’ Bill Sharman won the MVP; and 1954, when Celtics star and Hall of Famer Bob Cousy took the MVP.

Rochester, N.Y., then home of the Royals, hosted the game in 1956, and Syracuse, N.Y., then home of the Nationals, hosted the game in 1961.

New Orleans hosts the All-Star Game in 2014.

Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports.