Which NBA All-Star will shine the brightest tonight?

The NBA All-Star game has finally arrived. The leagues best scorers, dunkers, shooters and franchise players will all be on the same court in New Orleans tonight at 8 PM ET on TNT with each player competing for the top plays of the night and the coveted MVP award.

Let’s be honest. All we really want to see tonight is LeBron James vs Kevin Durant for at least five minutes. If it doesn’t happen, or if it does happen and it doesn’t live up to the hype, then it’s going to be a let down. Especially after the monster seasons both players are having and the constant back and forth the two superstars have been having over the past month. James has won the All-Star MVP twice in 2006 and 2008, and Durant was the All-Star MVP in 2012.

This game isn’t only about the two best players in the world. There is plenty of talent to go around on the East and the West squads, and there are a couple of former All-Star game MVPs in Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade. James and Durant will be joined by veteran starters Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony and Wade. A group of young players will be getting their first All-Star starts in Stephen Curry, James Harden and Kevin Love in the West, along with Kyrie Irving and Paul George of the East. There will be a good mix of older and younger players looking to make a statement tonight.

The reserves will also be a good mix of familiar All-Stars and rising stars looking to make things interesting once they check in, but only one will hold the MVP trophy at the end of the night. Let’s countdown the five players most likely to win the MVP award and make sure you tune into TNT tonight at 8 pm ET for the big game.

-Patrick Hazel (@pattywack25)