The NBA has implemented a format change for this year's All-Star Game, going from East vs. West to a pick-up style draft by the respective top vote-getters from each conference. Stephen Curry and LeBron James have chosen their teammates (you can see the full rosters here), and immediately after doing so, the debate began over which superstar ended up with the stronger squad.
MORE: Storylines abound after 2018 NBA All-Star draft
Both teams are obviously stacked with exceptional talent, but which one has the advantage according to an "NBA 2K18" simulation? In terms of pure ratings, that edge goes to Team LeBron, which totaled 10 more Overall ratings points.
In a game that sees very little effort on the defensive end of the court, however, there are other ratings categories that may better project an outcome. Again, any advantages are slight, but Team Stephen rates out better in 3-point shooting and passing while Team LeBron comes out on top in rebounding and finishing near the rim.
With all that in mind, a simulation was run in "NBA 2K18" with anticipated minutes and rotations, along with slider adjustments that were made to better represent the style of play in an All-Star Game. The results mirrored the last two years of games as the scores approached 200 for each team.
FINAL: Team Stephen 189, Team LeBron 177
Curry finished as the MVP with 31 points and eight assists for his victorious team. James Harden added 24 points and 11 assists, and Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 19 points and 11 assists.
On the other side, James finished with 25 points and 13 assists. Former Thunder teammates Russell Westbrook (27 points) and Kevin Durant (26 points) had impressive outings in the loss.
Most of the statistical categories were practically even, except for possession control and presence down low. Team Stephen had more steals, rebounds and second-chance points than Team LeBron in the win.