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Alright, let's get to it. The NBA is rolling out a completely new All-Star format, U.S. men’s hockey returns with NHL players for the first time in 12 years, and Mikaela Shiffrin gets her redemption moment in Italy.

Here's your weekend preview starting with what matters most.

The stakes: The NBA has been trying to fix All-Star Weekend for years. After unwatchable games where nobody played defense and final scores hitting the 200s, the league has cycled through format after format with nothing sticking. Now they're betting their credibility on a complete overhaul. If this one fails, it's hard to know where they go from here as the league is running out of answers.

What to watch for: Can the new format actually deliver competitive basketball? Three teams (two USA, one international) play 12-minute mini-games. The top two records advance to a championship. Watch whether stars like Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, and Kawhi Leonard actually compete or if this becomes another exhibition where nobody tries.

The Betting Angle: Wembanyama is the MVP favorite. Veterans typically give low effort while rising stars go out trying to make statements, and Wembanyama has been vocal about changing the game's narrative.

The international team is favored to win as their roster has arguably the three best players in the league (Jokić, Dončić, Wembanyama) on one squad, and 12-minute games favor star power over depth.

3-Point Contest (Saturday 5:00 PM, NBC): Damian Lillard hasn't touched a court competitively in 10 months after a torn Achilles ended his season last April. Saturday night is his return. If he’s able to win he joins Larry Bird as one of the only players to win three 3-point titles. The history is interesting, but watching Lillard test his shot after that kind of injury is the real reason to tune in.

Dunk Contest (Saturday 5:00 PM, NBC): For years the dunk contest was unwatchable until Mac McClung showed up and won three straight, almost single-handedly bringing the event back to life. Now he won’t be competing this year and the question is whether the new field can keep the momentum or if the event fall flat again. Jase Richardson is going for the title his father Jason Richardson won back-to-back in 2002-03. 

Celebrity Game (Friday 7:00 PM, ESPN): The only reason to watch is to see if celebs like Glorilla and Shams have any game. NFL stars Amon-Ra St. Brown and Keenan Allen are playing, so there's legitimate athlete talent mixed in with the usual celebrity chaos (Full Roster).

The Winter Olympics continue in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Here are three storylines worth your attention this weekend:

U.S Men’s Hockey is BACK (Schedule): The world's best hockey players are back at the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. Team USA plays Denmark (Saturday) and Germany (Sunday) in the preliminary rounds. USA stars like Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, and Quinn Hughes are finally suiting up for their country to go for gold. 

Mikaela Shiffrin's Redemption (Schedule): Sunday's Women's Giant Slalom was already her redemption moment, and now the stakes are even higher. Shiffrin failed to place in the Team Combined event on Tuesday, adding more pressure before her signature events even begin. Add in three DNFs from Beijing 2022, and you have the greatest alpine skier of all time (108 World Cup wins) whose Olympic story still isn't written the way it should be. Sunday is her chance to change that.

The "Quad God" Goes for Gold (Schedule):  21-year-old Ilia Malinin revolutionized figure skating by landing the quadruple axel, a jump requiring 4.5 rotations that was considered impossible for decades. Friday's Men's Free Skate is his moment. If he lands a perfect routine, nobody in the field can touch him and the gold will be his. 

The stakes: This is the biggest game in women's college basketball this season so far. No. 3 South Carolina (24-2) plays No. 6 LSU (22-3) in a matchup fueled by one of the most controversial transfers in women’s college sport's history. MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina's star guard who was instrumental in their championship runs, transferred to LSU and ignited a social media war between fanbases. South Carolina is proving they're still dominant without her. LSU is proving she made the right call.

What to watch for: Can South Carolina contain Fulwiley on her home court? LSU’s home court advantage will be massive as they treat women's basketball like SEC football. If the Gamecocks can’t handle the pressure and contain Fulwiley, their path to a win is in jeopardy.

The Betting Angle: We project South Carolina as a slim 1.5 point favorite, but momentum is shifting toward LSU. The Gamecocks have not lost to LSU since 2012, but LSU leads the nation in scoring at 96.6 points per game. In a prime time atmosphere with Fulwiley's inside knowledge, the Tigers are a strong play to snap the streak.

Must-watch:

Solid matchups:

3. South Carolina @ LSU — Women’s college basketball’s biggest game of the year.

— Backdrop Sports

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