February 24, 2012; Orlando FL, USA; TNT anchor Kenny Smith introduces Team Shaq general manager Shaquille O[gallery]

Let’s take a look at some questions going into the competition.

Q: If you were the coach of one of the Rising Stars teams, who would you make your No. 1 pick?

A: If I were coach of either team and had the first pick, there’s no doubt in my mind that I would take Kyrie Irving. Watching Irving play, the only weakness in his game are his turnovers. Denver Head Coach George Karl said it best before the Nuggets game against the Cavaliers. “Coming out of college, I knew he would be good. I knew he could create, distribute and do all of that. But to think he’d be at this level after playing just a handful of games in college is insane. The kid is going to be really good for a long time.” Irving is No. 6 in the league in scoring at 23.5 per game and is No. 16 in the league in PER (highest among any sophomores or rookies).

Jan. 12, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard (2) Kyrie Irving controls the ball during game against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Cavaliers defeated the Suns 101-90. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Q: Who has the better overall roster, Team Shaq or Team Chuck?

A: The two teams are so different on paper. Shaq’s team is quicker and has more depth than Chuck’s. Chuck’s team however has an extreme size advantage. Barkley selected this past year’s No. 1 pick Anthony Davis first for his squad and took the Manimal second. There’ s no doubt that Barkley’s team will have the rebounding advantage in the game, but Shaq’s team will be able to set the tempo with Irving and Damian Lillard running the backcourt. With Team Shaq’s depth and ability to run the floor, I have to give them the advantage.

Feb 13, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) drives with the ball against the New Orleans Hornets during the second half of a game at the New Orleans Arena. The Hornets defeated the Trail Blazer 99-63. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Q: Are there any players on either of the Rising Stars team that will be in the actual All-Star Game next season?

A: Absolutely. There are three that stick out to me the most. First is Irving who I mentioned his level of play in question one. You could make the case that he’s a top five guard right now. Second for me would be Lillard. Lillard came very close to making the All-Star roster this year and showed why Shaq selected him first overall.  Lillard leads all rookies in points per game (18.2) and minutes per game (38.5), as well as averaging 6.6 assists per game and 1.02 steals per game. Lillard is the only rookie to hit the 30-point mark twice this season. To put it in perspective, only one other rookie scored 30 points even once. The last one would be Faried. The Western Conference is so deep at power forward that he’ll have an outside shot. During the Nuggets recent nine-game win streak, the attention shifted out to Denver and Faried. Faried is interesting because it’s his rebounding, hustle and athleticism that makes him as good as he is. The Nuggets don’t run any plays for Faried on the offensive side of the ball at all. He converts on offensive rebounds and clears the lane for Ty Lawson to drive and dish. If Faried can develop any type of offensive game, he’ll be one of the hardest players to stop in the league.

February 12, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dunks against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Denver 109-108. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Q: Who is going to win tonight’s game: Team Shaq or Team Chuck?

A: I hope and think it’s going to be a good game. Team Shaq has the speed and depth while Team Chuck has the size advantage. If Team Shaq is able to set the tempo and run the floor with Lillard and Irving, then I think they win 142-129.

Oct 17, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Victor Claver (18) battles for a loose ball with Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) in the third quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. The Blazers won the game 97-80. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US

The Nuggets have slipped past their last three opponents by putting together a strong 4th quarter despite playing just well enough to keep up in the first three quarters of the game. On their current winning streak they’re outscoring their opponents 150-103 in the 4th quarter. They’ve outscored every opponent except the Lakers in the 4th in that span.

The Blazers have lost two straight games coming into Tuesday’s contest but they beat the Nuggets 101-93  back on December 20th. Portland held the Nuggets to an NBA record 0-22 from behind the arc and just 38.8% shooting from the field. All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge watched from the bench that game with an injury while J.J. Hickson posted a double-double.

Coming into Tuesday night’s matchup, the Nuggets are being led by Danilo Gallinari. Gallo has been heating up as of late, and is looking for his 3rd consecutive game with over 20 points. He’s averaging 21 points in the current winning streak. Kenneth Faried will have his work cut out for him when trying to get to the basket against Portland’s frontcourt. He’s averaging a double-double over the past five games, posting 13.2 ponts per game and 11.2 rebounds per game. Andre Iguodala is still looking to get fully on track lately. He hasn’t made more than six field goals since December 28th. Ty Lawson will be faced with the difficult task of keeping rookie sensation Damian Lillard in check.

Portland is bolstered by the phsical tandem of Aldridge and Hickson. Aldridge is averaging just over 20 points and 8 rebounds per game, both over his career averages. Hickson is averaging 12 points and almost 11 boards per game. In the last game against Denver, Hickson had 18 points and just as many rebounds. They will look to be a force in the paint, where the Nuggets thrive. Lillard, the young floor general out of Weber State, is averaging 18.3 points per game and 6.5 assists. There’s talk that he might be the first rookie guard to make the All-Star game since Michael Jordan. He posted a double-double in the last game against Denver.

Matchup to Watch: Denver’s driving backcourt vs. Portlands Aggressive frontcourt

It’s no secret that Denver likes to get to the basket. Denver thrives when they score buckets in the paint and scoring off of offensive rebounds. Portland has two big uglies under the basket that could cause problems for Denver’s guards along with Gallinari and Faried as they drive to the hoop. Look for Denver to draw fouls and be aggressive.

Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. MST (9:00 ET) at the Pepsi Center in Denver.