The National Basketball Association All-Star game will be played at Los Angeles Staples Center in 2011, it was reported Saturday night.

NBA Commissioner David Stern is expected to make the formal announcement Sunday afternoon before the Los Angeles Lakers-Orlando Magic game at Staples Center, the Los Angeles Times reported.

AEG President Tim Leiweke and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are expected to be present.

The game was last played in Los Angeles in 2004.

The 58th All-Star game was played in Phoenix this year, and Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal shared most-valuable-player honors. The game will be played in Dallas next year at the Cowboys' new stadium.

O'Neal was the game's MVP when it was held in Los Angeles in 2004. He had 24 points in 24 minutes as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 136-132.

(Xinhua News Agency June 7, 2009)