All-Star Game might be missing some of its L.A. sparkle

This was supposed to be the weekend that Los Angeles solidified its status as a hoops haven, with Kobe Bryant leading the West All-Stars to victory, and Blake Griffin dunking on somebody in the rookie game.

What’s that? Bryant will miss the main event and Griffin isn’t even playing?

Well, there’s always Lakers forward Pau Gasol playing as a reserve in Sunday’s All-Star game, plus his teammate, Shannon Brown, competing in the dunk contest Saturday night.

And Clippers fans can root for first-time All-Star center Chris Kaman, and for shooting guard Eric Gordon, who will play for the sophomore team in the rookie challenge game Friday and compete in a halftime dunk contest against Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.

Still, the All-Star festivities in Dallas might leave some fans cheerless since Bryant has decided to rest his sprained left ankle that has sidelined him for the last three games.

The Clippers wish there was a chance that Griffin could play. He’s been out all season because of a fractured kneecap that has postponed the NBA debut of the No. 1 draft pick until next season.

Much of the focus will undoubtedly revolve around Bryant’s injured ankle.

Bryant probably won’t opt out of the chance to feed Brown passes during the dunk competition Saturday night, especially considering he could help his teammate become the first Laker to win the competition since Bryant did it as an 18-year-old rookie in 1997.

Gordon hopes to have a chance to go up against Brown, Gerald Wallace and defending dunk contest champion Nate Robinson. To do so, he’ll have to beat DeRozan in a halftime dunk-in contest Friday.

Gordon said he would probably have Kaman feed him passes as he tries to beat DeRozan, the former USC standout who won the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest two years ago. “He’s a really good dunker,” Gordon said.

Golden State rookie Stephen Curry could be the sentimental favorite to win the three-point shootout Saturday, considering his father Dell twice participated in the event. Curry had quite a tune-up Wednesday when he made seven of 11 three-pointers during a blowout victory over the Clippers. Miami’s Daequan Cook is the defending three-point shootout champion.

And there will be a game of old-fashioned H-O-R-S-E on Saturday. Defending champion Kevin Durant will try to hold off Boston’s Rajon Rondo and Sacramento’s Omri Casspi while seeing who can make the silliest shot.

Then there is the main event, which Kaman said he considered “like half an All-Star Game” because he was a replacement for injured Portland guard Brandon Roy. Kaman will play alongside Gasol, and possibly Bryant, for a West team that will be vying for its third victory in four years.

One person who probably won’t be tuning in is Phil Jackson. The Lakers coach apparently had his fill of the festivities last year when he coached the West.

“I’ll be driving, walking, cooking ... [get] a massage, facial, have my fingernails and toenails done,” Jackson said. “A haircut probably, too.”

Times staff writer Mike Bresnahan contributed to this report.

ben.bolch@latimes.com