TNT horses around with the NBA All-Star format: Off the trailer, off EJ's dome, behind Barkley's rear end, nothing but net

All that slam dunk contest ducking and skills competition fears have been replaced by TNT's announcement today that it will add the game of H-O-R-S-E to its programming lineup during the NBA All-Star Game weekend in Phoenix next weekend.

The H-O-R-S-E game will air live during TNT's two-hour "Inside the NBA" (Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m.) with participants to be determined. Following that is the usual All-Star Saturday stuff of ... stuffs.

The game will take place on a 45x50-foot court next to the network's new NBA on TNT Rig (above), which is the host set. It can seat about 120 people in the stands. Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Chris Webber will call the event (sorry, no Charles Barkley back yet ... not officially).

It's the usual game: Three players will establish the playing order. Once a shot is made, the next player tries it. He misses, he gets a letter. There's a 24-second clock. Pick your poison. No dunks. And no do-overs.