I was waiting for jacket to comment something on this.

An absolute joke which sums up the current NBA league. Stat padding and zero defence, haven't watched a live game for about 10 years.
They almost need to scrap this and the dunk comp and come up with something else.

The only way to make these games worth watching is to put up some obscene prize money - winner take all. Give these millionaires a reason to play hard.
Is there anything worse is sport than watching super talented and competitive athletes walk around having a laugh and seeing who can shoot from furtherest away.

I was at the last NBL All Star game in Adelaide. Never again. Somehow the NRL have been able to build up their State off Origin concept ( must be because there are only 2 actual NRL States. Aussie Rules State of Origin was great ( an meant something ) until the AFL became a truely national competition. Now players have no interest in an "All Star / State or Origin" contest.

Only the NBA hype machine convinces people the All Star weekend is a big deal.

I saw a suggestion for the dunk contest to potentially fix some voting gripes - have each judge rank that round's dunks. So instead of rating each out of 50 and ending up with situations where a great dunk got 46 and a dud got 50, judges would have more opportunity to consider them against each other. Then it might be :

1. McClung
2. Brown
etc

And work out a points method from there.

Could then have the bottom bracket eliminated at some point before it continues. But the ranking is adjusted. So the winner was the single best dunk of the night, and PlayerX might win because their first dunk topped the leaderboard throughout.


I think the Sabrina/Steph shoot-out might suggest one option for an ASG. Sabrina wants to beat the shooting GOAT, and Steph doesn't want to lose to the WNBA contender. If you put G-League or college all-stars or even rookies into the ASG, I reckon you'd see the vets play some D.

Make the All Star Game the decider of Finals home court advantage ala how baseball used to work and maybe guys put in some effort.

Silent Observer, haven't watched a game for 10 years but can comment about no D being played? I have never understood the whole "NBA plays no D" talk as its honestly not true.

Still plenty of defence played in the NBA, its just the offensive firepower is on a whole other level now.

They should just rename the allstar game to the 3 point shoot-out... how about they adopt the rising stars model and have 3 teams of 8 players each, bragging rights on the line? I like what they did in recent years winning money for charity, what happened to that?

Sorry I should have clarified, stopped watching live all star games, I still watch playoffs and can watch some regular season highlights.
I wouldn't say the offensive firepower is on another level, it's just faster paced, more 3s, more possessions etc.
Defence alone isn't really a paid skill as it once was.

The whole all star weekend is now a failure and joke. Dunk contest is like when your favourite tv show goes a couple of seasons too long, nothing original and they have to bring in a new character (in this case a guy that isn't in the NBA) to try and boost ratings. But good suggestion about new scoring system, disadvantaged going 1st because judges will hold back scores in case there's a better dunk later.
Wtf is the rising stars game about, total waste of time.
But that doesn't even compare to the celebrity game. Absolutely ridiculous having "influencers" who most have never heard of playing a pickup game. Would prefer the Legends game to come back a million times more.
Skills challenge, meh.
3 point shootout probably the only decent contest.
And the "Jewel" in the crown, the actual all star game is totally unwatchable. Just a shoot around, only 3 fouls were called, can't even call it a contest. Better game would be a grudge game, have team Isaiah Stewart/Draymond against team Eubanks and Nurkic, with Griffin and Doc as coaches. And put in Artest and Lance Stephenson for a bit of value, no refs, call your own fouls.
League needs to cancel it, just name players and don't play the game. No need for injury replacements. Players don't want to play and fans don't want to watch.

Bill Simmons: "It's funny that we spend so much time on All Star Starters/Subs/Snubs and then the game always sucks ass."

And a good point from someone: “Players will literally try harder in summer runs in a closed off gym, then they will in all star games with millions of people watching that helps the sport grow."

They’re scared of failure when there’s nothing at stake.

Train wreck.

Farce.

People don't go to watch the ball anymore. It's just a "I went to the All Star game" Instagram or whatever moment. Like many things sadly.

What an absolute joke.

No wonder the NBA is a joke.

Defence is non existent.

Entertainment is what it maybe but basketball it is NOT.

Won't find many bigger NBA fans than me and I didnt watch a second of the all star game. Just not interested.

Only thing I was really interested in the whole weekend was the Steph Vs Sabrina shoot out and that delivered.

"I wouldn't say the offensive firepower is on another level"

It is though. These guys are the best in the world. Its not the only factor (pace and spacing help) but before the last 10 years, the knock against NBA players was that they were great athletes, scorers, but couldnt shoot. Now everybody can shoot as well.

"Defence alone isn't really a paid skill as it once was."

All the talk about lack of D in the NBA is overblown. Team defense isn't as intense on a day to day basis (floor spacing and schedule contributing to this) but individually, NBA players are usually good defenders. The majority of guys that we talk about as "why arent they in the NBA?" its because they can't defend a position on their own. Guys might be good team defenders, but get blown away without help due to being undersized or just not talented enough.

Keifer Sykes is an example. Had some big games offensively, but the reason he can't stick in the NBA is he can't guard anyone.

"No wonder the NBA is a joke"

I get a lot of people prefer NBL. You do you, but comments like this are just dumb. The NBA is about to get a new stupid-level-money broadcast rights contract and has 99% of the best basketball players in the world meanwhile every NBL off season there's talk of teams going broke.

Yeah I'm far from a big NBA fan but this is a simple case of All Star games being rubbish rather than the NBA being rubbish.

Personally I'm a little perplexed that the ASG had to get quite to this level before most people started noticing, but it is just the natural "evolution" of what happens when players have nothing to gain and a lot to lose by playing properly.

College games are far better to watch because they are REAL and not false junk.

I used to buy into the hype of college but its actually pretty terrible basketball run by pretty terrible people

The only thing I've watched consistently in the ASG over the last 10-20 years has been the 3-point shootout. From time to time I’ve browsed the other stuff, but couldn’t stay long.

The weekend has usually been a big wank, set up so that players can get the eyeballs in a no-pressure situation, and the NBA can rake in the dough. I think I agree with @fansince - it’s about being seen to be there, and the entertainment.

ASG should just be US Vs The World. I think it can be the only game I could see that the players may actually play with a bit of pride, without a massive financial incentive. The US believing they're the best. The World believing otherwise.
World would have Jokic, Doncic, Giannis, Shae, Wemby Vs Lebron, Tatum, Curry etc.

It's be called for before. Would the NBA not want to do it however in case the World win ? Would that be too embarrassing for US Basketball ?

Contract bonuses are tied to ASG appearances so there might be concerns if USA vs World meant that players missed out.

All of this year's East team besides Giannis are American or represent the US as far as I know (Banchero, Embiid). The West have maybe 3-4 internationals?

No one feels an affiliation to east or west. The Europeans would barely have an interest in the US which is why Jokic and Doncic just stuff around.

Easiest thing without adjusting who is actually picked is to split them by age and pit young guns versus old dogs. Ramp that up a bit via press in the lead up. The older players in this case have some all-time talent, but upcomers could be interesting. And it might at least generate some defence.

Only game worth watching is Game 7 of the Finals.

Close second was surprisingly the in season Tournament final, fantastic defence laden game.

With regards to the lack of "D" anything NBA related. I foolishly turned on an NBA game for the first time in years last week and after witnessing the 15th travel and 24th carrying violation go uncalled, I switched off. Even if you wanted to, how can you even try to defend the offensive player when they have such a big advantage? 60 minutes of my life I won't get back. Absolute garbage.

It's not a new thing either. In the 80's and 90's, I would chuckle at the "Ewing on the spin!!" from the commentators after he took two steps before dribbling to get around an opponent and the commentators carrying on like it was some incredible move.

Happening plenty in the NBL too, I pray it doesn't get to edpiemic levels as well.

Appreciate the contract bonus side of things Isaac, but that affects players every year in that case, as there are perennial "snubs" often discussed by the NBA media. So either way you look at it players will miss out.

And for me, the 'World' would get a little thin towards the end of the bench, but could still nominate a good team.
Jokic
Giannis
Embiid (Naturalized now I know, but still an International, this isn't FIBA)
Doncic
SGA
Sabonis (Unlucky to have missed out this year)
and then guys like Markkanen, Siakam, Murray, Wemby, Porzingis, Gobert, Sengun (rising in Houston). Some of those have already been all stars.
Obviously the US could field a decent 12.

I think Jokic and Doncic muck around because they've have nothing to play for, and everyone else is. But Doncic at least (and I believe Giannis & Jokic) have said that they prefer the European games, so there might be some continental pride as stake if it eventuates.

I'm not saying it'd work. I'm saying it's worth a try. Doing the same thing over and over again and seeing interest and ratings decline, you may as well try and mix it up.