Should the NBA All-Star game be abolished for good?
The NBA All-Star weekend again showed why the game between the league's best should be scrapped entirely in the future.
The Eastern All-Stars ran out as winners of the 'game,' defeating the Western All-Stars 211-186, according to the NBA website.
As reported by CBS Sports, the two sides put up a staggering 168 three-point shots, turning the game into a three-point contest with zero defense.
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According to the NBA website, Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard was awarded the All-Star MVP, scoring 39 points after attempting 23 three-point shots in the game.
ESPN reported that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was hoping for a competitive game this year, saying: "I think we are going to see a good game" in the lead-up to Sunday.
However, after another lackluster and seemingly uncompetitive game, Silver rather sarcastically said: "And to the Eastern Conference All-Stars, you scored the most points, well, congratulations."
Speaking post-game, LeBron James said: "I think it's something we need to figure out. It's fun to get up and down, but at the end of the day, our competitive nature doesn't like to have free-flowing scoring like that."
The issue for James and the league is that some players don't want the All-Star game to change, with Minnesota's Anthony Edwards admitting he wasn't interested in playing hard in the game.
According to ESPN, Edwards said: "For me, it's an All-Star game, so I will never look at it as being super competitive." He added, "I think everyone looks at it as a break, so I don't think everyone wants to come here and compete."
Respected sports columnist Bob Ryan shared his views on the game on X, saying: "What a waste of time. Adam, you must do something. It's embarrassing for your sport."
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Meanwhile, ESPN analyst and NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe said, "NBA All-Star game has turned into shooting threes and dunks."
The All-Star weekend has certainly seen a demise over the past few seasons, with abolishment of the weekend looking increasingly more likely. But how could they fix it?
One way Adam Silver could make the game more competitive is by awarding home advantage to winners of the game in the NBA Finals, giving the players an extra incentive to compete.
CBS Sports reported that the league could potentially explore one versus one or two versus two in the future or each player only playing one quarter, much like they do in Major League Baseball.
The only issue with most ideas like the ones above is that the players will have to be competitive for the product to be at its best, but the players have no intentions of being competitive during the weekend.
Forbes reported that the 2024 NBA All-Star game has brought in $320 million to Indiana's economy. The festivities are great financially for a city but seem terrible for fans to watch across the world.
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