Conor Perry |
ALL-STAR GAME WEEKEND
The NBA’s annual all-star game just happened and well…..it was a complete failure.
Let us start with the positives. The three-point contest, per usual, was thrilling to watch. Seeing the league's top three-point shooters go head-to-head was exhilarating. Damian Lillard defended his title as a top-three shooter from behind the arc.
The skills contest was a joke. The league’s best players look like they have never touched a basketball. Anthony Edwards, the star who is leading the Timberwolves to first in the Western Conference, only shot with his left hand. When asked about it, he said (Via ESPN’s Broadcast), “This week is supposed to be our week off.” The dunk contest felt lazy and uninspiring. Jaylen Brown is a player who is not known for his flashy throwdowns but was competing in this once-coveted contest. He dunked over an already short Twitch influencer, Kai Cenat, sitting down. I know, how riveting. Two out of the four contestants were not even in the NBA and played in the NBA G-League.
Lastly was the game itself. Nobody played defense. The game was almost 400 points combined total and fans could see no resistance to a shot or dunk. The game was boring and felt like a shootaround. The fans want to see the world's best players come together and compete. No one is asking for them to treat this game like a regular season game or a playoff game. They just want a little effort. Solutions to this weekend could include a bonus check to a charity of the team's choice or maybe even a home-court advantage game in the finals. Regardless this weekend needs to be fixed by Adam Silver, otherwise, the novelty of the biggest stars hooping together will be no more. If the All-Star Weekend continues to be a full week of entertainment and games without focus on the ASG itself, then the NBA runs the risk of ruining one of its most promising and hyped-up events.
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