Draymond Inexperienced definitely didn’t disguise his hate for the NBA’s newest All-Star Recreation format.
Talking as an analyst on TNT’s broadcast, the Golden State Warriors ahead dismissed Sunday’s new four-team match as a “zero” on a scale of 1 to 10 and mentioned, bluntly, that it “sucks.”
“This is so unfair to Victor Wembanyama, who just took this game really seriously; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just took this game really seriously,” Inexperienced mentioned.
“When you talk about chasing after the points record, Melo, Kobe [Bryant] and all these guys who had great scoring nights, they don’t get the opportunity to do that with this game.”
Underneath the brand new format, TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith every drafted an eight-player group out of the 24 All-Stars. The fourth group was the winner of Friday night time’s Rising Stars Problem match and was managed by TNT analyst Candace Parker.
Sunday’s match featured three video games, with the winner of every being the primary to attain 40 factors. O’Neal’s group, led by All-Star Recreation MVP Stephen Curry, gained the match at San Francisco’s Chase Middle.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was on Smith’s group, which misplaced in its first and solely recreation. Brunson completed with three factors in eight minutes. Knicks heart Karl-Anthony Cities performed two video games on Barkley’s group and totaled 14 factors in 18 minutes.
“You work all year to be an All-Star, and you get to play up to 40 and then you’re done,” Inexperienced mentioned.
Inexperienced, a four-time All-Star, was maybe probably the most vocal critic of the brand new format, which total drew blended critiques.
The NBA has been tinkering with its All-Star Recreation for years, hoping to discover a format that incentivizes gamers to compete at a excessive stage.
Traditionally, the sport has pitted the Jap Convention in opposition to the Western Convention, although in more moderen years, groups had been drafted by LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Some years featured a “target score” for the groups to play till primarily based on what occurred within the first three quarters.
Final 12 months’s recreation reverted to a extra conventional format and was universally panned, with the East beating the West, 211-186, in a contest and not using a shred of protection.
Sunday’s competitors featured extra effort than final 12 months’s, significantly from Wembanyama, who completed with 17 factors, seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal over 13 minutes spanning two video games.
Curry, who helped the NBA provide you with this 12 months’s format, expressed satisfaction with the tournament-style of play however acknowledged extra tweaks may come.
“I think it was a good step in the right direction to reinvigorate the game in some way,” the Warriors guard mentioned after totaling 20 factors and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes.
Nonetheless, there have been complaints.
Extended stoppages between the video games, together with one to have a good time TNT’s partnership with the NBA, threatened the rhythm of gamers. Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum admitted it was “kind of tough to get back into the game after that.”
As Inexperienced alluded to, there wasn’t a practical alternative for an All-Star to problem the scoring document, which Tatum set with 55 factors in 35 minutes in 2023.
However Barkley took situation with Inexperienced’s criticism.
“His generation messed the game up,” Barkley, an 11-time All-Star in his 16 seasons, mentioned throughout Sunday’s recreation broadcast. “We’re doing every type of trick to make this weekend exciting.”
The differing opinions may result in yet one more format change, with the concept of pitting U.S. All-Stars in opposition to international-born NBA gamers gaining some momentum. The NHL adopted the same format this 12 months with its “4 Nations Face-Off” to rave critiques.
“I would love [that],” mentioned Wembanyama, who’s French. “My opinion is that it’s more purposeful. There’s more pride in it. More stakes.”
Added the Greek-born Antetokounmpo, “I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I’d take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete.”
That format, too, comes with its challenges. About 70% of the NBA’s gamers are American, which means choosing 12 All-Stars for the U.S. group and 12 for the worldwide group would seemingly result in snubs.
However to some All-Stars, the sport format is secondary.
“When you get events like this, All-Star Weekend, we don’t worry about the competition,” mentioned Durant, a 15-time All-Star. “It’s just more about celebrating the basketball family and the community around this time.”
Initially Printed: February 17, 2025 at 12:37 PM EST
