The NBA may have finally found an All-Star Game format that works, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The U.S. vs. the World approach with a round-robin tournament of 12-minute games was a huge hit on Sunday, bringing the event’s competitive intensity to a level that hasn’t been seen in years.
The first three contests all came down to the wire, providing thrilling finishes that captivated the players as well as the fans. Anthony Edwards, who earned MVP honors while leading his USA Stars team to the championship, credited Victor Wembanyama with inspiring the rest of the All-Stars by going all out to win.
“[Wembanyama] set the tone, and it was definitely competitive with all three teams,” Edwards said. “He set the tone, man. And it woke me up, for sure.”
The Spurs star delivered on the promise he made Saturday to approach the event like a normal game and provide a few “exclamation-point plays.” He was noticeably upset when a defensive mix-up caused his World team to lose its opener on a three-pointer by Scottie Barnes.
“It’s a game we love — it’s a game I personally cherish — so being competitive is the least I can do,” Wembanyama told reporters.
Kawhi Leonard put on a show for his home fans in the third game, scoring 31 points in a 48-45 victory over Team World. He thanked commissioner Adam Silver for selecting him as an injury replacement.
“It was great; happy that Adam let me in,” Leonard said. “That’s what the home crowd wanted to see. I’m glad I was able to do something in that game.”
Leonard’s performance also made an impression on his fellow All-Stars.
“We were watching it … like, ‘Damn, this guy is killing,'” Barnes said. “We were just like in awe. In shock, too. When a guy has it going like that, it’s special. That’s what the people want to see.”
In addition to the competitive games, Sunday’s showcase put a spotlight on the league’s younger stars, with Edwards, Barnes, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Johnson and Chet Holmgren leading the Stars team to a dominant win over the veteran-laden USA Stripes contingent in the finals, notes Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports.
Although no decision has been made, it seems likely that the new format will be retained next season when the All-Star Game moves to Phoenix.
“I think they ain’t really going to take in what I’m saying, but I like this format,” Edwards said. “I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys. I think it was really good … I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense.”
Too much stuff going on at these events.
You only need the 3 point contest, the dunk contest and the main event. Being competitive is a choice by the players and likely players took a page from Wemby. Format shouldn’t matter.
That last game kind of spoiled the new format though. Kawhi with 1 pt in 12 minutes leading the Stripes to a 26-pt loss is not what fans wanted to see.
The format didnt do nothing, it was Wemby who changed the intensity. If he wasnt playing, they would have played like bums again