Did the NBA Fix the All-Star Game? Mixed Reviews After New Format Debut

The knobs were turned, the recipe tweaked, and the NBA sat back and watched the latest version of its embattled showcase event unfold in the Los Angeles area this weekend.

The verdict? It was entertaining until it wasn’t as the NBA learned there actually can be too much of a good thing when it comes to the All-Star Game.

What went right was that one team of young stars, one team of veteran heroes and another of international standouts seemed to return an improved sense of pride to the event.

And 12-minute games, where energy and effort play is needed to move forward, added the sense of urgency that had been lacking in All-Star Games from the past.

But by essentially playing the equivalent high-stakes games that mirrored full-game fourth quarters, there were heavy legs and wayward shots by the time the title-game matchup rolled around.

It was hardly a surprise that the younger USA Stars were the last team standing. Their lopsided 47-21 victory over the veteran USA Stripes failed to deliver the proper crescendo that had been building from the beginning.

With victory and the MVP in hand, though, Anthony Edwards of USA Stars gave the event’s new format his stamp of approval.

“Yeah, I think they ain't really going to take in what I'm saying, but I like this format,” the Minnesota Timberwolves’ star 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.”

There are still those who want to put the old pieces back together.

“I mean, East-West is definitely a tradition,” said LeBron James of USA Stripes, before playing in his record 22nd All-Star Game. “It's been really good. Obviously, I like the East and West format. They're trying something. We'll see what happens.”

Kawhi Leonard of Team Stripes leaned into the urgency and scored 31 points in 12 minutes to end Team World’s title hopes. He had fans in his home arena chanting “MVP” before running out of gas in the final when he scored one point.

“I thought it was good, but I still think going back to East-West will be great,” Leonard said. “I think guys will compete still.”

As promising as Sunday’s format was, there was plenty of confusion on the court after USA Stripes earned a 42-40 victory over USA Stars on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from De’Aaron Fox.

“I hit a 3 to get to 40, and we thought the game was over,” Edwards said. “Fox came back and hit a 3, and they won. I kind of felt like we got wigged out, but it's all good.”

Leonard said Saturday that he wasn’t sure how the round-robin format was going to work. He still had questions Sunday.

“Even as the game's going on, trying to figure out the records for being 2-1 and how you play that out as well,” Leonard said. “Is it like by points? How many? Point spread or what?”

Kevin Durant of Team Stripes failed to score in the title game and had 12 points on the day but went on the record multiple times begging to stop the criticism madness.

“I just feel like fans and media need something to complain about, and the All-Star Game don't make them feel like they felt when they were kids,” Durant said this past weekend. “They need something to complain about. I don't think it's that big of a deal, to be honest.”

The NBA showed it is listening with its newest format. The league even added a Shooting Stars competition to All-Star Saturday. The addition of an international team in the All-Star Game gave the day an Olympics/Ryder Cup flavor.

There will still be plenty of detractors. Having the veteran USA Stripes play three consecutive high-energy 12-minute games didn’t seem like a good idea. And it wasn’t.

“The format, yeah, I liked it,” Team World’s Victor Wembanyama said. “I liked it. I wouldn't be against this format in the future, and I wouldn't be against the regular East versus West either.”

Now comes the wait to see what the NBA does next year as the Suns’ Devin Booker gets set to welcome the All-Star circus Phoenix. Booker validated Sunday’s festivities.

“I think every team honestly wanted to win,” Booker said.

Of course that is easy to say when you did actually win.

“I know the world guys wanted to win,” Booker said. “I know Victor wanted to win bad. You could see it. And I know our team did. Shout-out Kawhi. We were watching that game in the back. That's probably one of the most special quarters of basketball we've witnessed.”