Critics say what was once a showpiece for the league has turned into a glorified practice session. But there are signs an updated version may have worked
Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady flashed a look of disdain when recalling last year’s NBA All-Star Game.
“The All-Star Game that we witnessed last year was not an All-Star game,” McGrady told the Guardian. “I don’t know what that was.”
Prior to Sunday night’s contest, the All-Star Game had experienced years of disarray. In an attempt to make the game more competitive, the league replaced the classic East v West matchup and tinkered with multiple formats, including a playground-style selection process with team captains (Team LeBron v Team Stephen); and last year’s four-team tournament that featured a squad of Rising Stars who weren’t yet close to being actual All-Stars.
The results led to glorified shoot-arounds as players gave minimum effort on both sides of the court, eschewing defense while attempting a multitude of uncontested three-point shots and dunks.
