All Star Game just became so gimmicky as to be unwatchable

[Roy H.]

Given the way players play defense in the All-Star game, the first three quarters could be over after 8 possessions in each quarter. What's that? 5 minutes? Less?

The 24 pt target is only for the 4th, the first 3 are score as much as you want.

This is that goofy "Elam Ending" format we debated a while back in the forums: https://forum.celticsstrong.com/index.php?topic=101106.0

It seems really dumb but if it makes them try harder in the 4th maybe it could be ok.

Ahhhh...that makes more sense. For some odd reason I understood it the other way around.

Still hate the idea.

Yeah, let’s assume the score is 150 - 140 coming into the 4th.
The first team to 174 (150 + 24) wins.

[rondofan1255]

reserves will be announced tonight, interested to see if Tatum makes it. 50/50 imo

[hwangjini_1]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28600471/nba-changes-all-star-game-format-adds-kobe-bryant-tribute

Kobe Bryant's final jersey number will be something this year's NBA All-Stars play to reach.

The NBA announced major changes to the All-Star format on Thursday, turning every quarter into a mini-game for charity before an untimed final quarter with a target score that will decide which team wins. Scores will be reset -- back to 0-0 -- at the start of the second and third quarters, then restored to begin the fourth quarter.

That's where the tribute to Bryant and the No. 24 jersey he wore for the last decade of his NBA career comes into play. The team that wins the All-Star Game will be the first to reach a target score, determined by the total points the team in the lead scored in the first three quarters combined -- plus 24, the obvious nod to Bryant.

The NBA said there will be multiple tributes to Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and the seven others who lost their lives in Sunday's helicopter crash throughout All-Star weekend, including the showcase game on Feb. 16. The target score is just one of them.

"We spent a lot of time considering the right target number to use for the fourth quarter," said Byron Spruell, the NBA's president for league operations. "Through the events of this week it became clear to us that the only appropriate number for this season's All-Star game is 24."

The target score is the latest addition to the NBA's quest to make the game more competitive, something that players have wanted for some time.

this truly is a bad idea and confusing as heck. but then again, the all star has never been watchable in my opinion. a meaningless game filled with scoring and no defense.

[blink]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28600471/nba-changes-all-star-game-format-adds-kobe-bryant-tribute

Kobe Bryant's final jersey number will be something this year's NBA All-Stars play to reach.

The NBA announced major changes to the All-Star format on Thursday, turning every quarter into a mini-game for charity before an untimed final quarter with a target score that will decide which team wins. Scores will be reset -- back to 0-0 -- at the start of the second and third quarters, then restored to begin the fourth quarter.

That's where the tribute to Bryant and the No. 24 jersey he wore for the last decade of his NBA career comes into play. The team that wins the All-Star Game will be the first to reach a target score, determined by the total points the team in the lead scored in the first three quarters combined -- plus 24, the obvious nod to Bryant.

The NBA said there will be multiple tributes to Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and the seven others who lost their lives in Sunday's helicopter crash throughout All-Star weekend, including the showcase game on Feb. 16. The target score is just one of them.

"We spent a lot of time considering the right target number to use for the fourth quarter," said Byron Spruell, the NBA's president for league operations. "Through the events of this week it became clear to us that the only appropriate number for this season's All-Star game is 24."

The target score is the latest addition to the NBA's quest to make the game more competitive, something that players have wanted for some time.

this truly is a bad idea and confusing as heck. but then again, the all star has never been watchable in my opinion. a meaningless game filled with scoring and no defense.

agreed.  the game is really unwatchable.  In the 80's and 90's I enjoyed watching the stars compete against each other.  But it seems like the current all star games are more used to grow the brand than have bragging rights because you beat the best of the best.

[Surferdad]

All Star Game just became so gimmicky as to be unwatchable.

JUST?

It's been unwatchable for a good 15-20 years

THIS.  It used to be fun to root for the Eastern Conference. It was the only time I would cheer for Isaiah Thomas.

[nickagneta]

All Star Game just became so gimmicky as to be unwatchable.

JUST?

It's been unwatchable for a good 15-20 years

THIS.  It used to be fun to root for the Eastern Conference. It was the only time I would cheer for Isaiah Thomas.

Gentlemen, the game has been unwatchable for years. But, the game itself(not the day before gimmicky competitions they have but the actual ASG), really only got gimmicked for the first time last year so, yes, it did JUST become "so gimmicky" or "too gimmicky" because they gimmicked it up even more.

I always kinda liked watching the Stars play with and against each other. Then the dunk contest and three point contest and the future stars games and horse games and agility contests and celebrity pro games got added. And then the players stopped trying to make the ASG itself appear like a competition at all. So they went with last year's crap idea and made it off the charts worse with this idea.

Hate it all. Just schedule a week's vacation for every player in the league and leave it at that. No one wants to do anything on All-Star weekend because they want to rest up and not get hurt? Great. Get rid of the game and give everyone 7-10 days off

But that won't happen because....MONEY!!!!!!

[blink]

I guess the silver lining for us is that Jaylen Brown gets some time off to get his ankle / wrist all the way healed up.

[RockinRyA]

Im not sure how I feel about this. But willing to give it a chance. Hey, if it makes them try harder, then I will welcome it.

[SparzWizard]

I think I stopped watching it in 2011 (when the PP34, KG, Rondo, and Ray Allen lineup was in with Dwight Howard game) or 2012 (when Kobe got his nose injured by DWade)

It's become boring and vague

[jpotter33]

I mean, they had pretty much fixed this issue the last two years by doing the whole captains and picking players theme, in addition to the added monetary incentive to the winner that also helped. I thought the last two years' All-Star games - especially the one two years ago where Curry missed at the buzzer for the loss - were much more competitive and better to watch.

Seems really gimmicky this way. Not a fan at all.

[bopna]

Yep, not watching.

Over the years, they have taken a semi-fun game and ruined it completely.  Just go back to East versus West, normal basketball.

Going away from the East v West thing was the best thing they have done tbh. Imagine had they done this in the 80s you will see MJ teaming up with Magic. Ewing teaming up with Hakeem etc...

Besides its the All Star weekend, the stars take the court regardless of conference affiliation..I think that is what they have  been doing since the start tbh.

Now the new format is also to make it a bit more competitive as well which cannot be said about the paltry no D 150-148 final score we have been accustomed to.

[Androslav]

I didn't watch the game for the past 20 years.
Threes and dunks are way more interesting.

[Celtics4ever]

I didn't watch the game for the past 20 years.
Threes and dunks are way more interesting.

I quit watching it once Bird retired.    The Dunk contests were meaningful when the best dunkers tried to win it and were not afraid to go head to head  but the game itself has always been trash even when Larry played.

[Sophomore]

Last year’s game was 178-164. Garbage. Unwatchable. Dunks and shooting against no defense isn’t a game.

Not saying the changes will make it better, just that the game has been lousy forever.

[Androslav]

I didn't watch the game for the past 20 years.
Threes and dunks are way more interesting.

I quit watching it once Bird retired.    The Dunk contests were meaningful when the best dunkers tried to win it and were not afraid to go head to head  but the game itself has always been trash even when Larry played.

In the times when these kind of things took off, I can imagine that it was thrilling to watch.
On the dunk contest, Lavine vs Gordon is IMO the best 1-1 dunking ever.