Overall impressions, bit of a long post forthcoming:
The Skills Challenge is silly in my opinion. They made it sillier by making it a team contest and removing some of the skill. The only part of that contest worth seeing last night was Antetokounmpo, because he actually tried and looked like he cared. I like that kid already.
Nobody cares about the Halfcourt Shot Challenge. I like the team aspect - bringing in a WNBA player and a retired legend - but the fact that it always boils down to who makes the halfcourt shot first just ruins the whole thing.
The Three Point Contest is decent fun, though it didn't need the money ball rack. There are so many money balls now that you can do what Belinelli did in his first round - make most of the money balls and practically nothing else but still advance even though he didn't actually shoot that well. I like the old rules better, but this was still alright. Fun to watch Beal shoot well.
Not even sure where to begin on the Dunk Contest.
Honestly, aside from Harrison Barnes I think they had a good field this year and the contest may have been pretty good had they just used the old format. The 'Battle Round' thing has potential, but the Freestyle Round was just a glorified warmup session, the whole contest was over waaay too quickly (only one individual dunk each?) and I just didn't think the East vs. West theme belonged in this competition.
Give me a field with similar quality and the old rules, and this could have been a good time. But they really shot themselves in the foot with the changes this year.
I actually like the half court challenge. Seeing the pros shoot from half court is actually kind of cool. Agree skills competition is silly, never ever got excited about that.
The 3 point contest has always been decent, but I too dislike the all money ball rack. They've always had a much easier time of getting stars to participate, but I'm disappointed that this year, when they finally went back to a 8 contestants, that they still only did 2 rounds. Needs to be more of a challenge to win. 8 people, 3 rounds (8, 4, 2), with the first and maybe even 2nd rounds being split screens. I think it's cool when they used to do it that way. More action packed.
(Go to about 7:53 for the old style split screen)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QovIe5po7I#t=7m53sI'm not sure of any way to fix the dunk contest though, because it's just tough getting people to participate and it and gets harder and harder to see something new. While the overall format stunk, the opening freestyle round has some potential to deliver something new, 3 guys have never really been incorporated into a dunk before, adds some new possibilities. Really, the only way to fix the contest is to probably only have it once every 2, 3, or 4 years. I know that would never fly, but it would help it not be as stale, and possibly bunch a couple more stars together (since a few will at least do it once). If Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, Paul George, Nate Robinson were all in one contest together, people would probably want to see it more than they do now.
My other change that I think would be cool: switch out the Friday night Celebrity Game, and replace it with Rock-N-Jock, with the 10, 25, and even 50 point shots. Wouldn't be surprised if you had a few All-Stars willing to participate in that (or at least retired vets more notable than Bruce Bowen).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9JVVQTPymw263-210, 473 combined points, 151 by Gary Payton! Good times!
Topic: 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend Thread (Read 19200 times)