Big Disappointment?
All the NBA needs to do is go back to the basics of a real game…
Everyone knows the NBA news about bad ratings and decline in the love for the product as it stands today. The NBA All-Star Game has been a target of widespread criticism for players no longer caring about it, so the league tried to change things up with a new format of three mini-games (first to 40 wins) for 2025.
Well, it looks like it’s back to the drawing board as fan criticism of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game was at a fever pitch on social media.
Many, including ex-NBA players, complained about the short games, the lack of action in the bloated 3.5-hour broadcast, LeBron James (knee soreness) dropping out at the last second, the inclusion of the Rising Stars over some All-Star snubs, too much Kevin Hart, and the most anti-climactic finish with a dunk.
27 minutes of basketball
1 hour 13 minutes of Kevin Hart being annoying and unfunny
30 minutes of Draymond Green telling the rising stars theyre worthless
15 minutes of MrBeast filming a youtube video
1 hour of commercials
Nice job Silvuh
— Nick (@nickiswashed) February 17, 2025
When Jayson Tatum delivered that game-sealing dunk for Team Shaq’s victory, did Jaylen Brown even know the game was over? NBA rumors said he didn’t understand the new format this weekend.
Jaylen Brown on the new All-Star game format:
“I have no idea what’s going on.”
(via @NoaDalzell) pic.twitter.com/GxmYhfY5Oj
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 15, 2025
Golden State’s Draymond Green has said today’s NBA is very boring before ripping the league for the new “ridiculous” format while TNT’s Charles Barkley ripped Green’s generation for “messing the game up.” Keep in mind these discussions were going on during one of the NBA games on Sunday night.
Charles Barkley: “I’m going to disagree with Draymond A LOT… They messed the game up!.. His generation messed the game up!… We’re doing every type of trick to make this weekend exciting.” #NBA https://t.co/v7CYFf3kFG pic.twitter.com/QiltQVt0RZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 17, 2025
Saturday’s Mini-Games Didn’t Help
Before Sunday night’s games, there were the usual mini games on Saturday, and that didn’t add to the excitement for fans either. Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu (WNBA) reportedly declined a rematch in a 3-point shooting contest.
LeBron James again refused to take part in the Slam Dunk Contest, which was won by G League player Mac McClung for the record third year in a row. But McClung also drew some of the funniest reactions online, including a jaw-dropping tweet you should add to Kevin Love’s stats for his career:
Best part about Mac McClung is that he looks like the main character in a movie about a white kid who gets a headband from Vince Carter that gives him superpowers
— Zito (@_Zeets) February 16, 2025
How Does the NBA Fix This?
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game was so universally criticized by everyone that the league is going to have to do something drastic next year to fix this. Fortunately, the fix is quite simple, and it is something that could affect the NBA betting odds for who wins the championship that season.
All the NBA needs to do is go back to the basics of a real game (four quarters, 48 minutes) between the Eastern and Western Conference All-Stars, but you raise the stakes by making it where the winner gets home-court advantage for the NBA Finals.
Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard is already on board with this idea:
Dame Lillard wants to go back to an East-West All-Star game, says her be fine with home court in the Finals being on the line. Alternately, he says if this format stays, maybe an “all Snub” team would be better as the 4th team instead of the Rising Stars.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) February 17, 2025
Most of the players who make the All-Star game are from teams with serious playoff and championship aspirations. All this would do is make them actually want to compete, play some defense, and win the game more since it actually means something now for June.
There has long been an imbalance between the conferences anyway with the Western Conference usually being deeper. I’m not sure there’s anything sacred about giving the home-court nod to the team who won more games in the regular season.
Let it be determined by the NBA All-Star Game and we’ll see if that produces a legitimate game again.
And collectively, let’s say no to Kevin Hart on the mic.
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