The 2023 NBA All-Star Game might have been an offensive spectacle for some, but most fans were not as entertained by the performances as they would’ve been in previous years.
There was an all-time low of defensive effort this year, with the final scores being 184-175 for Team Giannis. Even though the score was incredibly high, players were missing layups and even airballing three-pointers in a disappointing affair. However, it did feature Jayson Tatum having an all-time great performance.
His teammate Jaylen Brown wasn’t thrilled with the action in his second All-Star game, heavily criticizing the lack of competitiveness shown by the players in the game.
“That’s not basketball,” Jaylen Brown said. Called the game a glorified “layup line” and said he hoped there was a way to make the game more competitive. Obviously no real defense played tonight
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 20, 2023
Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, who coached Team LeBron James, blasted the game as the worst basketball game ever played.
“That is the worst basketball game ever played”
— All-Star Game losing coach Mike Malone pic.twitter.com/33ihyyFmlA
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 20, 2023
“It’s an honor to be a part of a great weekend with great players but that is the worst basketball game ever played. I don’t know if you can fix it. I give Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, those guys were like competing, but I was imploring some of the guys to play harder and get some defense in. No one got hurt, they put on a show for the fans but that was a tough game to sit through, I am not gonna lie.”
With the best players in the NBA, like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, being ruled out and captain Giannis Antetokounmpo playing for one possession, and LeBron James sitting out the second half, there was a lack of passion or aggressiveness in the game. Hopefully, we don’t see this drab affair next season.
What Needs To Change?
The All-Star Game is simply not the attraction and honor it once used to be. It isn’t the arena in which the best players want to compete against each other but more of an obligation for the selected players. The way Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic played shouldn’t be excused, as they are MVP frontrunners that decided to show no effort during the contest, combining for 8 points.
Despite the efforts of Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving, Joel Embiid, and others that did show some excitement for the game, it just wasn’t entertaining. The league needs to find a way to incentivize its stars to fight harder; otherwise, the All-Star game will lose the charm it built over the years.
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