The NBA’s All-Star Weekend is meant to serve as entertainment to its fans but it is safe to say the audience hasn’t been too entertained by what they have been seeing.
The Dunk Contest, with the exception of this year, had been a letdown in recent times while the All-Star game has been a major disappointment, for the most part. This year’s game was the lowest-rated and least-watched edition and Stephen Curry says he knows how to fix it.
via Bleacher Report:
“I think first off, it’s on us. Players just have to play harder. But secondly, I think the league can ease up on all the obligations players have during All-Star Weekend. People don’t understand the day-to-day responsibilities an All-Star has from [NBA-mandated] appearances, the photo shoots, the media responsibilities, etc.
“Even the player introductions and the draft on Sunday, it was too long. Players get fatigued. It’s a lot going on. But it starts with us giving a damn, and also there are things I think the league can do to lighten the load for players.”
It is on the players first of all as Curry mentions, but he is also right when he says the NBA can perhaps ease the load a little bit on the players in the days before the game. It just drags on so much that by the time the players get to the court, they aren’t particularly in the mood to go out there and give their best. JJ Redick said something along the same lines, stating that the way the All-Star weekend is set up doesn’t put the players in a place to compete at the game. Would the NBA easing up on the responsibilities make a massive difference? Probably not, but it would be a step in the right direction.
Would A Team World vs. Team USA Game Be A Success?
One major fix that has been suggested for the game, is to make it Team World vs. Team USA. There are so many international stars in the league at this point, that you can actually fill out a pretty solid team for it. Team USA would still be the clear favorite but it would certainly create some more interest in the game.
The NBA did have Team World vs. Team USA for the Rising Stars Challenge for quite a few years, so this isn’t exactly a foreign concept either. Still, we are unlikely to see any major changes in the coming years, especially as this draft system has just come into place.
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