After the draft lottery reform, the All Star Game is also getting a new look.The mating west to east is thus history.The League thus continues to show the will to break up old structures – even if not all problems have been addressed.
Year after year the criticism grew louder.Too little defense, too much gunfire, too much show.The All Star Game is only entertainment and no longer one of the highlights of the year in the packed league calendar.On top of that, the gap between the Western and the Eastern Conference widened, the games became more and more one-sided.The West won six of the last seven editions.The trades of Jimmy Butler, Carmelo Anthony or Paul George intensify this effect once again.
This has not been hidden from the Association either, and it has at least reacted to it a little bit.East versus west is now history.Instead, the two captains, i. e. the players with the most votes from the two conferences, will in future choose the teams.That sounds like a nice sound at least once and has something of a little pick-up game on the free space.
In 2018, for example, Los Angeles will at least have the chance of a close and spectacular match in 2018.However, some aspects cannot be solved with this restructuring.Do the stars want to play more Defense now?This is doubtful, but understandable.
In former times, in times without a League Pass, the ASG was the big stage next to the playoffs.The whole country watched and the awareness could be increased.Nowadays Giannis Antetokounmpo is also a mega-star, although he plays “only” for the Milwaukee Bucks.The same applies to MVP Russell Westbrook, who plays in a small market in Oklahoma City.This did not prevent him from concluding the biggest sponsorship agreement with Jordan Brand, which the company had handed over since Michael Jordan.
In short: The players have little to win, but a lot to lose.Absolutely no one wants to get hurt in this game.The 82 seasonal matches, which are exhausting in terms of effort, do the rest.There are simply too few incentives for the superstars to give 100 percent.Money is not a factor in the mega-contracts that have been handed out to the best players in recent years.
Nevertheless, the innovations are at least refreshing.It is to be expected that Stephen Curry (West) and LeBron James (East) will get the most votes of the fans again.So will LeBron avoid picking Kyrie Irving?How much of a scream would that be if he didn’t bring Kevin Love into his team in time?Would Curry Westbrook choose?
These are at least small thought games that are exciting and interesting, but the voting itself has not changed.The power of the fans was already limited to 50 percent weighting last year.This remains the same, i. e. twelve players from East and West will be selected.First the five starters, then the coaches nominate the other seven players.
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However, a possible opportunity was missed here.As a result of this distinction, the top 24 players in the league will still not come up.In the east there are a lot of young and talented players, but the Creme de la Creme plays in a large part one or two time zones further west.
The All-NBA teams can serve as a vivid example.LeBron, the Greek Freak and Isaiah Thomas were only three players in the first or second all NBA team.This means that the quality of the players remains the same, and the talent is only distributed differently by breaking up from East and West.
Ultimately, it is like draft reform.The league will start a cautious attempt of change and will analyze exactly how the new format is accepted.First of all, it breaks with the tradition of the conference duel.So it is quite possible that there will be an open election of 24 players in the future.
One thing should not be overlooked either.Players have clauses in their contracts that guarantee bonuses when they become All Star.It would therefore be unfair if a Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler or Mike Conley were not nominated because they are playing in the wrong conference.
It can be criticised that the League has not taken any more drastic measures, but it must also understand the background.The All Star Game is a great show and not a game where you have to bend and break for victory.The league wants to win fans, this works better with spectacular offense, numerous alley oops and no-look passes than with uncompromising defense and a 94:83 as the end result.
The people in charge have responded to the cry for change, proving that the NBA is always on the lookout for improvements.The future will show to what extent the new All Star Game is such a game.