5 realistic ways to restore NBA All-Star Weekend's worth after another underwhelming display
The NBA All-Star Weekend sparks the usual discussion of what the annual tradition of the league could have been. While the marquee event had its usual dose of star power, the fun press conferences, and the camaraderie, the sad truth is that the All-Star weekend and the All-Star Game aren't what they used to be.
There was a time when the All-Star game was so intense that Michael Jordan laced up in 1998 to take on a young Kobe Bryant, who was making headlines and was already being compared to "His Airness".
That level of competition is hardly visible in the famed ASG matchup these days, and the weekend as a whole fails to live up to the intensity and grandeur.
Ahead of next year's NBA All-Star Weekend, which will be held in San Francisco, California, here are some of the ways the league could improve the three-day celebration.
5 ways the NBA All-Star Weekend can be improved after another dismal run
#5 Limit three-point attempts to 15 per team each quarter
With the stars turning out for each conference and taking the floor, the three-point attempts have seen an exponential rise. The East and the West made 97 and 71 attempts from downtown making it look more like stars trying to get away with the shot, than showcasing the kind of basketball that put them on the map.
Gone are the days when the best of the best went against each other with the league's finest by their side. Maybe the NBA could look at chopping down the number of attempts from the three-point line.
#4 3-point contest with at least 3 former winners
Damian Lillard took the silverware for winning the 3-point contest this season. While there is no denying that he was fully deserving of the award, maybe a little bit more competition would have spiced up things for the Milwaukee Bucks guard. This season he had tough competition from the likes of Trae Young and Karl-Anthony Towns. Imagine if he went toe-to-toe against Steph Curry, Jayson Tatum, and perhaps even Klay Thompson.
Having former winners from the last few years would also mean that the level of competition will be high for these stars to defend their records. So that would mean that the 3-point contest would see new names trying to outplay the reigning NBA All-Star downtown champion
#3 Points target for All-Star-Games
The Elam ending in NBA All-Star games was liked by fans for a reason. Not only did it up the ante when it comes to raising intensity, but it would also make sure that the players wouldn't use the clock as a way to get more bench time.
This ASG contest saw some big names play fewer minutes — meaning fans turned up to watch them play had to be content watching them hit the bench as much as possible. While fatigue and injury concerns are valid factors, what the conventional style does is sap the fun out of the game.
#2 1v1 ft All-Star selections
Imagine Kyrie Irving going against Steph Curry. Imagine Luka Doncic going against Anthony Davis. Or a LeBron James vs Nikola Jokic matchup? These would not just make for an impressive watch, but they would also massively boost the rapidly declining viewership for one of the league's most marquee events.
One of the ways the NBA could make things interesting is by pitting the NBA All-Star selections 1v1 to ramp up the competition.
#1 Dunk contest with at least 2 winners from the past five years
The Dunk contest has been one of the most important parts of the NBA All-Star Weekend. However, viewership according to The Street has hit the six million mark just once when Zach LaVine won the first of these two Dunk Contest championships.
But the numbers have dwindled since. While Mac McClung ensured there was a lot to look forward to this season, the NBA could look to bring more stars and former winners to the incredible contest.