NBA Commissioner Adam Silver introduced a new tournament format for the All-Star Game on Sunday night, but players had mixed reactions to the changes. The traditional East vs. West setup was replaced with a four-team, single-elimination tournament featuring teams named after TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.
The tournament saw several breaks during gameplay, which some players felt disrupted the action on the floor. Trae Young of Chuck’s Global Stars stated, “I didn’t like it at all. I didn’t like the breaks.” The championship game had a nearly 20-minute break to honor the TNT broadcast crew.
Despite the stoppages, many players appreciated the competitive aspect of the game. Jaylen Brown said, “It was a little bit more towards the competitive side tonight.” Curry also praised the format change, stating he wanted to bring new life and excitement to the All-Star Game.
However, not all players were pleased with the changes. Draymond Green criticized including first- and second-year Rising Stars players in the tournament, saying it was unfair to veteran players like himself who didn’t participate in the event during their early years. The absence of injured stars also impacted the game.
Overall, while some players enjoyed the new format’s competitive edge, others had mixed feelings about the breaks and changes made to the All-Star Game.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43883874/new-nba-all-star-game-format-draws-mixed-reviews-players-criticize-stoppages