Unlike the Dunk Contest, the All-Star Game is again under criticism, and the Elam Ending hardly helps. Two attempts at off-game entertainment worked well and must be taken to extremes. The observations on the All-Star Game 2023.
The players were repeatedly brought to the microphone during the All-Star Games 2023, more of which will be needed in the future. The draft before the game also benefits from the chaos. The game itself (184:175 for Team Giannis), on the other hand, is not fun for everyone, and the same is true for the players.
NBA All-Star Game 2023: Let the players do the talking!
As was the case on Friday with the Rising Stars Challenge, for the first time in the All-Star Game, some players were included in the TV broadcast during the ongoing action and sometimes even on the floor themselves via microphone. And just like on Friday, when Jose Alvarado, among others, caused a lot of laughter, this campaign was a success on Sunday too.
Luka Doncic was the first to get that honor at the All-Star Game, being brought into the live broadcast while standing on the floor after the game’s first time-out. At times he was too focused to talk, but he also found time for some funny replies.
For example, the commentators asked him to describe what was happening in his “brilliant brain”, Doncic replied dryly: “I’m just dribble the ball”. A little later, Doncic announced, probably jokingly, that he would be ready to take part in the dunk contest in two to three years.
NBA All-Star Game 2023: Even more microphones!
The conversations with the players live on the floor or on the sidelines were usually more interesting than the game. The TV crew, which included a woman for the first time in Candace Parker, tried diligently to recruit the best highflyers for the next dunk contest, but there were no firm commitments. Anthony Edwards said firmly that he would never participate as he prefers to put his opponents on a poster in the game.
But other creative questions were also asked, and it wasn’t the first time it could be observed: The players are more relaxed on the All-Star weekend than they have ever been during the season and talk more openly than usual about one or the other serious topic. The insights gained from talking to the athletes were perhaps the highlight of the All-Star Games and the league needs to capitalize on that further.
Defense is hardly played anyway and on offense single actions are usually enough to succeed, so one player could act as an additional commentator on the floor at all times. Where are the limits, do they have to be in an All-Star Game? Why not let the players currently sitting on the bench comment on the game? Ideally, they should record a podcast or a talk show straight away! In terms of sport, the ASG is sinking more and more into insignificance anyway…
NBA All-Star Game 2023: Is that even basketball?
“It was the worst basketball game I’ve ever seen” said team Giannis coach Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets) after the 2023 All-Star Game, where his team scored nearly 100 points in the first half. Above all, Malone criticized the lack of defense in the show game and feared: “I don’t know if it can be repaired.”
The non-existent use in defense was actually even more conspicuous than in previous years, the reasons for this are of course neither unknown nor discussed enough. The players are in the middle of a physically and mentally demanding season and they want to relax this weekend and above all not get injured, which still happens from time to time. As with LeBron James, it doesn’t look like the King will be down for a long time.
It goes without saying, however, that not every all-star simply gives away the game on defense. Malone named Team LeBron’s Joel Embiid as one of the players who encouraged his teammates to defend harder. Jaylen Brown was also not satisfied with the game after his second participation in an All-Star Game.
“It’s not basketball” said the Celtics guard, who saw the game more as a glorified layup run. Brown hopes for more intensity on the court in the future.
NBA All-Star Game 2023: An Elam Ending is not enough
A few years ago, those responsible for the league had considered a solution for making the game more competitive. With the Elam Ending, instead of a usual fourth quarter, a period is played without a running game clock until a team has reached a certain target value. The target is the leading team’s three-quarter score totaled 24, in honor of Kobe Bryant.
In this year’s game, Team Giannis led 158-141 after 36 minutes, so the first team to 182 points was the winner. The Elam Ending is intended to add intensity to the final quarter of the All-Star Game, as the theory is that players will defend harder at some point when they are just a few points away from defeat. This has worked well in the past. This year too, but only for a few minutes.
That was foreseeable given the high lead of Team Giannis, a comeback with only 24 points is extremely difficult, especially with the collective offensive talent of an all-star game. Accordingly, Team LeBron did not step up their defense until very shortly before the end. Even without a lot of defense before the end, you could feel how the Elam ending provided tension towards the end.
When Team Giannis needed only a few points, the fans in Salt Lake City cheered on every throw, and the Elam Ending guaranteed a game winner. In this case, however, this enthusiasm hardly affected more than the last minute of the game. What can be done for the other almost 45 minutes of the game?
There could be an elam ending in each quarter, turning the sections into four mini-games. Very simple: If a team wins three quarters straight away, it wins the game. If each team wins two quarters, there will be a crucial fifth quarter, which could also be shorter than the others. The NBA shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with the format. Because even the head coach of an all-star team admits that things can’t get any worse.
NBA All-Star Game 2023: The draft blossoms in chaos
The All-Star Teams Draft has always been interesting and entertaining since its inception, and with a few adjustments this year hasn’t changed. But on the contrary! Prior to this year’s edition, the draft was held for the first time right before the start of the game and in the presence of the players to be drafted. In addition, the reservists were elected for the first time before the starters.
The league wanted to prevent an awkward situation in which one of the reservists was left as the last pick. This did not prevent an unpleasant situation, this time it affected the starters. It was just a misunderstanding, as it turned out later.
At first it seemed that Nikola Jokic didn’t feel respected. He then caught a laugh, albeit at the expense of another All-Star. When it was just him and Lauri Markkanen left and it was LeBron’s turn to pick his next pick, Jokic seemed to choose James himself and Strolled over to the King’s side while he was still looking at his notes.
Laughing, James confirmed that he wanted to pick Jokic. And Markkanen? He looked a bit lonely as the only remaining player on the backstage, but he took it sportively with a smile. And Giannis also made the best of the situation by yelling his last pick into the microphone again with enthusiasm and welcoming the Finn warmly to his team.
Jokic’s action could be interpreted as slightly arrogant, but it was probably completely without ulterior motives. Jokic stated after the game, that he had not seen Markkanen and thought he was the last remaining player and therefore automatically with James. He felt bad for it and didn’t seem offended that he wasn’t selected sooner. “I wouldn’t peck myself either”, he said with a smile: “I’m not made for a game like this.” Also somehow significant to hear this from the mouth of the two-time, maybe three-time MVP.
