NEWSLETTER
UPDATE: As rumored about a week ago, the NBA is reportedly returning to the East vs. West format for the 2024 All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
*ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS*
“You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me.”
Those words uttered by the great and powerful Thanos (immediately came to mind when I saw Adam Silver’s appearance on ESPN Wednesday morning. When addressing the 2023-24 All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Silver stated that he believes the event has potentially lost sight of the game itself. And the NBA could look backward for a solution to the problem.
“We’re looking at some potential changes in format in Indianapolis this year … maybe a return to something more traditional in terms of how the teams are presented. We went to this captain and draft notion. But, clearly historically, it has been East vs. West, so that’s something we are looking at. Maybe a bit of breaking news,” told Stephen A. Smith.
I was a pretty big fan of the draft concept when it was initially announced a few years ago. Likewise, the addition of the Elam Ending (aka a fixed score) has at least revamped some level of competitiveness down the stretch of games. But I’d also more than welcome a return to the standard East versus West format.
Theoretically, this should create a higher sense of competition. Each conference’s urge to prove they have better talent should create a better on-court product and a sense of team camaraderie. At the same time, I’d be lying if I said I think the All-Star Game will ever return to its glory days.
The fact of the matter is that we live in a different basketball era. Superstar players aren’t going to waste their energy in an exhibition game, especially when most are in the thick of a playoff race. So as much as I think a return to the old structure could ignite a tiny fire under these players, I just can’t see a world where it changes much in the long run.
You can listen to Adam Silver’s comment here:
