Shunned by the public and turned on by Michael Malone himself, who coached him, the 2023 All-Star Game will be remembered as the prototype of the match not to be played. It was a caricature and a few weeks after this poor show, the NBA had already announced that it was considering changes.
“No doubt: we will have to take a look at the All-Star Game”, said Mark Tatum, the league’s No. 2. “We’re going to talk about it with the players and make some changes for next season, to make sure it’s still a spectacle for the fans. At the same time, you have to be careful. It’s still a friendly match, so we don’t want the players to get injured. There is a balance to be found. »
The words of the leader of the league are confirmed if we follow the information of The Athletic. During discussions regarding the new collective agreement, the players’ union and the NBA brought up this subject in order to make the all-star game more competitive and interesting.
The All-Star Game has become a game between friends
The idea of returning to the old version with the Eastern Conference facing the West is notably mentioned. Because if the format with the two captains who choose their teammates had its charm at the beginning, no doubt it contributes to making the spirit of the All-Star Game even lighter, more oriented towards the “pickup game”, than towards a match played with a bit of discipline as was the case in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.
Several changes are therefore to be expected. We remember that the introduction of the “Elam Ending” had made it possible to offer suspenseful and pleasant encounters. Even if, basically, it is the players who will have the last word since they are the ones who hold the keys to this match, and can make it a great show or a match not to be watched.
