Feb 18, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Western Conference players during the national anthem before the 73rd NBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
The NBA All-Star Game could look drastically different as changes are being considered for the league’s marquee weekend in San Francisco in February.
ESPN reported Friday that a four-team format is being considered for a mini-tournament that would take place over the weekend.
Instead of the traditional East vs. West, the NBA All-Stars would be divided into three teams. Those teams would wait for the winner of the Rising Stars Game to complete the four-team field, with a semifinal and final round.
The report indicated that the NBA has considered the plan for at least six months.
The competitive nature of the game has been in question for some time, and the All-Star Game itself has undergone rule changes in recent years. Between 2020 and 2023, the game was played with a target score in the fourth quarter, but that format was abandoned last season.
Last year’s All-Star Game in Indianapolis was of particular concern after the Eastern Conference scored a 211-186 victory over the Western Conference. It was the first time in All-Star Game history that the winning team accumulated 200 points, while the 397 total points were a game record.
Also being considered is an expansion of the three-point shooting contest that took place between Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Sabrina Ionescu of the WNBA’s New York Liberty, and which Curry won. Former Warriors shooter and current Dallas Mavericks player Klay Thompson could join that format along with Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.
–Field level media
2024-11-15 23:58:00