There is a saying that the NBA season consists of opening night, Christmas Day, MLK’s birthday celebration and everything after the All-Star Game.
Either fix the All-Star game or stop playing it. NBA East 211, NBA West 186. That says it all.
Competition is non-existent and all-out effort is a memory. Gone are the days when players and coaches cared about the outcome of the contest.
Tim Hardaway, a Basketball Hall of Fame member and five-time NBA All-Star attended the game and was not thrilled. He later mulled it over with former All Stars Dominique Williams and Mitch Richmond, who was the game’s MVP in 1995.
“You had to earn that MVP,” he said on The Carton Show on Fox Sports.
“We ran plays, set screens, played defense. This [game] was awful.
Hardaway is not the first former player or current fan who would like to see a USA vs. The World concept. I like the idea because it would force American players to take the game seriously – because the international team certainly would.
In fact, if two rosters of 15 NBA players were assembled with the USA facing an international team of stars, the team of the world would be favored.
I didn’t see the trophy presentation live because I gave up on the game long before it was over, but Commissioner David Silver was not impressed.
“And to the Eastern Conference All-Stars. You scored the most points. Well… Congratulations,” he said in a sarcastic tone with no expression.
At 63, I can remember when the All-Star Game was not televised live. The players didn’t care, it was about bragging rights. Like the NBA, the All-Star Game soared in popularity and TV coverage once Larry Bird and Magic Johnson arrived on the scene.
Their personal duo and the historic animosity between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers fueled spirited no-kidding-around basketball from both All-Star teams.
The NBA better get its act together, or its All-Star Game will be diluted into a skills challenge weekend – just ask the NFL.
In 1985, rookie Michael Jordan played in his first All-Star Game. Hardaway recalled the story that Isaiah Thomas purposely directed Jordan to the wrong bus, which delayed his arrival to Market Square Arena in Indianapolis.
Then, Jordan’s Eastern Conference teammates “froze him out,” refusing to pass him the ball. Players on the West team did their part by harassing Jordan when he did have the ball. No freebies, friend.
Knowing the importance of the All-Star Game, and not being enamored with Jordan’s attitude, veteran players taught him a lesson.
This is the All-Star Game the way I remember – and the way it should be.
The Reid Roundup
The highlight of NBA All-Star Weekend was the three-point shoot-out between Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Sabrina Ionescu of the WNBA New York Liberty. Each player used a regulation basketball and shot from the three-point distance from the respective leagues. Curry prevailed 29-26, needing to hit four shots from his final rack of balls…While not as ridiculous as the All-Star Game, the slam dunk contest needs to re-charge its battery too. For the second consecutive season, Matt McClung won the contest. The guy is a G-League player and not on an NBA roster. The league should rule you must be on an All-Star Game roster to compete – and participants should be financially incentivized to volunteer…Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons made more plays in the All-Star Celebrity Game than he did in some NFL games this season…Mecole Harman went from the New York Jets bench to the Kansas City Chiefs in October, was a Super Bowl hero in January and played in the Celebrity Game on Feb. 16. Amazing…Signaling that he expects to be released by the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson’s $45 million estate in the Denver area is listed for sale. I would buy it, but it just has four bedrooms…Former St. Louis Rams great Torry Holt was again bypassed the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters. He had eight straight seasons with over 1100 yards, with six of them being over 1300 yards and deserves enshrinement.
