A yr after arguably the worst All-Star game in NBA historical past, the league is ready to make wholesale modifications to make the annual exhibition affair extra aggressive.
Final week, a report suggested that the All-Star Sport can be transformed right into a match format between 4 separate groups of eight gamers every, the final of which is able to function the winner of the Rising Stars Sport. Now, extra particulars have emerged.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on the foundations for the brand new four-team match that can be held in San Francisco on Feb. 16, 2025.
- Two semifinals can be performed, pitting Crew 1 towards 3 and Crew 2 versus Crew 4. The primary two groups to achieve 40 factors will advance.
- The finals can be performed as much as 25 factors.
- All three video games can be held on All-Star Sunday.
- As is custom, the fourth crew, that includes solely rookies or sophomores, will play the Rising Stars Sport on All-Star Saturday to advance to the tourney.
The Athletic supplied extra particulars, particularly on the teaching entrance.
“Relating to who coaches the 4 groups, quite a few league officers agree the coach of the highest crew in every respective convention will direct two of the 4 All-Star groups. In line with two crew officers with direct information of league discussions so far, staffs from the highest two groups in every convention could possibly be concerned on All-Star Sunday, however different league sources stated that possibility had not been mentioned with all stakeholders.”
There may be uncertainty over the choice course of for the 16 All-Stars among the many three senior groups, particularly for the reason that NBA can be getting rid of the East versus West idea. One would assume the 16 gamers receiving probably the most votes (by way of followers, gamers and coaches) will make the rosters and get break up into three squads. As for the opponents for the Rising Stars Sport, the league workplace sometimes picks the most effective rookies and sophomores and pits them towards one another in two separate groups. That course of is more likely to be retained.
Whereas the match format is a first-of-a-kind initiative, the NBA tried out the pickup-style factors system on the 2020 All-Star Sport when the scores were reset to 0-0 at first of the fourth quarter. The primary crew to achieve 24 factors within the fourth prevailed. Moreover, through the 2022 Rising Stars Problem, 4 eight-man squads performed a semifinal and a ultimate, with the primary crew to achieve 40 and 50 factors, respectively, successful the video games.
Sure, it is all too difficult. Will it work? Who is aware of? This author feels a easy Crew USA versus Remainder of the World idea would have been a greater resolution to make the sport extra aggressive, particularly within the aftermath of the Paris Olympics. Nonetheless, the NBA deserves credit score for no less than tweaking the format after final yr’s catastrophe.
