For the first time ever, the NBA All Star Game and Skills Challenge will take place on the same day. Normally, the Skills Challenge, highlighted by the 3-Point and Dunk Contest, take place on Saturday night but not this year. This year, the 3-Point Contest is before the All Star Game and the Dunk Contest is during halftime. While different from the years past, these are all ways to give NBA fans the entertainment featuring the league’s best talent. And nothing makes this more apparent than the stat line during the All Star Game.
It’s no surprise that this weekend is meant to be break for the major stars and a chance to have fun. But in the most recent years, the All Star Game has turned into a glorified pick up game. The first three quarters are full of high-flying dunks, crazy shots, and amazing moves. When the 4th quarter rolls around, the best 5 players on each team decided to take it serious again. It almost feels like playoff basketball.
I mean look at the final score from 2017. The West beat the East 192 to 182. Even last year with the shift to a captain format, Team Lebron beat Team Giannis 157 to 155. It’s apparent these games are about the fans and less about which team is better than the other. And if I’m being quite honest, I don’t mind it. The long, grueling nature of an NBA season is a lot. I can only imagine how the players feel. This is a chance for them to have fun and recover. Even for the players not participating in All Star Weekend, it’s a rest.
So, as we watch the festivities this year, let’s cherish what we have. These are the best players in the world going head to head on one stage. I personally think Team Lebron takes it over Team Durant, but we will just have to wait and see. So let’s all sit back, relax, and enjoy this great entertainment.
Caleb Michael 