After months of Adam Silver stressing the importance of having a more competitive product on the court for the All-Star Game, Sunday’s midseason showcase did nothing to stop the discussions over what the future of the event should look like.
INDIANAPOLIS — After months of stressing the importance of having a more competitive product on the court for this weekend’s All-Star Game, NBA commissioner Adam Silver doubled down on that front Saturday night, declaring, «I think we’re going to see a good game» in the NBA’s annual midseason showcase at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday.
But after the 73rd All-Star Game looked exactly like last year’s lackluster performance in Salt Lake City — with the Eastern Conference setting the all-time scoring record by becoming the first team to surpass 200 points in what was eventually a 211-186 victory over their Western Conference counterparts, Silver’s annoyance at what took place was clearly on display.
«And to the Eastern Conference All-Stars, you scored the most points,» Silver said flatly. «Well … congratulations.»
It was a fitting end to an evening that did nothing to stop the discussions over what the future of the NBA’s marquee midseason event should look like moving forward. The NBA threw its weight behind making this game a priority for its players all season long, with both Silver and Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations, repeatedly saying it was a priority for players to show some sort of effort.
Instead, it was another game with virtually no effort on defense and with little-to-no life inside the building — to the point where Anthony Davis said he thought his most memorable moment of the night was when the hype teams from the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers went through their dunk routines between the third and fourth quarters.
