Source: Stacy Revere / Getty
New energy has been injected into the Celebrity All-Star game with entertaining coaches and famous players. Plus, the 3-point contest taking on a new challenge with the introduction of WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu. However, the same can’t be said for the dunk contest and the All-Star game.
It’s not to be said that it wasn’t exciting to see the Eastern Conference stars drop 211 points compared to the West’s 186, but that might be where the problem lies.
It was the first time a team scored more than 200 points in the All-Star game, which proves that defense might be at an all-time low while players would instead put on an offensive masterclass. After all, Karl Anthony Towns came off the bench but was still the lead scorer with 50 points.
Even Commissioner Adam Silver seemed less than enthused upon congratulating the winning team after the exhibition game.
“To the Eastern Conference All-Stars: You scored the most points. Well…congratulations,” he said after the game.
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The Eastern All-Stars didn’t just happen to break the record; they did it on purpose after having 104 points at halftime.
“It’s never been done before, and that was a goal of ours to do, (so) I’m glad we did,”
Jalen Brunson told reporters after the game, revealing that during a locker room meeting at halftime, the players chose to make a concerted effort to hit 200.
Now, it seems like the players weren’t happy with the product but for a different reason: money.
According to T
he Athletic’s Sam Amick, players have expressed a desire to get paid for the NBA All-Star game, and it all stems from the league’s first In-Season Tournament that awarded the winner $500,000 apiece and the competitiveness was at an all-time high.
“As one league source shared afterward, when the players had talked privately about why they’d chosen this tough-to-watch style of play, the IST set the kind of precedent that won’t be forgotten anytime soon,” writes Amick.
See how fans are reacting to the All-Star game below.