We all know the NBA All-Star game has been a joke for the last few years. The players rarely play defense, the game becomes a dunk contest and it is just awful. The NBA has a plan to change that and make the game more competitive. The NBA announced it will raise the prize money of the winning roster, the winners will receive a 100k bonus for winning the game. That is a 75,000 difference from the losing team and a 50K increase for the winners compared to previous years.
The All-Star weekend will be held February 16-18 in Los Angeles.
Several players had a few comments when asked about the difference here is what several players told ESPN.
Al Horford –
Boston Celtics forward Al Horford told ESPN. “Well, I would like to think so, I think guys will definitely take the game more seriously. In the last couple of years, the games haven’t been good, and we’re all aware of that. Regardless of that, I think guys are going to come out and compete. But that’s a big incentive, for sure. We’re going to be diving for loose balls out there.”
Kyrie Irving –
Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving said, “That’ll certainly make it more interesting, That’s a huge difference.”
Klay Thompson –
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, “I think it will help, for sure. That’s a lot of money, It will definitely help.”
This year the NBA also implemented a new format for the all-star game. Sort of like a pickup game in a park, the NBA allowed the leading vote-getters from each respected conference to be named captain (East, LeBron – West, Curry) and both players drafted their own team for the big game.
The lineups for both teams are the following
Team LeBron James: drafted Kevin Durant and fellow starters Irving, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins, along with reserves Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Victor Oladipo, Kristaps Porzingis and John Wall. After DeMarcus Cousins suffered a season-ending injury the NBA voted Paul George was voted as an injury replacement for Cousins.
Team Stephen Curry: drafted starters Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, James Harden and Joel Embiid and reserves Damian Lillard, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Kyle Lowry, Thompson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Al Horford.