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While Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was prepping his Mavericks to take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, he commented on the NBA’s new All-Star Game format for 2025. While Kidd understands the NBA’s desire to make the All-Star Game more competitive, he hopes the new format achieves that in its latest effort for the year, per Clutchpoints’ Joey Mistretta.
“They are trying to figure out how to make the All-Star game fun, competitive. Hopefully, this is the answer; they are running out of options… Can always go back to East-West,” Kidd said.
Over 24 hours after the announcement, Kidd isn’t the first to suggest that the NBA return to its classic All-Star game format, with the Eastern Conference All-Stars facing off against the Western Conference All-Stars. When a reporter asked for his opinion on the new format, Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant shared the same All-Star Game take as Kidd. Durant’s hopeful it’ll work but still hates the idea overall.
Durant didn’t hold back in his response, per PHNX Sports’ Gerald Bourguet.
“I hate it. Absolutely hate it. Terrible. All-Star Game’s format changing, all the formats, is terrible in my opinion,” Durant said. “We should just go back to East-West and just play the game. I think we’re just trying to bring back that flare, somehow, with the All-Star Weekend, but I think we just keep it traditional. We’ll see how this one works – you never know, I might be wrong. I’m just another guy with nothing but an opinion, but we’ll see how it works.”
Instead of electing two All-Star captains to pick their teams in a draft, the NBA will feature a four-team, three-game tournament— the first team to score 40 wins. Three teams of eight All-Stars will be drafted, and the fourth team will comprise the Rising Star Challenge winner.
Why Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving missed Mavericks practice
Dallas Mavericks stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving didn’t practice Tuesday due to their respective nagging injuries, which forced head coach Jason Kidd to take precautionary measures. Doncic, who has a left knee contusion, sat out of practice, while Irving, who has a sore right shoulder, joined him on the sidelines, per Dallas Morning News’ Mike Curtis.
“Jason Kidd said Luka Doncic (left heel contusion) and Kyrie Irving (right shoulder soreness) did not practice today. Naji Marshall (illness) and Maxi Kleber (illness; fractured rib) returned to practice,” Curtis reported.
The Mavericks will host the Clippers on Thursday.
