NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hasn't been afraid to tinker with the NBA All-Star Game format over the years, introducing the Elam Ending as well as the “Captain” format for picking teams. On a recent appearance with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's First Take, Silver discussed some of the potential changes the league is considering for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis this season.
“We went to this captain, draft notion,” Silver said. “But clearly, historically, it was East vs West. So that's something we are looking at. (…) A lot of it comes down to reinforcing with our players and our teams how important this is for the fans.”
While the days of the NBA All-Star Game being highly competitive are likely long gone, a return to some of the game's roots with an East vs. West format could help simplify the viewing experience for fans.
East vs West Format?
The biggest issue the NBA has for the 2024 All-Star Game is improving the quality of play. For that to happen, there would likely need to be much more incentive provided to actually play hard and try to win (home-court advantage in the Finals, major financial compensation for the winners, etc.). As difficult as it is to say, the players are smart to take it easy and protect their bodies (and their money) by not risking injury since there are no actual stakes at hand.
Regardless, it seems clear that Adam Silver and the league office are focused on improving the NBA All-Star Game experience for fans moving forward. We'll have to wait and see what changes to the game and format actually take place this year in Indianapolis.
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