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The NBA All-Star Game is commonly criticized these days. Despite the superstar talent that fills up the rosters, the game has lacked any substance or entertainment value because players give minimal effort, especially on the defensive end. The game has become a glorified dunk contest/highlight reel compilation, and that is why the NBA has been experimenting with new formats for years in order to try and bring respect back to the game.
After all, the All-Star Game used to be must-watch TV. Fans will hope that the 2025 NBA All-Star Game will be worth watching, but the odds are in favor of it being yet another dud. With this recent trend in mind, we decided to ask ChatGPT what the worst NBA All-Star Games ever have been. So, check out the gallery to see what artificial intelligence has to say.
1. 2017 NBA All-Star Game
ChatGPT's reasoning:
- Final Score: West 192, East 182
- Analysis: This game is often criticized for its complete lack of defense and the sheer lack of intensity. While the high-scoring nature of the game (the highest-scoring All-Star game in history) may seem exciting at first glance, the game was seen as a glorified layup line. Players casually jogged up and down the court, with no real sense of competition or urgency. This version of the All-Star Game felt more like a practice session than an actual showcase of top-tier talent. The absence of defense, combined with a disjointed, “freestyle” style of play, led many fans to feel the event was more of a spectacle than a competitive game.
ClutchPoints' analysis:
The 2017 NBA All-Star Game was the highest-scoring game of its kind ever until the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. Both sides combined for 374 points. Anthony Davis took home MVP honors after a then-record 52 points, and Russell Westbrook added 41 points in his own right. This game made the NBA realize that they had a scoring/lack of defense problem, so the league would move on from the Western Conference vs. Eastern Conference format that had lasted forever until then.
There have been plenty of All-Star Games that seemed more like practice sessions or layup lines than actual competitive games. This game is the ultimate poster child for that, though, and it served as the last straw for the NBA before they were left with no choice but to seek solutions.
2. 2014 NBA All-Star Game
ChatGPT's reasoning:
- Final Score: Western Conference 163, Eastern Conference 155
- Analysis: The 2014 All-Star Game was a high-scoring affair, but it was also marred by the same problem: an extreme lack of defense. The Western Conference won in a game where both teams combined for over 300 points, but much of the scoring came from uncontested shots and fast breaks. The players seemed more focused on individual highlights than actual team-oriented basketball. The lack of competitive spirit, combined with a lack of defensive effort, made the game feel more like an exhibition than a celebration of elite basketball talent.
ClutchPoints' analysis:
The lack of defense, effort, and intensity in NBA All-Star Games started a few years before 2017. While the 2014 game wasn't quite as bad, it was still an offensive showcase that lacked any real competitive value. It was the first game where a team scored more than 160 points (the West scored 163), and at least one team has exceeded 160 points in every All-Star Game but one ever since.
While it was certainly high-scoring, especially for its time, we actually don't think it was one of the worst All-Star Games ever. The score was close (163-155 in the Western Conference's favor), and the MVP did more than just score. In addition to 31 points, Kyrie Irving also added 14 assists, so players actually were moving off of the ball rather than just sitting around while one player played isolation ball. Regardless of the outcome, the sleeved, one-colored jerseys were certainly an interesting choice.
3. 2002 NBA All-Star Game
ChatGPT's reasoning:
- Final Score: Western Conference 135, Eastern Conference 120
- Analysis: The 2002 All-Star Game stands out as one of the most forgettable due to the controversy surrounding it. The Western Conference team dominated the game, but the lack of meaningful competition left fans disappointed. The most memorable aspect of this game was the absence of key players due to injury, including Michael Jordan (who was in his final All-Star appearance but had suffered an injury earlier in the season). The game lacked the star power needed to make it memorable and felt like a missed opportunity.
ClutchPoints' analysis:
While there have been plenty of bad NBA All-Star Games, we don't think the 2002 rendition of the game was one of them. ChatGPT is correct in saying that a lot of the stars from the '90s were either retired or were not the same players they once were, so it is fair to say the game lacked starpower. However, it also ushered in a new era of stars. Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, and Dirk Nowitzki all made their first appearances in the game.
Kobe Bryant even won the MVP award for the first time in 2002. He'd go on to tie Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVPs ever with four, and now the award is named after him. Additionally, Tracy McGrady completed an off-the-backboard self-pass dunk that is remembered as one of the best All-Star Game plays ever.
Note: This was not Michael Jordan's last All-Star Game, as ChatGPT stated, but more on that later.
4. 2016 NBA All-Star Game
ChatGPT's reasoning:
- Final Score: Western Conference 196, Eastern Conference 173
- Analysis: The 2016 All-Star Game had some excitement with a high-scoring final score, but the overall vibe was underwhelming. It was clear that players were more interested in getting the ball into the hands of high-profile stars like Kobe Bryant, who was in his final All-Star appearance, than in actually playing a competitive game. Despite the impressive scoring totals, there was little effort to play meaningful defense or create anything resembling a competitive atmosphere. In many ways, the game felt like an extended farewell to Kobe rather than an exciting display of basketball.
ClutchPoints' analysis:
The reasons why ChatGPT ranked the 2017 NBA All-Star Game as the worst ever are just as relevant for the 2016 version of the game the year prior. With 369 total points scored, it was the highest-scoring iteration of the game ever until the following season. If 2017 confirmed to players that they didn't need to play any defense, then 2016 planted that seed in their head.
There were 48 more points scored in this game than any All-Star Game before. In fact, both teams beat the previous record of 163 points in a game by one team.
5. 2020 NBA All-Star Game
ChatGPT's reasoning:
- Final Score: Team LeBron 157, Team Giannis 155
- Analysis: Before the introduction of the fourth-quarter “Elam Ending” in 2020, the first three quarters were criticized for being too focused on entertainment, with players showing very little urgency. The game had no true structure, with players focusing on alley-oops, fast breaks, and individual highlights rather than actual basketball strategy. Even though the final quarter brought an intense and thrilling finish (thanks to the Elam Ending), the first three quarters left much to be desired, especially when compared to some of the more intense All-Star Games in NBA history.
ClutchPoints' analysis:
By 2020, the All-Star Game was no longer pinning the Western Conference against the Eastern Conference. Instead, the two top vote-getters (LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo) were drafting the teams. This was a polarizing choice that some fans loved and others hated. This was the third time the NBA used this format and the second time those two NBA legends were made captains.
It was also the first time that the NBA used the “Elam Ending.” Under this format, the fourth quarter was untimed, and the two teams played to a target score of 24 points (in honor of Kobe Bryant) higher than the leading team going into the final quarter of play. The Elam Ending, especially in its first use, was a big hit, so we have to disagree with ChatGPT including this game here. The game may have disappointingly ended on free throws, but it was still a thriller that came down to the wire. Both teams honoring Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna after their untimely and tragic deaths by wearing their numbers (24 and 2) was also a nice touch.
6. 2003 NBA All-Star Game
ChatGPT's reasoning:
- Final Score: Western Conference 155, Eastern Conference 145
- Analysis: The 2003 All-Star Game stands out for its lack of excitement. With the star power of legends like Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant on the court, it was expected to be a thrilling spectacle. However, the game lacked pace, and both teams showed little defensive intensity. The game ended with a somewhat anticlimactic finish, leaving fans with a sense that the players weren't as engaged as they should have been. The overall flow of the game made it one of the more forgettable All-Star experiences.
ClutchPoints' analysis:
ChatGPT was plain wrong with this pick. The 2003 NBA All-Star Game is one of the best ever, not one of the worst. The game went to two overtime periods before the Western Conference walked away with a win. This was a high-intensity, late-game thriller that saw Kevin Garnett take home the MVP after scoring 37 points.
This was the most recent overtime performance and the only double-overtime battle in the NBA All-Star Game. It was also Michael Jordan's final All-Star Game ever before he retired as the greatest player of all time.
7. 2023 NBA All-Star Game
ChatGPT's reasoning:
- Final Score: Team LeBron 184, Team Giannis 175
- Analysis: The 2023 All-Star Game continued the trend of minimal defense and a lack of intensity. The game had a few exciting moments, but much of it was played with little-to-no competitive fire. With superstars like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Dončić on the court, fans expected more than just a show of fancy dribbling and highlight plays. The lack of effort to win—despite the game's competitive format—led many to complain that the All-Star Game has become more of a spectacle and less of an actual basketball contest. Fans were particularly vocal about the absence of meaningful team play and defense.
ClutchPoints' analysis:
By 2023, fans knew that they wouldn't be turning on the NBA All-Star Game to watch a closely contested basketball game. It was well established by then that players only cared about avoiding injury and that they'd play zero defense because of that. This game did that reputation no favors. Jayson Tatum, for example, scored a record 55 points.
Even with how bad this game was, ChatGPT still probably should have ranked the following year's game (2024) as the worst. In 2024, the Eastern Conference became the first team to surpass the 200-point threshold with 211 points. The Western Conference squad had 186 points in their own right, too.
