The NBA is contemplating holding a tournament-style occasion for the All-Star Game, just like what has been used within the Rising Stars competitors lately, two individuals accustomed to the plan mentioned Friday.
The individuals, who spoke to The Associated Press on situation of anonymity as a result of no modifications have been finalized, mentioned the thought had been mentioned for a number of weeks and was mentioned additional throughout a contest committee assembly Friday.
The thought facilities on splitting the 24 All-Star alternatives into three groups of eight gamers, with the fourth staff more likely to be the winner of the Rising Stars competitors to be held earlier that weekend.
The modifications will go into impact beginning with this season’s All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, set for Feb. 14-16.
It is just not but clear how the voting course of would change. Fans, gamers and media had been a part of a considerate system to decide on the starters, whereas the coaches chosen the reserves. Under the proposed format, there can be no reservations, so it’s doubtless that each one 4 voting our bodies would play a job in deciding on the 24-player pool.
It can be unclear: how the selection of coaches would work. Typically, teaching staffs from groups main the Eastern and Western Conferences are invited to teach the All-Star Game, however now, with three or 4 groups concerned, extra coaches could also be wanted.
ESPN first reported the thought of the modifications on Friday.
Commissioner Adam Silver said as much earlier this month that the league desires to vary the format of the All-Star Game, with the hope that it may turn out to be extra aggressive. The East beat the West 211-186 final season, combining to get the most points within the sport’s 73-year historical past and marking the primary time a staff surpassed 200 factors.
“We are different codecs,” Silver mentioned Nov. 2, with out specifying what would possibly change. “I believe there is not any doubt that the gamers had been additionally disillusioned with final yr’s All-Star Game. We all need to do a greater job offering competitors and leisure for our followers.”
The league has tinkered with the All-Star components a number of occasions lately. Among the makes an attempt had been to eradicate the outdated East-vs-West format for a draft chosen by staff captains and transfer to an untimed fourth quarter with a goal rating to make sure the sport ended with a made shot.
Last yr’s sport returned to the normal format: 4 full 12-minute quarters, East versus West. And it was nothing if not an offensive showcase, with the groups combining for 168 3-point makes an attempt.
So this yr, the NBA is on the verge of attempting one thing new, at the least for the All-Stars. The rookie-sophomore sport was canceled just a few years in the past for the Rising Stars match, the place the very best first- and second-year gamers are divided into 4 groups. Two groups play, then the opposite two groups play, and the winners meet to determine the Rising Stars champion. They’re shorter bursts of basketball, and which may attraction to All-Star gamers greater than the 48-minute sport.
Silver enlisted Golden State star Stephen Curry, amongst different gamers, to discover a strategy to make the All-Star Game extra aggressive this season. Members of the National Basketball Players Association’s management staff have been concerned in talks in regards to the present All-Star modifications, the sources mentioned.
There had been components added to final yr’s All-Star Weekend that labored, like Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu 3-point game that the league desires to convey again this season, doubtless with Caitlin Clark and maybe Klay Thompson concerned to make it a 2-on-2 format.
“When you take a look at the curiosity when it comes to viewership final yr, one of many highlights was the shootout between Sabrina and Steph,” Silver mentioned earlier this month. “So, we need to do extra.”
Associated Press reporting.
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