NBA All-Star

2023 - 2 - 20

nba all star 2023 nba all star 2023

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Image courtesy of "Yahoo Sports"

Winners and losers from NBA All-Star Weekend, starring Jayson ... (Yahoo Sports)

From All-Star Game MVP Jayson Tatum to inflatable mascots and everything in between, your winners and loses from the NBA's weekend in Salt Lake City.

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Image courtesy of "The Ringer"

Winners and Losers From 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend (The Ringer)

Who stood out, for better or worse, in Salt Lake City? We break down Jayson Tatum's MVP, Mac McClung's win, and more from the star-studded festivities.

Maybe it was gamesmanship, maybe it was a favor to the NBA (after all, half the event was known as Team Giannis). If the pass is imprecise, the timing is off, or the dunk is missed, the element of surprise is gone and Murphy gets eliminated. The Elam Ending was praised as a savior concept for the All-Star Game itself, but watching the first three quarters was like getting a basketball lobotomy. [repeatedly and soundly dismissed the notion this weekend](https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/nba/grizzlies/2023/02/19/ja-morant-dunk-contest-nba-all-star-game/69921796007/). Mann: It could just be me—I’ve seen a bunch of these—but it definitely feels like All-Star Weekend is teetering on the edge of a cliff before this event enters a real era of free fall. Look, is it weird for a G League player to win the Dunk Contest? Kyle Mann:](https://www.theringer.com/authors/j-kyle-mann) The distance between his status among all the greatest basketball players in the world and his level of giving a shit this weekend is immeasurable. But when you consider that 99 percent of people in attendance didn’t know who he was entering the weekend, you’ve got to give it up to McClung for making sure everyone remembers his name. Early on and throughout long stretches of the game, several stars jostled for the trophy, but Tatum eventually separated himself from a pack that was highlighted by Donovan Mitchell (in what would’ve been a very sweet homecoming), Kyrie Irving, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown, who engaged his Celtics teammate in several friendly but spirited one-on-one clashes in the middle of the game. When turnovers, errant shots, and wasted possessions don’t translate to regular-season losses, the court becomes a playground for them to freestyle and test the limits of their ability. Sohi: For the second year in a row, LeBron and Giannis, the respective captains of the Western and Eastern Conference teams, chose their players in a pickup-style draft. Was it Mac McClung emerging from anonymity to win the Dunk Contest?

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Image courtesy of "USA TODAY"

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone calls 2023 NBA All-Star ... (USA TODAY)

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone had a front-row seat at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game and he was not impressed with the players' effort.

"There was no effort whatsoever," Smith said. In recent years, the league Malone coached Team LeBron in the game. "… NBA viewing future, more](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2023/02/20/nba-all-star-weekend-game-takeaways/11305187002/) [scored 55 points to break the All-Star game scoring record](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2023/02/19/tatum-scores-all-star-record-55-team-giannis-wins-184-175/69923347007/).

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Image courtesy of "ClutchPoints"

NBA All-Star Game: 3 best ways to fix it after 'worst ever' criticism (ClutchPoints)

The league may have to do something drastic to the NBA All-Star game to incentivize players to try their best once more.

Is it not incredible that teams have already played around 75 percent of their games before the NBA decides to take a break for their All-Star weekend? How else could the league give players a big enough incentive to fall head over heels for without actively affecting the postseason? Here are three steps the NBA could take to fix the All-Star game. Players could still end up just mailing it in, allowing others to score just to get the festivities over with. Watching players with nothing to play for, who wouldn’t dare do anything that would endanger their physical capabilities of suiting up for the postseason, simply do not make for a riveting viewing experience. Despite the presence of charities that would stand to benefit from quarterly wins from Team LeBron or Team Giannis, and the continued use of the Elam Ending, barely anybody played even a single shred of defense.

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Image courtesy of "USA TODAY"

NBA All-Star Weekend takeaways: Did Mac McClung revive dunk ... (USA TODAY)

NBA All-Star Weekend is complete, and with it comes the playoff race and some takeaways from weekend including dunk contest and competitive landscape.

Cleveland All-Star Donovan Mitchell said the Cavs are part of the group, but they might be a year away from true contention, But how many teams have a legitimate chance to win the championship? After watching clips of NBA and college football games in a brief demo, it is an amazing viewing experience. It’s competitive in the NBA this season. Cosm calls it shared reality because the idea is to watch with friends and other sports fans in a theater-style venue where you can also purchase food and drinks. Cosm announced a partnership with the NBA on Thursday and plans to open its first venue in Los Angeles near SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome in the spring of 2024, followed by another venue in Dallas. Discovery Sports expires after the 2024-25 season, and the league will seek a lucrative deal, impacting players’ salaries and the value of franchises. At least 12 teams in the East are competing for a spot in the playoffs. “I think that it would be an awkward position to say to a player: You must enter the Dunk Contest. Can McClung jump-start the event so that it regains its status as a must-see Saturday night event during All-Star Weekend, and will he return for next year’s event? “I think that’s a reflection of the incredible quality of play we have in this league.” Golden State might be in the final days of its dynasty and LeBron James could miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season – something he hasn’t done since his first two seasons in the league two decades ago.

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Image courtesy of "CBSSports.com"

2023 NBA All-Star Game dubbed 'worst basketball game ever ... (CBSSports.com)

The Nuggets coach didn't mince words after the non-competitive ASG, adding 'I don't know how you fix it'

These are the elite of the elite, and they're simply not going to risk their health for a game that ultimately has no bearing on standings. In the process, he caught his hand on the rim and was ruled out for the second half due to the injury. More captains, pick teams of five, have a round robin tournament with games to 21. We really don't need a traditional All-Star Game if this is gonna be the product. Joel was imploring some of the guys to play harder, to try to get some defense in. It's an honor to be a part of a great weekend, great players.

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Image courtesy of "Los Angeles Times"

NBA has a problem: All-Star Game is not much of a game (Los Angeles Times)

The NBA All-Star Game, for all its fanfare and pageantry, was a letdown with no defense or intensity leading to uncontested dunks and long-range shots.

Nikola Jokic, the front-runner for most valuable player — which would be his third in a row — admitted that he had no place out on the court. You do float that line of, for a guy like me that likes to play on the defensive side, when is it, at what point, do you turn the defense up?” The game itself doesn’t need to be good — the moments are what most people remember anyway. It was just a glorified layup line,” Brown said. One agent suggested that maybe if players had more time off before and after the game the product would look better. “This was like a layup line. On Saturday during media day when players get asked goofy questions, one reporter asked players like Jokic what it would look like if they disguised themselves and played a high school game today. “I liked the last format. It’s always great to have an opportunity to try new formats, new ways to spice up the game, spice up the viewership and things of that nature.” I liked the format on TV. “That was just highlights and layups and jump shots. I think it was a little bit — it looked fun, more fun, cooler, whatever the case may be.

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Image courtesy of "Sports Illustrated"

"I don't know what's going on with Giannis!" - Giannis ... (Sports Illustrated)

There was a supposed prior agreement that Giannis Antetokounmpo would choose his Milwaukee Bucks teammate Jrue Holiday to be a part of Team Giannis on ...

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Image courtesy of "Fox Sports"

'Really, really gross': NBA world's big issue with this image of three ... (Fox Sports)

With the event taking place in Utah this year, the league wanted to bring some hometown heroes into the mix with Jazz legends John Stockton and Karl Malone in ...

Like being a dirty player and elbowing people all the time. Jones was far from alone in condemning both Malone and the NBA for including the former Utah Jazz superstar and his involvement throughout the weekend. Basketball lovers were quick to call out the NBA for honouring and shining a light on Malone despite the moment proving to be a dark cloud on festivities. Malone was invited by the NBA to be a judge for the dunk contest on Sunday which was [Gordon Monson noting](https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2023/02/18/gordon-monson-karl-malone-ran-me/): “Malone initially denied paternity and later agreed to a settlement that reportedly did not require him to admit he was the child’s father.” [Nuggets coach Michael Malone labelling it “the worst basketball game ever played”](https://www.news.com.au/sport/american-sports/nba/nba-fans-condemn-horrendous-all-star-game-spectacle/news-story/fe448cd1f7eba67de853998138c1abe1).

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Image courtesy of "SB Nation"

NBA Scores: Jayson Tatum makes history in All-Star Game victory (SB Nation)

He cruised to the 2023 All-Star Game MVP with a contest-record 55 points on 22-of-32 shooting, plus 10 rebounds and six assists to lead Team Giannis to a 184- ...

The Magic find themselves in a similar position, but they’ve been putzing about the bottom of the East for far too long and continue to waste the youths of talented young contributors thanks to lottery trip after lottery trip. [Toronto Raptors](https://www.raptorshq.com). A play-in exit is likely, given their inconsistencies, but you can’t tell me this Orlando team — led by Rookie of the Year shoo-in Paolo Banchero, a rejuvenated Markelle Fultz, and the mild-yet-exciting Franz Wagner, among others — can’t feasibly take down either the [Orlando Magic](http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/?_gl=1*53cjny*_ga*MjA4ODEzNTEwOC4xNjIwMzIzNDMz*_ga_2M5GYNY1YS*MTY3Njg5Nzg1Ny40NjIuMS4xNjc2ODk4NDczLjYwLjAuMA..&_ga=2.33356414.1930221632.1676897857-2088135108.1620323433) [Philadelphia 76ers](https://www.libertyballers.com) in the final game before the annual leaguewide pause. [he’s averaged](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leonaka01/gamelog/2023#593-610-sum:pgl_basic) 26.4 points on 51 percent shooting (45 percent from three) along with 6.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and just a tick under two steals per game. Now, it sure looks like the [Boston Celtics](https://www.celticsblog.com), [Milwaukee Bucks](https://www.brewhoop.com), and 76ers will finish as the Eastern Conference’s top three squads, but the Cavs are just two games back from the third seed and five from Boston’s top spot. [Los Angeles Clippers](http://www.clipsnation.com/?_gl=1*1wkivr7*_ga*MjA4ODEzNTEwOC4xNjIwMzIzNDMz*_ga_2M5GYNY1YS*MTY3Njg5Nzg1Ny40NjIuMS4xNjc2ODk4NDgwLjUzLjAuMA..&_ga=2.97809759.1930221632.1676897857-2088135108.1620323433) The NBA world seemed mildly surprised to see the Cavs remain dormant at this year’s trade deadline, especially given how sure everyone seemed that they’d make a move to fill their “vacant” wing position. [NBA All-Star Game](https://www.sbnation.com/nba-all-star-game) will never be what it used to be. The rest of All-Star weekend belonged, naturally, to Mac McClung. He cruised to the 2023 All-Star Game MVP with a contest-record 55 points on 22-of-32 shooting, plus 10 rebounds and six assists to lead Team Giannis to a 184-175 victory.

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Image courtesy of "Mirror.co.uk"

NBA All-Star contest "reeks of arrogance" as coach names it "worst ... (Mirror.co.uk)

The recent NBA All-Star game has come in for some criticism, with Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone certainly not mincing his words regarding the ...

Smith stated that he'd like to see the players put in as much effort in the All-Star game as they do behind closed doors. What I am trying to say is that we do not need to see a basketball game taking place where you play harder in summer competition when you are working out than at an All-Star game. "If you can go and play harder in the summer when they work out, then you should be able to play that hard in the All-Star game. In that era players would see the leagues best players go at each other in an high intensity game. Joel was imploring some of the guys to play harder, to try to get some defense in. It's an honour to be a part of a great weekend, great players.

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