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NBA changes All-Star Game format - no East vs West, captains to draft teams

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ts-captains-pick-team-conference-affiliations

The NBA All-Star Game is switching formats this season, as two captains will select the teams without regard to which conferences the players play in, the league announced Tuesday.

The players who win the fan vote from each conference will be the captains.

There will still be 12 players selected from each conference for the game in Los Angeles on Feb. 18. Five players from each conference will be selected as starters, with the fan vote being worth 50 percent, player vote worth 25 percent and media vote worth 25 percent. Seven reserves for each team will be picked by each conference's head coaches.

The new system will enable players from each conference to play against each other and will allow current teammates to face off. Starters will be picked first, so the 10 players voted in as starters will remain that way.


Last season, LeBron James led fan voting in the Eastern Conference and Stephen Curry had the honor in the West. All-Star voting will begin on Christmas Day.

The timing and details of the All-Star draft have not yet been determined, but it will be before All-Star Weekend. The starters will be announced Jan. 18, the reserves Jan. 23.

The format will add a layer of intrigue to the event, as the captains will have to consider an array of factors when making the playground-style selections. Past, current and future relationships between players might be considered when making the selections.

The change was part of a joint effort from the league and the players' union -- specifically union president Chris Paul. It was discussed over the course of the past few years. The league had revamped the voting system last season.

Hornets owner Michael Jordan, as the chairman of the owners' labor relations committee, was heavily involved in making the change on the league side.


"I'm thrilled with what the players and the league have done to improve the All-Star Game, which has been a priority for all of us," Paul said. "We're looking forward to putting on an entertaining show in L.A."

The coaches will be determined the same way as in the past. The coach with the best record two weeks before the game in each conference will get the honor of leading the team selected by the captain of his conference.

Steve Kerr of the Warriors and Brad Stevens of the Celtics are ineligible because they coached last year.
 

Goro Majima

Kitty Genovese Member
When every player is moving to the west, kinda have to make a change to make the game competitive I guess.
 
LeBron-Kyrie-.png
 

Anth0ny

Member
they had to tbh. west is so stacked this year it's ridiculous.

it'll be interesting to see who the players draft and how they troll teammates
 
How long before they start addressing the Playoff disparity? The League is still at a point where, a team in the West can have a winning record and be at risk of getting blocked out of making the playoffs.
 

Kettch

Member
This should be entertaining, as long as they do interviews and allow trash talking and stuff.

The game itself will still be incredibly boring as long as it's meaningless, but that's what the dunk/3-point contests are there to make up for.
 

TSM

Member
I'm not sure how this addresses the fact that the game is a 48 minute layup line. I'm not expecting a game that will be any better than that snooze-fest last season.
 

Kickz

Member
Westbrook about to not pick any Goldenstate Warriors as starters lol.

Gonna be eyeing KD, and then picking Paul Millsap
 
Westbrook about to not pick any Goldenstate Warriors as starters lol.

Gonna be eyeing KD, and then picking Paul Millsap

The captains have to pick from the starters voted in by the fans first. So if its Lebron and Curry, and Lebron gets first pick, he can draft Kawhi or KD. It keeps going until the 10 fan voted folks are picked, then they can pick the bench however.
 

offtopic

He measures in centimeters
As long as game is irrelevant and non-competitive (they won't step in front or even try to stay in front of any player driving for a dunk) the teams they pick won't matter at all. It'll be all about relationships and not basketball.
 

nasax

Member
So... the game still doesn't mean anything? It'll be more of the same thing, just dunking and chucking? Pass. I'm a big bball fan and I checked out of the All-Star game the past decade. I rather watch the 3 point contest or any of those game-y types of competitions.
 

Umbooki

Member
The game is still gonna be ass, though. The last time I enjoyed the All-Star Game was back in 2012 when Wade broke Kobe's nose. Ever since then, dudes have been mailing it in.
 

jmizzal

Member
NFL did this for a few years and I didnt like it

If they are gonna do this then make the playoffs the top 16 teams regardless of division
 
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