A primer on the new NBA All-Star Game format

The 2017 NBA All-Star Game saw various scoring statistical records toppled. Anthony Davis, playing in his home court, New Orleans, went for an All-Star Game record 52 big points as opponents barely made any effort to stop him from getting to the basket. The East and West All-Stars combined for 374 points, the highest total ever.

Image source: nba.com

The lack of defense and competitiveness, in general, has caused a divide among NBA officials, players, and fans because many find it as an embarrassment to the sport.

Several changes to the midseason classic’s format were then announced to address this issue.

For the first time in NBA All-Star history, the game will not be a matchup between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars. Instead, it will be more like a pickup game where two captains draft eleven players each, regardless of conference affiliation.

Fan votes, player votes, and media votes will still determine who the starters are going to be. For each conference, the two backcourt players and three frontcourt players with the most votes will be included in the pool of starters. The top two overall vote-getters will be named as captains and will choose alternately among the 10 hoopsters.

The bench players, as in the past, will be based on the coaches’ votes. They will select the seven best remaining players from their respective conferences, and then the captains will again draft from this selection to complete their teams of 12 All-Stars each.

Image source: twitter.com

Hi! I’m Shaun Benderson, a huge sports fan. Because it is my passion, I’ve decided to create a blog where I can share my thoughts and analysis. Subscribe to this blog to read similar articles.</i>