How To Spice Up The All-Star Game

With the Melodrama that is the Carmelo Anthony saga, and the slam dunk contest featuring Blake Griffin the NBA's 2011 All-Star game certainly has everyone talking, except about the All Star Game itself. While most enjoy the high flying dunks and the skills competition the game, featuring the best in the world not playing any defense, scoring a million points, and making stupid plays, is merely an afterthought. But there are many things that the NBA can do to change this, however unrealistic they may seem, to bring the attention back to the All-Star game, and away from the parties, contests, and boardroom negotiating sessions between two desperate teams and a star player. Here they are...


Refs??? Who Needs Them

Because it is common knowledge that the All-Star game is merely the greatest collection of talent to play a pick-up game, the game should be rid of referees and the players should make their own calls. It always seemed silly to me after say Shaq took a free throw in Las Vegas bounced it on the court, had it go off the backboard, and dunked it, to have to see Steve Javie whistling him for a violation. The fact that there are ref's actually takes away from the seriousness of the game. Their laissez-faire officiating styles in the game can lead to blatant travels becoming layups. It also would be interesting to see some of the most serial complainers, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, and Kobe Bryant come to mind, arguing with each other about a call. It would make the game more enjoyable, but also a bit more serious.

Play Half Court

While this may seem illogical, if the All-Star Game was played half-court it would greatly benefit the game. So many of the games points come on plays where the defense doesn't get back and the offense just throws it deep and gets easy layups. Well playing on one side of the court puts an end to this by forcing all players to play defense. Without idiotic fast-break points the games would be much tougher defensively. Every player knows who they are guarding, and if they decided not to play defense it would be abundantly clear when there man embarrasses them in a half court setting and scores easily. This essentially forces teams to play D and would lead to more intense competitive games.

Automatic Sub's If A Player Is Slacking Off, Or Not Caring

The NBA All-Star Game certainly has great potential, but it is ruined simply because the players do not care. However if the coaches were forced to make a substitution every time a player forgot to get back on D, assuming they don't make it a half-court game, then it would motivate the players to play hard. The players love the exposure that comes with this game and if this rule was implemented they wouldn't want to be embarrassed by being taken out of the game only moments after checking in.

Let's Get The Legends

Imagine Rose, Lebron, Stoudamire, Howard, and Michael Jordan, against Paul, Carmelo, Durant, Bryant, and Magic Johnson. While it seems like the only way one could do this is on their XBOX 360 if the NBA had one legend on the court for each time team it would be a lot more interesting. It allows fans to play out their ultimate NBA fantasies, albeit Jordan is 48 and Johnson is 51. It would also be interesting to see players playing with their idols, plus who wouldn't want to see if those guys still had game? As a plus if Charles Barkley played, we could rejoice as he finally stopped talking...as Dwight Howard sent his shot into the 15th row.