NBA Watch: NBA All-Star weekend a mixed bag for fans

A NBA Fantasy Draft could see LeBron James and Kobe Bryant on the same team

The NBA All-Star game took place in Orlando on February 26, and for some basketball fans, like myself, it was a weekend of fun and excitement, though for some other people I know, it was a rather drab event. For starters, if you look at the difference between the NBA and the NHL All-Star games, there are some experts who are calling for an "NHL-style All-Star game for the NBA." ESPN's Sarah Spain, for instance wondered how many people remember whether the East or the West have more wins? I know I don't. (She cited it at 36 wins to the East and 24 to the West, but really, how many of us care?)

I would love to see the NBA adopt an NHL-style All-Star game where two captains are chosen and they draft a roster full of players. Imagine a game seeing Dwyane Wade take on LeBron James, or Kevin Durant face off against teammate Russell Westbrook. Something like that would only be possible if the NBA does away with their current East vs. West format. The NHL All-Star Draft has been around for two years now, and I'm sure it's nerve-racking for seasoned professionals to sit and wait to hear their name being called out, something basketball players should go through as well.

I've got no problems with the All-Star weekend, although I will tell you that I miss the slam dunk contest. Remember Vince Carter in 2000? Remember "Superman" Dwight Howard in 2008? Those are two classic contests that come to my mind instantly. Even Blake Griffin last year wasn't bad. This year, however, I did not enjoy the show. Not to take anything away from Jeremy Evans – he tried to put on a show, dunking two balls over teammate Gordon Hayward as well as the dunk over comedian Kevin Hart, which he completed in a Karl Malone jersey – but you have to remember that JaVale McGee dunked three balls simultaneously while Blake Griffin jumped over a car last year. There were significant changes to the rules this year: no judges, 100 per cent fan voting and only one round with three dunks per contestant as opposed to the traditional tworound contest. All of this promised something new but sadly it all fell flat as we saw a lot of attempts we've seen before but with diminishing returns. The biggest problem, in my opinion, was the absence of judges. To base the competition entirely on fan voting was not the best move.

The three-point contest is the other prolific event of the All-Star weekend, and it was Minnesota all the way. Kevin Love gave the struggling franchise something to cheer about as he took home the honours. The franchise has had little to cheer about ever since Kevin Garnett left in 2007. What makes Love's victory even sweeter is the fact that he rotates playing as a centre or as power forward – positions that do not demand a great shooting percentage. The fact that Love won this contest also shows that he not only has range, but shows that teams need to respect him on the line, a move that draws big defenders away from the paint, which could open up possibilities under the basket.

The All-Star game itself promised much with the classic East vs. West matchup (or as some columnists put it, Durant and Bryant vs. James and the East). As an exhibition game, it promised a lot of fun and it did deliver, with the East having to cut a 21-point deficit to just one point, but failing to convert that into the win. James finished the night with 36 points while his teammate Wade finished with a triple-double. The real winners of the night were Durant and Bryant. Durant took home the MVP title, another feather in his cap, while Bryant took home a scoring record, breaking Michael Jordan's record of 262 points.

I guess that even though the All- Star weekend is a lot of fun for athletes and fans alike, it's about time the league brings about some sort of change. A fantasy draft is a great way to show off player personalities, make way for never-beforeseen matchups (remember the Sedin twins playing against each other in last year's NHL All-Star game?) and add another level of behind-the-scenes access to the game's superstars. It's time for the NBA to follow the NHL's lead and step into the future. After 61 years, it's time a change was made. Are you listening, David Stern?

Originally Written for the Interrobang:http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8253&sectionID=4&issueID=199
Image Credit: http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/11/57/16/2552744/3/628x471.jpg
Video Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aNj8KYn3-U