The Western Conference defeated the East 192-182 last night to conclude NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans, which had a "feel-good party atmosphere," according to Doug Smith of the TORONTO STAR. There was an "odd conflict with Mardi Gras celebrations," in which parades "disrupted downtown travel, and the league had to spread out through about 30 hotels to find the necessary rooms." The league's FanFest "took a year off because there wasn’t available space" after the event was moved from Charlotte just seven months ago. But "everything went off without a major hitch" (TORONTO STAR, 2/20). CBSSPORTS.com's Matt Moore wrote New Orleans "remains the undefeated GOAT of All-Star locations," as the city "just shines as a true reflection of the soul of the NBA and the spirit of the weekend" (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/19). In New Orleans, Jeff Duncan writes, "If you came to the Smoothie King Center on Sunday night expecting to see an athletic competition you were almost surely disappointed." But the ASG "isn't about that and hasn't been for some time," as the talent is "too valuable to risk injury, the NBA season too long to invest anything more than Harlem Globetrotters effort." The event is a "rare convergence of hoops, hype and Hollywood, all under one roof." It "more closely resembles the Golden Globes than it does the Super Bowl." And judging by the "sellout crowd's enthusiastic reaction Sunday night and the game's burgeoning international popularity, that's just fine for everyone involved" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 2/20).
BAYOU BASH: In New Orleans, Jeff Duncan noted when the NBA decided to move the game from Charlotte, Commissioner Adam Silver "considered one destination." New Orleans has "always been one of America's most popular and experienced big event towns," and few cities "have the infrastructure and know-how to plan and organize an event of such magnitude on such short notice." NBA officials "knew this better than anyone after the success" of the '08 and '14 All-Star Weekends there. It was "essentially a one-horse race" to replace Charlotte. The league was "prepared to look at other markets," Chicago and N.Y. among them, but "really the event was New Orleans' to lose." The process of securing hotel rooms, transportation and "public safety plans around the normal Mardi Gras schedule was enormous to say the least." In previous years, the city "probably wouldn't have even considered trying to pull it off" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 2/19). But ESPN's Jay Williams said the weekend was "disappointing all the way around," as New Orleans "felt forced." Williams: "It seemed like it was missing something to some degree. Last time when they had the All-Star Game in 2014, everything was just so pristine, it was great. … It just seemed like it was a little bit more forced, which obviously it was, because they had to put the event together last second" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 2/20).
LACK OF COMPETITION? Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who coached the Western Conference team last night, said he would like to see the ASG be "more competitive," but he is "not sure how to do it." Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving said, "Going forward, the All-Star experience will probably get a little harder in terms of defense." Kerr "suggested incentivizing the players to win, maybe 'get their charities involved or winner-take-all type thing'" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 2/20). In Chicago, Teddy Greenstein writes the NBA ASG is "where 24 of the most competitive men on the planet turn into pussycats." Greenstein: "Seeing it in the flesh for the first time ... it's jarring." The game was "so uninteresting and noncompetitive." Greenstein: "I half-wondered whether Bud Selig had any ideas to improve it" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/20).
NO SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER: CBSSPORTS.com's Colin Ward-Henninger wrote NBA All-Star Saturday Night was "kind of awful," as players "lazily sashayed their way through the obstacles in the Skills Challenge." The night "concluded with the biggest stink bomb of all -- the dunk contest." Some are calling it the "worst dunk contest of all time" (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/19). SI.com's Rohan Nadkarni wrote the Dunk Contest "could go away for 10 years and save all of us a great deal of time" (SI.com, 2/19). ESPN.com's Justin Verrier wrote the Dunk Contest is "indeed not dead, despite the league's increasing love of the long ball threatening to upend the dunk's place as the premier event of All-Star Weekend." Verrier: "But on [Saturday], it wasn't exactly alive, either" (ESPN.com, 2/18). In Chicago, Greenstein, Bannon & Thompson write one "loser" from the weekend were the viewers of the slam dunk contest. The event was a "dud, other than a sick, soaring slam" by winner and Pacers F Glenn Robinson III. Another "loser" was the city of Charlotte, which lost hosting duties over the controversial HB2 law. A winner this weekend was "awareness." Greenstein, Bannon & Thompson: "Is there a league that does more for people in need than the NBA?" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/20). ESPN's Peter Rosenberg said, "People were disappointed by the performance in the dunk contest, and I think sometimes the dunk contest sets the tone for the whole week” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 2/20).
