Columnists lauded the Elam Ending format for adding competitive effort to the fourth quarterNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The NBA "scored big with the Elam Ending" for last night's All-Star Game, which made the contest "more competitive and intense than in the past decade plus, something the league desired after years of no-defense exhibitions," according to Gary Washburn of the BOSTON GLOBE. The new format saw each team "playing to win quarters and then an untimed fourth period with the winning team needing to add 24 points to its combined score for three quarters" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/17). ESPN.com's Tim Bontemps wrote the format change "provided all the drama the league could have hoped for" (ESPN.com, 2/16). In Chicago, Mike McGraw writes the weekend was "certainly livened up by the new format" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 2/17). In N.Y., Kristian Winfield writes for the "first time, the All-Star Game was one that mattered, and the players, coaches, referees and fans treated the game accordingly." If this is what All-Star Sunday "will look like from now on, the league just got its biggest win of the season" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/17). CBSSPORTS.com's Sam Quinn writes the Elam Ending was an "unbridled success," and after seeing it in action, it is "hard to imagine an All-Star Game without it." The format is an "absolute lock to be reused in future All-Star Games" (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/17).
AGAINST ALL ODDS, DEFENSE: ESPN's Doris Burke said she was "locked to my TV" watching last night's game. Burke: "This was the best All-Star Game I've seen in 25 years. I thought the competition was incredible" ("Get Up," ESPN, 2/17). USA TODAY's Jeff Zillgitt writes the All-Star Game was "turned into a competitive affair down the stretch." Players were "complaining about calls, and the refs even went to the video monitor to review a play when Team LeBron coach Frank Vogel challenged a call on the floor" (USA TODAY, 2/17). THE RINGER's Paolo Uggetti writes it "actually felt like the end of a competitive game, but with elite players at every position" (THERINGER.com, 2/17). ESPN’s Molly Qerim Rose said last night's action "resembled more of a playoff game than an All-Star Game” ("First Take," ESPN, 2/17). FS1's Shannon Sharpe said, "I don’t think the NBA could have asked for anything better than what they got yesterday.” FS1's Skip Bayless: “The energy and the effort and the intensity in last night’s fourth quarter was beyond some NBA Finals games” ("Undisputed," FS1, 2/17). SI.com's Jeremy Woo writes somewhere along the way, a "real game broke out, one even the most cynical of observers could not deny was a galvanizing, competitive display by the world's best basketball players" (SI.com, 2/17). In New Orleans, Christian Clark writes the new format "made for the most competitive game in years," as toward the end, players "hunkered down on defense" (NOLA.com, 2/17). USA TODAY's Zillgitt writes this was "one of the more entertaining and competitive All-Star Games in the past decade." Players actually "cared, wanted to win, complained about referees' calls and no-calls and played a brand of defense usually not observed in this game" (USA TODAY, 2/17).
BRINGING THE INTENSITY: ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst wrote this All-Star Game was "great," made better by the "most intense play this weekend has seen in decades" (ESPN.com, 2/16). In Houston, Jonathan Feigen writes the All-Stars "played with passion, even with competitive fire" under the new Elam Ending. This "seemed to provide a wounded league and previously diminished showcase event everything it needed" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/17). In Toronto, Doug Smith writes the beginning of the fourth quarter was "as if a switch was flipped," which made the game "more memorable and entertaining than any in years" (TORONTO STAR, 2/17). In L.A., Kyle Goon writes the fourth quarter was "perhaps the most entertaining one anyone will see until playoffs begin in April" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 2/17). In Chicago, Joe Cowley writes, "What a final quarter it was. All-Stars were taking charges, diving for balls and playing defense at NBA Finals-level." Last night was the "ultimate pick-up game" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/17). ESPN Radio's Mike Golic: "That fourth quarter -- what a difference, not only for us watching it, but the players on the court as well." ESPN Radio's Jason Fitz: "How often are we saying that an All-Star Game actually lived up to the hype? And it did last night" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 2/17).
FOCUSING ON WHAT COUNTS: In N.Y., Marc Berman writes the All-Star Game was a "night of uncontested 3-point shots and terrific alley-oops" until the "all-important fourth quarter, when it became ferocious, foul-plagued, controversial, chaotic and thrilling" (N.Y. POST, 2/17). In Chicago, Rob Schaefer wrote after a "familiarly lackluster" first three quarters, the fourth was "electric." The offenses were "legitimately running plays, the defenses were scrapping" (NBCSPORTSCHICAGO.com, 2/16). In S.F., Scott Ostler writes three quarters of "sleepwalking, showboating and unwatchable basketball" were followed by one quarter of the "most intense and least-artistic basketball of the season" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/17).
LET'S HEAR IT FROM THEM: Lakers F LeBron James said of the format, "None of us knew what to expect. But throughout the whole fourth quarter and at the end of the game, everybody was like, 'That was pretty damn fun'" (L.A. TIMES, 2/17). Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo: "The format is amazing. It makes you want to play hard and compete against one another. Each quarter you have the opportunity to win, and it makes it way more competitive" (THEATHLETIC.com, 2/16). Team Giannis coach Nick Nurse: "Offensively, it was hard to get anything started. Even first passes were being denied. It felt like the end of a playoff game, which was really cool” (THERINGER.com, 2/17).
