The 2025 NBA All-Star Game introduced a new and innovative tournament format featuring four distinct teams: Chuck's Global Stars, Kenny's Young Stars, Shaq's OGs, and Candace's Rising Stars. The game took place on Sunday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco. TNT's "Inside the NBA" analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, and Candace Parker drafted these teams, adding a unique twist to the event. Despite the fresh elements, the absence of injured stars like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Edwards cast a shadow over the evening.
This year's All-Star Game adopted a single-elimination tournament style with a target score of 40 points for each round. Players shared mixed reviews about this novel setup. Trae Young, who played for Chuck's Global Stars, voiced his dissatisfaction with the format.
"To be honest, I didn't like it at all." – Trae Young
On the other hand, Stephen Curry of Shaq's OGs acknowledged that the format required some adjustment but ultimately found it enjoyable.
"We needed to change, needed some new life, new juice in the game, something kind of unexpected." – Stephen Curry
"Once we got into the flow of things, it was pretty good." – Kevin Durant
Shaq’s OGs emerged victorious in the semifinal against Chuck's Global Stars, thanks to pivotal performances from Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry, who scored 9 and 8 points respectively. Their team ended the game on a strong 14-7 run. The championship match witnessed Shaq's OGs overcoming Chuck's team, which boasted international talents. The match included a lengthy intermission of nearly 20 minutes for a tribute to the TNT broadcast crew.
Comedian Kevin Hart added humor to the event with his commentary and banter. However, his interruptions led to stoppages in play, which some players found disruptive. Jaylen Brown expressed concern over these pauses affecting the game's physicality.
"I would say it's not ideal to stop like that if you want guys to be physical." – Jaylen Brown
While Trae Young was critical of the format, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander appreciated the competitive atmosphere the new setup brought.
"But I had fun, nonetheless. I feel like it was a little bit more towards the competitive side tonight, which is a good feeling, a step in the right direction. I guess it's up to the guys that handle all that stuff to figure out what's next and how to keep making it more and more interesting. Hopefully, we get there one day." – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
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