Adam Silver might have done it; he might have just saved the NBA All-Star weekend. For as much scrutiny as he faced when the new format was announced and even more so during this week as tanking allegations have ramped up, All-Star weekend was saved on Sunday. The dunk contest was a mockery of the sport, but Sunday showcased the best all-star atmosphere in the NBA since before Kobe Bryant retired.
A format that featured three teams playing round robin style basketball over four, 12-minute quarters actually ended up being the one way All-Star weekend could actually be saved. It was Team World vs. Team USA (stars) vs. Team USA (stripes). Somehow splitting the 24 all-stars into three teams was the trick all along to bring excitement to NBA All-Star weekend.
Successful NBA All-Star game format has social media buzzing
Don’t just take my word for it, though. Social media is all over this new format after Adam Silver was slandered for changing the format yet again in a way that looked meaningless.
The players care, the one quarter round robin format is driving competition, there isn’t a concert every 10 minutes, Mr. Beast isn’t forcing children to do Hunger Games for $. We are fucking back.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 16, 2026
Who knew taking all the pomp and circumstance out of the All-Star Game and getting back to actual basketball would make the game competitive? Splitting everyone up into three teams now means players get to play more. Now you have more opportunities to match your talent up against the league’s best stars. This wasn’t about putting on a show like it has been in years past. This was strictly about basketball.
Sunday’s basketball has been the best part of All-Star Weekend … by far.
A welcome surprise.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 16, 2026
Most fun NBA All Star Game in a loooong time! Loving it!
— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) February 16, 2026
How did Sunday become the best part of the weekend? Well it started with an embarrassing dunk contest that set the bar really low. Then it turned into players finally having pride. Whether it was a format that was built to add competitiveness or simply the players feeling bad about a bad all-star product — especially with how Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 competition was the talk of the week and weekend.
Manu Ginobili is right, this truly has been the most fun All-Star Game in a long time. This was the first time that it actually felt like a basketball game and not just a bunch of players standing around, watching fastbreak dunks and giving up effortless offensive rebounds.
A lot of us on here gonna have to take the L on this one
— Yaron Weitzman (@YaronWeitzman) February 16, 2026
This is the most important point you could make on social media. We all attacked Adam Silver for yet another format change that, on the surface, looked pointless. The original format being the East vs. West was the standard. The litany of changes since, including having team captains and a draft, just watered down the event.
Most of us thought another change was going to bring more bad, unmotivated basketball. Instead it brought out the best of the stars. The young players were playing their hardest, the older players showed they still had it.
In one day, we finally got everything we ever needed from an All-Star game.
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