Steph believes changes can make the NBA All-Star Game competitive again originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center will be an opportunity for the Warriors to show the entire basketball world the beauty of the Bay Area and the continued growth around their home court.
Stars travel in groups to San Francisco and Oakland, while celebrities make their way to a plethora of events. Of all the festivities, the game itself has somehow become controversial. And despite the long list of superstars expected to perform on and off the court, all eyes will, as always, be on Steph Curry.
This should be his weekend of February 14th to 16th, above all others. He also knows the frustrations fans have had in recent years as players’ competitiveness at the exhibition event has declined year after year.
In a way, Curry understands where people are coming from. As a game historian, he also knows that everything has a balance point.
“It’s been an intense discussion for a reason because it’s about the fans, it’s about the product on the court for the All-Star Game,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area on the latest episode of “Dubs Talk” , which debuted Wednesday “But everything has a natural evolution, and it is compared to expectations.
“If you expect it to be like the All-Star Game of the mid-’80s, mid-’90s, that’s not possible for a lot of reasons. But if you’re talking about getting to a point where people will enjoy what they’re doing, we’re looking at it and it can work for everyone, I think we can get there.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in early November that he was considering changes to the game format and has consulted with Curry to ensure the league gets the best outcome for all parties. Silver himself expressed his disappointment with last year’s game, which saw a total of 397 points as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 211-186. The two teams also attempted an astronomical 168 three-pointers.
The league has tried a handful of different formats in recent years. Last season they went back to the traditional four 12-minute quarters with the best in the West against the best in the East in a game where defense was forgotten.
Now there is even more change coming. The midseason friendly will feature a four-team tournament style, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, citing sources.
This is how the competition works:
-
Players are split into four teams of eight: three All-Star teams and the winner of the Rising Stars game is the fourth.
-
The teams face each other in semi-finals, played to 40 points.
-
The winners advance to the final, which is played to 25 points.
The event is expected to mimic a fast-paced competition similar to pick-up games, with the winner advancing to single-elimination play. It’s unclear how the All-Star teams will be split, but the 24 players still likely include 12 from each conference.
Curry believes the final decision is one that players and fans can get behind.
“There are a lot of ideas floating around,” Curry said. “The league will probably announce something soon. You’ll be trying different formats and things that can make the game a little more exciting, add a little element of competition and create a manageable atmosphere.” The time when guys are expected to play at a certain level, because I think that’s one of the bigger things, especially when you have guys who play much later in their careers and are still All-Stars.
“You’ve got young guys playing heavy minutes night after night, and it’s not an excuse or a cop out, it’s just a different landscape now. You’re trying to fix all that. I think we can do that.”
Curry will turn 37 years old a month after the All-Star Game. LeBron James will already have turned 40 by then. How can they put on a show, take pride in a game that’s for the fans, and still maintain their bodies for the long haul?
By embracing change. That’s Curry’s ultimate message to fans and players alike.
“It’s obviously going to come down to the commitment of the guys who are selected as All-Stars to embrace it,” Curry said. “I think change is good, so don’t fight it.”
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
