New NBA All-Star Game format draws mixed reviews from players - ESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — The new tournament format for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night drew mixed reviews, with several players taking issue with the breaks during and in between games.

The NBA eschewed the traditional East vs. West setup in favor of a four-team single-elimination tournament, with a target score of 40 points for each round. Three of the teams were drafted by TNT «Inside the NBA» analysts Charles Barkley (Chuck's Global Stars), Kenny Smith (Kenny's Young Stars) and Shaquille O'Neal (Shaq's OGs). The fourth team, named for Candace Parker (Candace's Rising Stars), was comprised of the winning squad from Friday night's Rising Stars event.

Players expressed satisfaction with the action on the floor, but pointed out Sunday's tournament featured too many stoppages, as comedian Kevin Hart entertained the crowd at Chase Center with commentary and banter that halted play on the floor.

«To be honest, I didn't like it at all,» said Trae Young, a member of Chuck's Global Stars. «I didn't like the breaks. The games were so short. Obviously, we can score. So, they're trying to, I feel like, trying to extend the game, extend the TV time with the breaks and things like that.»

The championship game — in which Shaq's veteran-laden squad featuring players such as Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant defeated Chuck's team of international talents like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama — featured a long break of nearly 20 minutes due to a tribute to the TNT broadcast crew, which is in its final year covering All-Star Weekend.

«I would rather play without breaks,» Gilgeous-Alexander said. «But I had fun, nonetheless. I feel like it was a little bit more towards the competitive side tonight,