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@ Undisciplined
2025-02-18 23:48:31
The Bill Simmons Podcast • An NBA All-Star Fix
https://www.fountain.fm/episode/tmtrPZd6RY2WLfJT5b7J
I think Bill Simmons came up with a really elegant fix for the NBA All Star Game.
# Basic Idea
1. Stakes: Go back to East vs West and they play for home court advantage in the Finals
2. Incentive Compatibility: Only players from good teams are eligible for the All Star Game
This is such a great blend of carrot and stick. Bill probably thinks and cares about this stuff more than anyone else. Real stakes for the best players on the best teams should get them to really try (and maybe not just in the All Star Game).
# Extra Details
- The would be All Stars who don't qualify for the main game will now play against the Rising Stars on Saturday
- Only 8 players per team: 8 East, 8 West, 8 Misc., and 8 Rising Stars,
- The main game has one Commissioner's Pick for each conference (for cases where one of the mega stars is on an underperforming team: i.e. Steph Curry this year)
- Consequences: Players who skip the All Star Game are not eligible to be selected the following year
Having a Saturday game and Sunday game creates a status differential that will motivate players to win more, so they can play in the "real" All Star game. While the Commissioner's Picks may not care about home court in the finals, since their teams aren't competitive, they will care about being eligible the following season, when they expect to be competing.
# Tweaks
I would add and tweak a couple of minor details from this proposal.
1. Each of the top 6 seeds should get one player (Bill only had eligibility for the top 5 seeds), with the other two slots going to the top two vote getters in each conference (I don't like the Commissioner Picks).
2. In addition to the top seed coach being the HC, the 2nd seed coaches should be assistant coaches.
3. The 3-point and dunk contest participants should also be decided by fan vote, with the same penalty for non-participation as the All Stars face.
I think this solves pretty much all the problems with the All Star weekend. What do you think?
originally posted at https://stacker.news/items/890041