NBA All-Star Game Just For Show

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INDIANAPOLIS -- After months of stressing the importance of having a more competitive product on the court for this weekend's All-Star Game, NBA commissioner Adam Silver doubled down on that front Saturday night, declaring, "I think we're going to see a good game" in the NBA's annual midseason showcase at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday.

But after the 73rd All-Star Game looked exactly like last year's lackluster performance in Salt Lake City -- with the Eastern Conference setting the all-time scoring record by becoming the first team to surpass 200 points in what was eventually a 211-186 victory over the Western Conference -- Silver's annoyance at what took place was clearly on display.

"And to the Eastern Conference All-Stars, you scored the most points," Silver said flatly. "Well ... congratulations."

It was a fitting end to an evening that did nothing to stop the discussions over what the future of the NBA's marquee midseason event should look like moving forward.

It was another game with virtually no defense and with little to no life inside the building -- to the point that the Los Angeles Lakers' Anthony Davis said his most memorable moment was when the hype teams from the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers went through their dunk routines between the third and fourth quarters.

"I think it's something we need to figure out," said Lakers star LeBron James, who set a new record with his 20th All-Star Game appearance Sunday night but didn't play in the second half as he manages a balky left ankle. "Obviously from a player's perspective, it's fun to get up and down. But at the end of the day, our competitive nature don't like to have free-flowing scoring like that.

Then there was Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who admitted he wasn't interested in playing all that hard in an All-Star Game, period.

"For me, it's an All-Star Game, so I will never look at it as being super competitive," he said. "It's always fun. I don't know what they can do to make it more competitive. I don't know. I think everyone looks at it ... it's a break, so I don't think everyone wants to come here and compete."

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