NBA players participating in the new All-Star format seemed to like the tournament style of play, but had a lot to say about the long stoppages that seemed to drag on endlessly.
Comedian Kevin Hart entertained the crowd during the stoppages and Trae Young wasn’t shy about expressing his views on it.
“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, where Shaq’s OGs defeated Chuck’s Global Stars, had a break of almost 20 minutes due to a tribute to the TNT broadcast crew, in its final year covering All-Star Weekend.
“I would rather play without breaks,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But I had fun, nonetheless. I feel like it was a little bit more towards the competitive side tonight, which is a good feeling, a step in the right direction. I guess it’s up to the guys that handle all that stuff to figure out what’s next and how to keep making it more and more interesting. Hopefully, we get there one day.”
Jaylen Brown could be seen during the broadcast hinting to hurry up during the stoppages.
Jaylen Brown wants to get back to the game. 😂😂
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 17, 2025
“I would say it’s not ideal to stop like that if you want guys to be physical,” Brown said after his team’s win. “I think guys were still out there having fun. All the OGs, team old knees and old backs, we came out on top, so I don’t think anyone else should have had any excuses. It’s definitely not ideal.”
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