The NBA All-Star Game came to a wrap recently as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. took the win over LeBron James’ team. Although it was a dream come true for fans who admire the game’s offensive side more, there was plenty of criticism for the game. The main reason was the lack of defense during the game. Many, including Michael Malone, slammed the players for taking it too lightly. He even said that it was the “Worst basketball game ever played.”
Michael Malone wasn’t impressed by the lack of defense played in last night’s All-Star Game 😅
Agree?
🎥: @VicLombardi pic.twitter.com/xzYzlHH9Cm
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 20, 2023
This made waves on social media, as multiple reporters tried to get hold of the All-Star players to find out if they had a say on the matter. Interestingly, Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a unique opinion.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reveals what might motivate NBA players to take the All-Star game seriously
During an interview, Shai said, “There’s always…money talks. The more incentives, I think the guys will take it seriously. With that being said, it’s super fun the way it is now, I have no complaints.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on if the All-Star Game needs to be fixed pic.twitter.com/BwB30qcMzF
— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) February 20, 2023
Along with that, Shai also mentioned that there was no need to fix the All-Star games if they didn’t need any fixing. For the fans that don’t know, the defense that the players displayed on the day was nowhere close to how a normal NBA game is played. There was even an instance when players from both teams were ball-watching when Jaylen Brown had the ball and was battling against Jayson Tatum.
Players in the All-Star game need to play better defense so the game can be more competitive and exciting to watch.
Agree or disagree? pic.twitter.com/LAc641HaCl
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) February 20, 2023
Shai mentions that monetary rewards could be a motivating factor for the players. According to multiple sources, Team Giannis’ players received about $100,000 each as prize money. The players from Team LeBron, on the other hand, brought home $25,000 for their performance on the night.
It looks like Shai takes a dig at the NBA Comissioner Adam Silver and the way that the league is operated. He believes that the $100,000 figure should be increased so that players have a bigger incentive to perform at a high level. The NBA have not commented on the matter as of now, but it will be interesting to see the circumstances the NBA All-Star game will take place next year.