Former AL MVP Josh Donaldson of the Atlanta Braves has criticized the NBA All-Star Game for not featuring any kind of defense.
The NBA held their 71st All-Star Game on Sunday in Cleveland as part of the league’s 75th Anniversary celebration. Team LeBron James came away with a 163-160 win over Team Kevin Durant. Steph Curry ended up winning the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP trophy.
However, Donaldson called the NBA All-Star game embarrassing, suggesting that the NBA and NFL should stop playing such games. He also mentioned that the MLB and NHL All-Star Games are more competitive.
“Baseball is the only legitimate All-Star game in sports. You can’t go easy when a guy throws a 100. All the other sports besides hockey should stop having them. It’s actually embarrassing to watch,” Donaldson said.
It’s true that no defense was played in the NBA All-Star game until the final quarter. The stars turned it up as they tried to reach their target score of 163 points. The first three quarters had no defense at all, but it was very entertaining, featuring Steph Curry’s shooting and Ja Morant’s high-flying dunks.
Meanwhile, the NFL Pro-Bowl game was criticized earlier this month for its lack of tackles, while the NHL All-Star game took a ratings hit. As for the MLB All-Star game, the winning league no longer gets the home-field advantage for the World Series since 2016.
Donaldson is entitled to his opinion, but there are always two sides in an All-Star game. It’s an exhibition game between the best of the best that should mean something.
It’s also a showcase for fans who want to be entertained. At the end of the day, the NBA All-Star game also raised a lot of funds for several charities, which is quite heartening.
Steph Curry steals show in 2022 NBA All-Star Game
It was a homecoming for LeBron James as he returned to Cleveland, but it was Steph Curry who stole the show. Curry scored 50 points, and hit 16 three-point shots to shatter Paul George’s record of nine. He was hitting threes from way downtown up near the logo.
Curry was in the zone as he turned around in two of his shots even before it hit the bottom of the net. The two-time MVP did it in front of a Cleveland crowd that booed him at the start. Many legends were also present as the league celebrated the 76 greatest players in NBA history.
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Curry ended up winning the first-ever Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award. Meanwhile, LeBron James hit the game-winning fadeaway to give his team a 163-160 win over Team Durant. It should be noted that both James and Curry were born in Akron, which is just 45 minutes away from Cleveland.