NBA All-Stars know lack of defense is a problem, but don't know how to fix it

INDIANAPOLIS — This All-Star Game was supposed to be the tipping point.

For years, the NBA All-Star Game has been criticized for the way it’s played, a collection of stars running up big offensive numbers while playing little defense, barely resembling the sort of showcase the game is theoretically supposed to be.

Increasingly aware of the risk of injury, the NBA’s biggest stars have played the game as an exhibition, showcasing scoring in lieu of any real defense, and the ongoing trend prompted increasing calls for change this week from legends like Larry Bird, from NBA commissioner Adam Silver, from the public and in some cases, from the players themselves.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Boston star Jaylen Brown called the game a “glorified layup line” last year.

All week long in Indianapolis, players were under siege from questions about making the game more competitive, questions they apparently asked themselves in the few private moments they had.

“There were some discussions, there were definitely some,” Brown said. “I’m not sure how successful that was.”

Western Conference guard Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns works to drive past Eastern Conference guard Jaylen Brown (7) of the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, during the 73rd NBA All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

The reality is the game featured less defense than ever before.

The East beat the West 211-186, shattering the previous record of 196 points, set by the West in 2016.

“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,” Lakers superstar LeBron James said. “I think the good thing that came out of tonight was none of the players were injured, and everybody came out unscathed or how they were before the game started.”

Players offered a range of explanations for the final score.

A handful, like Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey and the game’s MVP, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard, tried to suggest the high scores were due to offensive skill and shot-making, rather than a lack of defensive effort.

“The shot-making from the East was incredible,” Durant said. “Hard to play defense when somebody is shooting 30, 40-footers.”

But the reality is that it’s easy to play offense when the defense isn’t closing out on shooters, stepping into passing lanes or protecting the rim. When players took the ball to the basket, help defense was nowhere to be found, allowing both teams to pile up points at will.

In truth, the East set a goal of putting up 200 points.

“That was the goal,” New York’s Jalen Brunson said. “By any means necessary.”

Gregg Doyel: Tyrese Haliburton deserved All-Star Game MVP, but Damian Lillard was a pig

As high-scoring and freewheeling as the NBA has become, a team cannot set a goal of 200 points in a game that’s expected to be competitive, against a team featuring some of the best players in the NBA.

“I think it’s something we need to figure out,” James said. “Where is the median? This is what a lot of the games are starting to look like too. We wanted to get more pace into the games. We wanted to get more shots. We wanted the game to be more free flowing. We stopped letting the game — be freedom of movement, a lot of freedom of movement now. That’s what our games are like in the regular season now. They let us tighten up in the postseason.”

The reality is that the All-Star Game is an exhibition.

And there is little incentive to go all-out, especially considering the injury risks involved, risks acknowledged by most of the players at one point or the other.

“I guess guys are trying to figure out how to do that at the same time of having fun, being safe, being injury-free,” Brown said. “I guess more solutions need to be had.”

Therein lies the problem.

Everybody from NBA commissioner Adam Silver to the players involved acknowledge that the game is far from being played at full tilt, and a handful of players hinted there were some ideas thrown around in Indianapolis this weekend.

“I think that there are some ways,” Maxey said. “Honestly, I heard some other people saying something today, but I don’t want to steal their idea, in case they go out there in public and say something.”

Western Conference guard Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors works to move past Eastern Conference guard Tyrese Maxey (0) of the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, during the 73rd NBA All-Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

A lot of hints were thrown around in postgame interviews about ideas.

Nobody had details.

For all of the justifiable complaining that comes from fans, media and players on All-Star Weekend every year, the reality is the game is an exhibition, and players have much more incentive to stay healthy for the regular-season stretch run and a grueling, lengthy postseason.

“I think something could be done about it. I’m not sure what, but I think there’s a way to make it a more competitive game,” Lillard said. “I don’t think anybody is going to play in it like it’s the playoffs, but it’s a way to get guys to come to the table and just play a more solid game, I guess.”

MVP: These fans say Tyrese Haliburton should have won NBA All-Star Game MVP over Damian Lillard

Until somebody comes up with an idea that’s more than just a hint, though, the NBA All-Star Game will continue to look like the kind of offense-heavy, defense-abhorrent game that took place in Gainbridge Fieldhouse Sunday night.

A game that now essentially serves as an unsatisfying climax to a weekend that brings the entire NBA together in one city, celebrating basketball.

A lack of satisfaction that seemed evident in the voice of Silver as he presented the trophy to the East All-Stars after Sunday night’s game.

“You scored the most points,” Silver said, then paused heavily before each of his next two words. “Well. … Congratulations.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA All-Stars know lack of defense is a problem, but don’t know how to fix it