Instead of one All-Star Game, there is expected to be a series of shorter games at the 2025 NBA All-Star weekend. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the new, tournament-style format will feature three All-Star teams, each with eight players on the roster, and a fourth team -- the winner of the Rising Stars challenge (which has used a tournament format since 2022). The first two games will constitute the semifinals and will have a target score of 40 points; the two winners will advance to the finals, which will have a target score of 25 points, ESPN reported Thursday.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has repeatedly lamented the quality of play in recent All-Star Games and stated that the league is open to tweaking the format. During his media availability in Mexico on Nov. 2, Silver hinted at something like this by saying the league was looking at not having a "traditional game format" this year.
Silver added: "I think everyone was disappointed in what they saw last year. It wasn't just the league, it was the players, as well, the players association. I think we all did what we thought we could, thinking we would -- particularly in Indiana, sort of the heartland of basketball -- somehow we would give it the college try, and we'd see a more competitive game."
Silver said that the league had confirmed a committee to talk about the issue with the NBPA and team representatives about trying "something new" in order to "excite the fans and also excite the players, so it's something they're enthusiastic about participating in."
The 2025 All-Star weekend will be held in San Francisco. Silver said league officials have "had direct conversations" with Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry about changing the format because Curry is "very prideful and wants to make sure that the players put their best foot forward."
Along with Curry, several other star players have participated in the discussions about this subject, per ESPN.
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