LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers was selected as one of the captains for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, making his 20th appearance—a league record—in this capacity.

But the two sides played no defense and let each other score whenever they wanted, so it was hard to even call the game a match. In a relatively meaningless match, the Eastern Conference would ultimately triumph, defeating the Western Conference 211-186.

Although the East defeated the West with 211 points, an All-Star Game record, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver seemed unsatisfied with the outcome. Many have stated that the game has to be adjusted, but James thinks there are more complicated issues at hand.

“I’m not sure,” James said. “I believe it’s something we must resolve. The median is where? Many of the games are beginning to resemble this as well. We aimed to increase the game’s tempo. We want more photos. We aimed for a more fluid gameplay experience. We stopped allowing the game to allow for a great deal of mobility currently. That is the current format of our regular season games.

“They allowed us to improve throughout the playoffs. This debate delves further into how we might improve this game. It is evidently enjoyable for players to jump up and down. However, we are competitive people, and we don’t want score to be so free-flowing. The fact that no players were hurt and that everyone left the game unharmed or just as they had before is, in my opinion, the positive thing that happened tonight. Thus, the discourse is deeper.
Playing with Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic at the All-Star Game gave Anthony Davis some delight, but there wasn’t much for the fans to get excited about. It was difficult to overlook the All-Star Game’s lack of competition and consideration, and James is right when he says that players and the league must work together to find a solution.  Players will continue to treat the All-Star Game casually unless they are given a strong incentive to play hard since injuries remain their top worry.

LeBron James admits he’s not sure whether he wants a farewell tour.
LeBron James accepted that his career is coming to an end, despite the likelihood that he will continue to play at an All-Star level. He’s still undecided, however, about whether he wants a farewell tour for his last season.