“Best Players in the World Together”: Larry Bird Demands NBA Stars to Play Hard During the All-Star Game

Reigning champions Denver Nuggets’ Head Coach Michael Malone who was at the helm of Team LeBron had a close look at the 2023 All-Star Game. He decried the game as the “worst basketball game” he had seen in his life. Such criticism coming from one of the best coaches in the league rings alarm bells. Even a ton of NBA fans have bemoaned the fall of All-Star Game which used to bring some unforgettable memories. So, it is not surprising that 12X All-Star Larry Bird wants more competition during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. 

Larry Legend, who is the epitome of giving it his all on the floor, wants the best hoopers in the world to live up to their reputation. He wants fans to enjoy the experience of watching top players caring about defense and hustle. During the Legend’s Brunch on All-Star Eve, Bird prompted the current crop of All-Star players to show their mettle during the affair which will occur in his home state of Indiana.

“One thing I would really like to see is they play hard tonight in the All-Star game. I think it is very important when you have the best players in the world together, you gotta compete and you gotta play hard. And you gotta show the fans how good they really are,” urged Larry Bird. 

Given that the best players are coming together on the same court, fans often expect a show, even if previous years may have left them wildly disappointed. Therefore, Bird is pleading with the NBA All-Stars to treat the All-Star game seriously. Why does an NBA legend make such a plea to the best athletes in the league?

Is scheduling behind the dwindling standards of the All-Star Game?

Until the last decade or so, the All-Star Game used to be an exhilarating experience. While the offense has mostly dominated, the defensive prowess was also visible on numerous occasions. But recently, athletes are showing little to no resistance defensively with both shooting and driving lanes wide open at all times. So what changed in recent years? In 2023 Kevin Durant opined it is because of the scheduling that NBA players take it easy during the game. 

As per KD, with more rest days, the players are not in the zone. He alluded to the week-long NBA season break as a reason why the All-Star Game is not a pleasant viewing compared to yesteryear. On his Boardroom’s Cover Story, he commented, “All-Star Weekend for us as players, the draw is like an eight-day break. Even if you’re an All-Star, you still get those three or four days.”

He brought out Jayson Tatum’s example who has played in 52 out of 55 games and has lodged 35.8 minutes per game. Durant believes after logging such playing time, Tatum would want to not exert himself too much. He argued that in the past an All-Star player was playing a back-to-back and then just after two-three days of rest, the athlete had to participate in the All-Star Game. For Durant, this kept the All-Star athlete game-ready and more committed.