NBA All-Star Weekend takeaways: Did Mac McClung revive dunk contest? NBA viewing future, more

SALT LAKE CITY – NBA commissioner Adam Silver made an interesting comment during his All-Star Weekend news conference.

“This has been the single-most competitive season in our history, as a measure of team records in terms of the closeness, measured by wins and losses around the season,” he told reporters. “I think that’s a reflection of the incredible quality of play we have in this league.”

In the wide-open Western Conference, nine games separate second place from 13th place, and nine teams are .500 or better.

And even though Denver is five games ahead of second-place Memphis, Phoenix’s acquisition of Kevin Durant and Dallas trading for Kyrie Irving have made the West even more compelling. Golden State might be in the final days of its dynasty and LeBron James could miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season – something he hasn’t done since his first two seasons in the league two decades ago.

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In the East, Boston is in first place but just a half-game ahead of Milwaukee, three games ahead of Philadelphia and five games ahead of Cleveland. At least 12 teams in the East are competing for a spot in the playoffs.

The final seven weeks should be fun.

Here are five takeaways from the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend:

Load management remains hot topic

At just about every NBA All-Star Weekend event you attended, load management was a burning topic. Now, if a player is injured, that’s different. But as The Athletic’s Joe Vardon noted, in a recent two-game stretch in Cleveland, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins (injured) and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t play.

While Silver acknowledged some fan discontent, he said, “The suggestion I think that these men in the case in the NBA somehow should just be out there more for its own sake, I don’t buy into. … Our stars are not missing that many games for resting. I mean, we have injuries. I think we would all agree that’s a separate issue. But sort of as a measure of single games missed, it’s not that bad.”

National Basketball Player Association executive director Tamika Tremaglio said players want to play, intimating players are told by training staffs that they should take a game off.

Behind the scenes, the NBA and NBPA are discussing potential solutions, such as financial incentives and tying All-NBA, MVP and other major awards eligibility to games played. “We hear it from our fans when players aren’t there. We think we can do a better job, but we don’t have a specific solution yet,” Silver said.

Mac McClung re-energizes dunk contest

Mac McClung, the 24-year-old dunking sensation who is on a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, gave the slam dunk contest a much-needed boost with his aerial moves. Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine did similar in 2016.

But it also took a guy battling to stick on a roster who has appeared in just two NBA games and none this season. Can McClung jump-start the event so that it regains its status as a must-see Saturday night event during All-Star Weekend, and will he return for next year’s event?

Some of the NBA’s biggest stars and best dunkers do not participate, and Memphis’ Ja Morant and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards are on record saying they won’t participate in the dunk contest. There already is a financial incentive, including $100,000 for the dunk contest winner.

“There are currently provisions in the CBA that address participation in All-Star Saturday Night. They don’t require players to dunk. And I’ve understood that,” Silver said. “I think that it would be an awkward position to say to a player: You must enter the Dunk Contest.

“Interestingly enough, the dunk contest, despite the criticism I hear, has continued to be the most popular event on Saturday night. …

“I recognize that in the old days, there was a bit more of a tradition of certain superstars who wanted to participate in the Slam Dunk.”

Future of the NBA on TV

Silver said that once the league and National Basketball Players Association reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement (which is expected), the NBA will turn toward negotiating a new TV deal. The current nine-year, $24 billion deal with ESPN/ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports expires after the 2024-25 season, and the league will seek a lucrative deal, impacting players’ salaries and the value of franchises.

Who will the league's TV partners be? It has been reported that NBC could jump back into NBA TV rights, but a more likely scenario is a new deal with ESPN/ABC and Warner Bros. (TNT, NBA TV) plus a new streaming option with a company like Amazon or YouTube. High-ranking officials from ESPN, Warner Bros., Amazon and YouTube attended All-Star Weekend. Amazon has a deal with the WNBA, and Amazon vice president of global sports video Marie Donoghue worked at ESPN for nearly two decades.

Next frontier in watching sporting events

In a nondescript office park near the University of Utah campus, a small group of reporters glimpsed what tech investors believe is the next big thing in viewing live sporting events: immersive reality.

Cosm, based in Salt Lake City, developed a viewing experience that makes it feel like you are a fan in attendance. But instead of a wearing virtual reality headset, you are watching in 8K and on a massive LED-dome screen. Cosm calls it shared reality because the idea is to watch with friends and other sports fans in a theater-style venue where you can also purchase food and drinks.

Cosm announced a partnership with the NBA on Thursday and plans to open its first venue in Los Angeles near SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome in the spring of 2024, followed by another venue in Dallas. After watching clips of NBA and college football games in a brief demo, it is an amazing viewing experience. This technology can be applied to other events such as concerts. Cosm has not released price points for entry, but CEO Jeb Terry said he wants to ensure it’s an affordable experience.

Who will win the East and West?

Silver is correct. It’s competitive in the NBA this season. But how many teams have a legitimate chance to win the championship?

The consensus among league executives is that Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia can win the East. Cleveland All-Star Donovan Mitchell said the Cavs are part of the group, but they might be a year away from true contention,

It’s murkier in the West with Durant and Irving trades. Denver and Memphis are 1-2, but the Suns and Mavs now see an avenue to reach the Finals with the addition of two stars, and there are whispers that the Los Angeles Clippers are going to be dangerous once March gets here and Kawhi Leonard buckles down for the stretch run. Five weeks ago, New Orleans was in third place, but injuries, including Zion Williamson’s, have dropped the Pelicans to seventh.

How does a Denver-Boston NBA Finals sound?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA All-Star news highlights Mac McClung dunks, tight standings