Draymond Green’s criticism of this year’s NBA All-Star Game had fans reminiscing about the classic East-West battles of the past or brainstorming ways to revive the competition. Some even proposed a bold USA-versus-the-World format to reflect the league’s global talent.

Shaquille O’Neal’s team of veteran stars prevailed, and Stephen Curry was named the MVP at Chase Center. But much of the actual basketball was lost amid the variety show.

After Sunday’s reinvented NBA All-Star Game, Stephen Curry called it “a step in the right direction.” Yes, they managed to inch the Titanic off the ocean floor.

One takeaway from the 2025 All-Star Weekend is that it was a good time to be Stephen Curry — "The hosting experience was unbelievable," Curry said. What are the other takeaways from All-Star weekend?

Some players liked the new NBA All-Star Game format. Some didn’t. Some seemed ambivalent. It was entertaining and had moments when things turned competitive.

This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Break a record today. I am tired of bashing All-Star games. We have belabored the weird place these games,