The lights in Indianapolis were blinding, the stars were out, and the scoreboard at Gainbridge Fieldhouse looked like it had a glitch. By the time the final buzzer rang out on Sunday night, the Eastern Conference had hung 211 points on the West. 211. In a professional basketball game.
Honestly, it was a weird weekend. If you’re a purist who loves gritty, hand-checking defense, NBA All Star Weekend 2024 probably felt like a fever dream you couldn't wake up from. But if you came for the spectacle—for the logo shots, the 70-foot passes, and the sheer audacity of modern range—it was historic.
Let's get into what actually went down, from Damian Lillard's trophy haul to the "Steph vs. Sabrina" moment that basically saved Saturday night.
The 211-Point Record and the "Defense" Dilemma
The Sunday main event was a blowout of astronomical proportions. Final score: East 211, West 186.
This wasn't just a high-scoring game; it was the first time in the 73-year history of the event that a team crossed the 200-point threshold. The East made 42 three-pointers, another record. Damian Lillard, who seems to treat the All-Star game like a personal shooting gallery, walked away with the Kobe Bryant MVP Trophy after dropping 39 points. He was pulling up from the half-court logo like it was a layup.
But here’s the thing. Not everyone was clapping.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver looked visibly... let’s say "unenthused" during the trophy presentation. The league had made a massive push to bring back the old-school East vs. West format to boost competitiveness. It didn't work. Players like Anthony Edwards openly admitted after the game that they don't see the weekend as a place to "go out there and try to guard somebody."
Karl-Anthony Towns actually led all scorers with 50 points for the West, but even that felt quiet because the game lacked any real tension. It was a dunk line. A layup drill. When the combined score hits 397, you have to wonder if the "game" part of the All-Star Game is officially extinct.
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Saturday Night: When the Stars Actually Showed Up
While Sunday was a stat-padding festival, Saturday night brought some genuine drama.
Steph vs. Sabrina: The Real Main Event
This was easily the best part of the entire weekend. Sabrina Ionescu, the WNBA’s triple-double queen, stepped up to the NBA line to challenge the greatest shooter ever, Stephen Curry.
Sabrina didn't just compete; she put up 26 points. To put that in perspective, that score would have made the finals of the actual men's 3-Point Contest that same night. She was cold-blooded. Steph had to dig deep to hit 29 points and take home the "Champion of Champions" belt. It was a massive moment for hoops culture, proving that "game recognizes game," regardless of the league.
Dame’s Double Dip
Before winning MVP on Sunday, Damian Lillard successfully defended his 3-Point Contest title. He needed his very last shot to edge out Trae Young and Karl-Anthony Towns. It was pure "Dame Time." He became the first back-to-back winner since Jason Kapono in 2008.
Mac McClung Does it Again
The Slam Dunk Contest is always the most scrutinized event. Mac McClung, the G-League sensation, won his second straight title by jumping over Shaquille O'Neal.
Shaq is 7'1". Mac is 6'2".
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The math shouldn't work, but he cleared the Big Diesel for a perfect score of 50. Jaylen Brown brought some "star power" back to the contest—something fans have begged for—but his dunks felt a bit safe compared to McClung’s aerial acrobatics. The crowd in Indy was tough on Brown, but you have to give him credit for actually showing up when most All-Stars avoid the dunk contest like the plague.
The Rising Stars and Local Heroes
The weekend kicked off on Friday with the Panini Rising Stars, and the Indiana crowd got exactly what they wanted. Bennedict Mathurin, the Pacers' own spark plug, took home the MVP after leading Team Jalen to the title.
The format was a "target score" tournament, which honestly felt more competitive than the Sunday game. Watching Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren share the floor gave us a glimpse of the next decade of the NBA. Wemby is a literal alien; he does things with a basketball that shouldn't be physically possible for someone that tall.
Key Results at a Glance:
- Celebrity Game: Team Shannon (Sharpe) beat Team Stephen A. (Smith) 100-91. NFL superstar Micah Parsons won MVP with 37 points.
- Skills Challenge: Team Pacers (Haliburton, Mathurin, Turner) won on their home floor.
- Rising Stars: Team Jalen (Rose) defeated Team Detlef (Schrempf).
Why the 2024 Weekend Still Matters
Despite the critiques of the Sunday score, NBA All Star Weekend 2024 was a commercial juggernaut. Ratings were actually up 14% from the previous year.
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Why? Because the NBA is leaning into the "show" over the "sport."
The LED glass court used for Saturday night was a technological marvel. It changed colors, displayed real-time stats, and tracked player movements with "Tron-like" graphics. It made the broadcast feel like a video game. If the league can’t force players to play defense, they’re clearly going to make the floor glow instead.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re looking back at 2024 to understand where the league is heading, keep these things in mind:
- Expect more "Cross-League" events: The success of Steph vs. Sabrina means we’ll likely see more NBA vs. WNBA challenges. It’s a huge win for viewership.
- The Target Score is King: The Rising Stars game used a target score (Elam Ending), and it was way more intense. There’s a high chance the league brings this back to the main Sunday game eventually to fix the "211-point" problem.
- Hometown Heroes Matter: The energy in Indy was top-tier because the Pacers had so much representation. If you ever plan on attending an All-Star weekend, pick a city with a basketball-obsessed fan base.
NBA All Star Weekend 2024 was a celebration of offensive skill that bordered on the absurd. It was flawed, fast, and record-breaking. Whether that’s a good thing for the "integrity of the game" is still being debated in every barbershop in America, but you can’t deny that the NBA knows how to throw a party.
To stay ahead of next year's festivities, keep an eye on how the league handles the 2025 format changes—rumors are already swirling about a potential 4-team tournament structure to kill the boredom of the blowout.