round-robin tournament<\/a> Sunday produced three thrilling mini-games and several impressive individual performances. Something about the setup compelled these stars to play their exhibition at a level much closer to real competition than usual.<\/p>\nkAm\u201cx E9:?< 6G6CJ E62> 9@?6DE=J H2?E65 E@ H:?[\u201d D2:5 !9@6?:I\u2019D s6G:? q@@<6C[ 2 >6>36C @7 E96 G:4E@C:@FD $E2CD E62>]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%92EVD ?@ D>2== DE2E6>6?E 23@FE 2? 6G6?E E92E 925 364@>6 DA@CED D9@CE92?5 7@C A@:?E=6DD >:5D62D@? AD6F5@\\4@>A6E:E:@? \u2014 2 492C256 E92E H2DE65 72?DV E:>6 2?5 AC@5F465 F?H2E4923=6 %’ H9:=6 A=2J6CD D:>A=J EC:65 E@ 86E :E @G6C H:E9]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%92EVD AC64:D6=J H9J E96 }qp :>A=6>6?E65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?32\\2==\\DE2C\\82>6\\AC6G:6H\\gc7fbh6gh4h6bg`cfg_72hf5244c_g6aQm:ED 7@FCE9 7@C>2E \ud83d\ude15 7@FC J62CDk^2m[ 4C62E:?8 2 (@C=5 E62> 2?5 EH@ E62>D @7 p>6C:42?D E@ A=2J `a\\>:?FE6 82>6D]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%@ E96 DFCAC:D6 @7 E9@D6 H9@ 2DDF>65 E9:D 6G6?E H2D :CC6566>23=6[ :E 24EF2==J H@C<65 7@C >@DE A6@A=6]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmQx\u2019G6 366? 2D<:?8 7@C :E[ 72?D 92G6 366? 2D<:?8 7@C :E[ >65:2 92G6 366? 2D<:?8 7@C :E[ W2?5X x 766= E92E 27E6C E@52J[ x E9:?< J@F 2== 42? D66 E96 4@>A6E:E:@? \ud83d\ude00 E96C6[Q z2C=\\p?E9@?J %@H?D D2:5] \u201cx E9:?< E92E H6 2== 3C@F89E :E E@52J[ 3C@F89E 2 D6?D6 @7 677@CE] x 9@A6 E92E E96 72?D 2?5 2== @7 J@F 2AAC64:2E6 :E]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n
kAmp? p>6C:42?D\\G6CDFD\\6G6CJ3@5J 7:?2=6 5:5?VE >2E6C:2=:K6[ 9@H6G6C] x?DE625[ E96 E62> @7 D=:89E=J J@F?86C p>6C:42?D C@FE65 E96 E62> @7 D=:89E=J @=56C p>6C:42?D \ud83d\ude15 2? 2?E:4=:>24E:4 7:?2=6]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmtG6? E92E 7:?:D9 925 :ED 6?E6CE2:?:?8 A@:?ED[ E9@F89i \u201c(6\u2019C6 567:?:E6=J @?6\\FA @? E96 F?4D C:89E ?@H[\u201d D2:5 2 8C:??:?8 %JC6D6 |2I6J[ H9@ D4@C65 ?:?6 A@:?ED \ud83d\ude15 E96 7:?2=]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%96 }qp 92D?VE 564=2C65 2 7@C>2E 7@C ?6IE J62CVD p==\\$E2C v2>6 \ud83d\ude15 !9@6?:I[ 2?5 E96 (@C=5 4@>A@?6?E 92D A@E6?E:2= AC@3=6>D 56A6?5:?8 @? 9@H >2?J :?E6C?2E:@?2= A=2J6CD 2C6 92G:?8 p==\\$E2C\\H@CE9J D62D@?D]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm$6G6C2= A=2J6CD[ :?4=F5:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^=63C@?\\;2>6D\\?32\\2==\\DE2C\\a5_ha5daahd6fbc`_dd4chd4ed24f777Qm{6qC@? y2>6Dk^2m 2?5 z2H9: {6@?2C5[ D2:5 E96J DE:== H2?E 2 C6EFC? E@ E96 4=2DD:4 t2DE GD] (6DE 7@C>2E \u2014 J@F @H[ E96 @?6 E92E AC@5F465 6?@F89 325 82>6D E@ 7@C46 E96 }qp E@ ECJ D@>6E9:?8 5:776C6?E \ud83d\ude15 E96 7:CDE A=246]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmxEVD E@F89 E@ :>28:?6 32D<6E32== \ud83d\ude15 :ED 4FCC6?E DE2E6 AC@5F4:?8 2? p==\\$E2C v2>6 D:8?:7:42?E=J 36EE6C E92? E9:D @?6[ 3FE ?@E 6G6CJE9:?8 23@FE E96 p==\\$E2C H66<6?5 2E x?EF:E s@>6 H2D D2G@CJ]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%96 9:89D 2?5 =@HD @7 2? 6G6?E7F= H66<6?5 \ud83d\ude15 x?8=6H@@5ik^Am<\/p>\n
k9ams:D>2= 5F?<\/p>\n
kAmyFDE H96? E96 }qp >:89E 92G6 :ED p==\\$E2C v2>6 7:I65[ E96 $=2> sF?< r@?E6DE H2D F?56CH96=>:?8 6?@F89 E@ AC@>AE 72? 5:D4FDD:@? @? 9@H E@ D2G6 2 G6?6C23=6 4@>A6E:E:@? E92E\u2019D CF??:?8 @FE @7 DE62>]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%96 6G6?E :>>@CE2=:K65 3J E96 =:<6D @7 yF=:FD tCG:?8[ |:4926= y@C52? 2?5 z@36 qCJ2?E H2D >@DE=J 4@>A6==:?8 7@C 325 C62D@?D E9:D J62C[ 2=E9@F89 |:2>:\u2019D z6D925 y@9?D@? 5:5 H6== 6?@F89 E@ ;@:? b\\!@:?E r@?E6DE 492>A:@? s2>:2? {:==2C5 \ud83d\ude15 2? 2==\\~2<=2?5 DH66A @7 E96 EH@ >2CBF66 6G6?ED 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?32\\2==\\DE2C\\5F?<\\4@?E6DE\\64ea3ece6a_`d5fe`565bgbg72hh_gdgQmp==\\$E2C $2EFC52Jk^2m]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmx? E96 62C=J C@F?5[ {2<6CD 46?E6C y2ID@? w2J6D 82G6 2? 677@CE E92E 5C6H @?=:?6 4C:E:4:D> 7C@> 9:D @H? 72?D] ~C=2?5@\u2019D y2D6 #:492C5D@? E@@< 2 9@CC:7J:?8 72== @?E@ 9:D 324< 2?5 9625 H96? 9:D 2C> 9:E E96 324<3@2C5 @? 2 be_\\568C66 DA:? 2EE6>AE] #:492C5D@? H2D ~z[ 3FE E96 7C:89E6?:?8 >@>6?E F?56CD4@C65 E96 52?86CD @7 E9:D 6G6?E]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmy@9?D@? H@? 2?E:4=:>24E:42==J H96? $2? p?E@?:@\u2019D r2CE6C qCJ2?E 4@F=5?\u2019E 4@>A=6E6 2? :>AC6DD:G6 D64@?5 5F?< 27E6C D4@C:?8 2 A6C764E d_ @? 9:D 7:CDE]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmr2? E96 }qp A6CDF256 DE2C A=2J6CD E@ C6EFC? E@ E96 4@?E6DEn r2? E96 5F?<6CD C65:D4@G6C E96 4C62E:G:EJ E92E 4@>A6==65 q=2<6 vC:77:? E@ ;F>A @G6C 2 42C[ v6C2=5 vC66? E@ 3=@H @FE 2 4FA42<6 42?5=6 @? E96 C:>[ sH:89E w@H2C5 E@ AFE @? 2 42A6 2?5 ‘:?46 r2CE6C E@ DE:4< 9:D H9@=6 2C> \ud83d\ude15 E96 9@@Ank^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%92EVD ?@ D=2> 5F?<]k^Am<\/p>\n
k9amz2H9:VD 32CC286k^9am<\/p>\n
kAmz2H9: {6@?2C5 D4@C65 b` A@:?ED \ud83d\ude15 `a >:?FE6D H9:=6 =625:?8 9:D E62> E@ G:4E@CJ \ud83d\ude15 $F?52JVD E9:C5 >:?:\\82>6] %96 D6G6?\\E:>6 p==\\$E2C H6?E “ @7 `b H:E9 D:I b\\A@:?E6CD[ 52KK=:?8 9:D 76==@H p==\\$E2CD 2?5 6G6? AC@>AE:?8 f\\7@@E\\c ‘:4E@C (6>32?J2>2 E@ 2EE6>AE E@ 8F2C5 9:> @FE @7 56DA6C2E:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201c%92E\u2019D AC@323=J @?6 @7 E96 >@DE DA64:2= BF2CE6CD @7 32D<6E32== H6\u2019G6 H:E?6DD65[\u201d q@@<6C D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmx7 {6@?2C5VD E62> 925 AFE FA >@C6 @7 2 7:89E \ud83d\ude15 E96 7:?2=6[ 96 AC@323=J H@F=5 92G6 366? E96 |’! :?DE625 @7 p?E9@?J t5H2C5D] {6@?2C5 D4@C65 @?=J @?6 A@:?E[ =@@<:?8 82DD65 2=@?8 H:E9 9:D E62>>2E6D \ud83d\ude15 E96:C E9:C5 DEC2:89E 82>6]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm\u201c%92E\u2019D H92E E96 9@>6 4C@H5 H2?E65 E@ D66[\u201d {6@?2C5 D2:5] \u201cx\u2019> 8=25 x H2D 23=6 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8 \ud83d\ude15 E92E 82>6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n
k9ams2>6VD 5@>:?2?46k^9am<\/p>\n
kAmsFC:?8 9:D J62C 2H2J 7C@> E96 82>6 5F6 E@ :?;FCJ[ {:==2C5 C6>:?565 E96 H@C=5 H9J 96VD @?6 @7 E96 8C62E6DE D9@@E6CD @7 9:D 86?6C2E:@? H:E9 2 DE6==2C A6C7@C>2?46 E@ H:? E96 b\\!@:?E r@?E6DE 7@C E96 E9:C5 E:>6] w6 ;@:?D {2CCJ q:C5 2?5 rC2:8 w@586D 2D E96 @?=J A=2J6CD E@ 5@ :E]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%96 bd\\J62C\\@=5 !@CE=2?5 8F2C5 96=5 @77 q@@<6C \ud83d\ude15 E96 EC6>6?5@FD=J 6I4:E:?8 7:?2=[ H:??:?8 ah\\af H96? q@@<6C >:DD65 9:D 7:?2= E9C66 D9@ED]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm{:==2C5 E@C6 9:D p49:==6D E6?5@? =2DE pAC:=[ 2?5 9:D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^52>:2?\\=:==2C5\\2==\\DE2C\\H66<6?5\\?32\\3`f3a`564e6a7`6dbc_dfgb2253gdhf`Qm:?4=FD:@? \ud83d\ude15 E9:D 4@?E6DEk^2m :?:E:2==J 3682? 2D 2 ;@<6 96 925 H:E9 2? }qp @77:4:2= \u2014 3FE E96 ?2E:G6 r2=:7@C?:2? 8@E E96 42==[ 2?5 96 H2D 962=E9J 6?@F89 E@ D9@@E E96 =:89ED @FE \ud83d\ude15 x?8=6H@@5]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmw:D A6C7@C>2?46 H2D 2?@E96C 6I2>A=6 @7 2? :>AC6DD:G6 4@>6324< 7C@> E92E D6C:@FD :?;FCJ] y2JD@? %2EF>[ H9@ 2=D@ E@C6 9:D p49:==6D E6?5@? \ud83d\ude15 =2DE DAC:?8VD A=2J@77D[ \ud83d\ude00 324< \ud83d\ude15 AC24E:46 H:E9 q@DE@?VD v {628F6 E62>]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAmp7E6C H2E49:?8 {:==2C5VD A6C7@C>2?46[ $E6A96? rFCCJ 2??@F?465 96VD 8@:?8 E@ 4@>A6E6 \ud83d\ude15 a_af[ 2?5 96VD 9@A:?8 E@ 36 ;@:?65 3J 9:D $A=2D9 qC@E96C[ z=2J %9@>AD@?]k^Am<\/p>\n
k9amp7E6C?@@? 9@@ADk^9am<\/p>\n
kAm%96 p==\\$E2C 6G6?ED $2EFC52J 2?5 $F?52J 3682? 2E a A]>] !24:7:4 E:>6 3642FD6 }qr \ud83d\ude00 D9@H:?8 E96 (:?E6C ~=J>A:4D \ud83d\ude15 AC:>6 E:>6 6G6CJ ?:89E]k^Am<\/p>\n
kAm%92E =65 E@ 6>AEJ D62ED \ud83d\ude15 x?EF:E s@>6 2E E96 DE2CE @7 3@E9 6G6?ED[ 2=E9@F89 E96J 6G6?EF2==J 7:==65 :?] %96 62C=J DE2CED 2=D@ >FE65 E96 3:8\\6G6?E 766=:?8 7@C 72?D 2?5 G:6H6CD H9@ >:89E 92G6 >:DD65 E96 D9@H 6?E:C6=J :7 E96J 5:5?VE 4964< E96 %’ =:DE:?8D]k^Am<\/p>\n
k9C ^m<\/p>\n
kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^}qpQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^}qpk^2mk^Am<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) \u2014 If you still didn\u2019t like the NBA\u2019s newest All-Star Game format, you probably just…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":606651,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[7,11983,736,1407,6,80799,7218,446,2032,11,1408,20343,66],"class_list":{"0":"post-606650","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba-playoffs","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-basketball-competitions","10":"tag-men","11":"tag-national-basketball-association","12":"tag-nba","13":"tag-nba-all-star-anthony-edwards","14":"tag-nba-all-star-game","15":"tag-nba-basketball","16":"tag-nba-players","17":"tag-nba-playoffs","18":"tag-nba-teams","19":"tag-slam-dunk","20":"tag-sports"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116081641637245364","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=606650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/606651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=606650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=606650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=606650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}