Although the annual NBA All-Star weekend may host some of the best parties in the United States, the basketball has become boring and irrelevant.
Indeed, most people I know who attend, do so for the nightlife rather than the sport.
For this to change, the thinking behind the All-Star game must change. It is time to rein in the fan-voting component.
What on earth is Allen Iverson doing in the All-Star Game? He was once a brilliant player. Now Iverson does not even deserve to be a reserve.
The ridiculous voting system is denying someone like Charlotte's Stephen Jackson or Iverson's Philadelphia teammate Andre Iguodala from a spot on the team.
The league should also look at ways to make the game more intense.
Major League Baseball have instituted a rule whereby the winning side in their All-Star Game wins home field advantage for their league in the World Series.
This move alone would make the NBA game a great deal more interesting.
Furthermore, it would no doubt inspire incredible performances from any number of All-Stars wanting to secure home court advantage.
All too often, players do not try during the All-Star game, if not from the opening whistle then in the third quarter when they have already made some highlight-worthy plays.
This year, it is being rumoured that Kobe Bryant will not participate because of a sore ankle.
If the game meant home court advantage in the finals, you could be certain that Kobe would heal quickly and be out on the floor come Sunday.
Next, the rookies versus sophomores game should be cancelled as it serves no purpose.
Sadly, the slam dunk contest is now a waste of time because the star players do not participate, except Dwight Howard.
While the C-list players who take part often come up with great dunks, the very presence of these benchwarmers goes against the definition of the term "All-Star weekend".
If the league continues with the dunk contest, the idea of bringing in the best dunker not in the NBA might be just the thing to make the event more interesting.
The league could run a talent search around the world, either online or in person.
Perhaps participants could upload their dunks on YouTube to be voted upon and then selected for some televised elimination round to determine who would face off against the NBA's best.
Rest assured, there are several people who can dunk as well if not better than NBA stars.
By way of example, the best dunker I have ever seen is James White. He plays professional basketball in St Petersburg, Russia.
The fact of the matter is that being able to dunk well is not a great indication of one's ability to play basketball: plenty of hopeless basketball players can dunk with the best of them. Opening the contest to all comers could really enliven things. The same could be said of the three-point shooting competition.
While always somewhat entertaining, this event could do with a few adjustments.
Perhaps bring in a woman from the WNBA to shoot with the league's best.
The recent addition of the H-O-R-S-E event at the All-Star weekend (after many years on the shelf) is a classic example of how a league can change what it offers. Successful businesses continue to evolve and so should the business of the All-Star Game.
The event already has an incredible following.
It would be a shame to lose the goodwill that fans have invested by adhering to ideas and trends long past their sell-by date.
sports@thenational.ae
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
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The biog
Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.
Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.
Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.
Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
Favourite food: Dim sum
Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.
Arctic Monkeys
Tranquillity Base Hotel Casino (Domino)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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Stamp%20duty%20timeline
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Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
The stats: 2017 Jaguar XJ
Price, base / as tested Dh326,700 / Dh342,700
Engine 3.0L V6
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 340hp @ 6,000pm
Torque 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.1L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
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Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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