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The NBA All-Star Game last year was … something.
The Eastern Conference beat the Western Conference 211-186, combining for a record 397 points. The format was traditional, but the game was not. Overwrought by dunks and three-pointers, its lack of competitiveness made a mockery of the event. The game averaged 5.4 million viewers, making it the second-least-watched NBA All-Star Game on record, behind the game from the previous year.
The league and broadcaster TNT knew they had a problem.