How the New Orleans Pelicans can improve on NBA All-Star Weekend

With the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend now heading to the Bayou, there are a few things the New Orleans Pelicans can do to improve the festivities.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be hosting the NBA All-Star Weekend for the first time since 2014.

Only three years ago, Louisiana had the same excitement for the NBA’s best to compete in exhibitions for the fans. However, it did not go without hiccups.

In every NBA All-Star Weekend, there are things that fail to go as planned. It’s rare to see a city host the event twice in such little time. For it to be a success, New Orleans needs to learn from their mistakes.

For the Crescent City to show the NBA it made the right decision, it can improve on four major problems with the All-Star festivals of past years.

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Number One: Do not repeat the East versus West format again. 

This was frustrating in 2014. Instead of having the best players get to compete in each event, the weekend was set in a team battle. Players would compete for points for their conference, whether it was the Three-Point Contest or the Dunk Contest.

The biggest problem is how it would affect certain competitions. It could leave the possibility of missing out on an exciting matchup, due to the finals including one from the east and one from the west. In this format, fans could have missed a Stephen Curry versus Klay Thompson shoot-off in the long-range battle.

Also, does anyone honestly remember the final tally of that weekend between the conferences? No. Because it was not what fans paid attention to. It’s better for the players to showcase for themselves what they can do, no matter the conference. Especially in a dunk contest, where people want to see the best dunker, not the best “team of dunkers”. Speaking of which…..

Number Two: Try to capitalize on last year’s epic Dunk Contest

My gosh…last year’s dunk contest was unreal. Here’s the highlights to remind those who can’t remember the battle between Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine.

It gave life to a spectacle that had been dry since the days of Vince Carter and Jason Richardson. For the first time in years, the NBA Dunk Contest had the life it deserves.

New Orleans NEEDS to capitalize on this.

Gordon and LaVine need a rematch. It is hard to find words in the dictionary to describe what these guys can do in the air. This contest of slams can be just as memorable as the one last February. New Orleans needs to get these guys on the phone ASAP to lock in down. There’s still two more spots to fill for that contest, which brings up the next point.

Number Three: How about some Pelicans?

Speaking of players with the hops these guys do, the New Orleans Pelicans have Anthony Davis.

Something else these contests have lacked recently is star players. AD is just that. If New Orleans can convince him on dunking at home, it could spice up the weekend for sure.

In 2014, it was only Anthony Davis in the entire weekend that represented the hometown Pelicans. That can change with this team. If Solomon Hill or Quincy Pondexter have strong shooting campaigns, they could be in the long-range contest. Buddy Hield is a near lock for the Rookie vs Sophomore Game. The Skills Contest could have Jrue Holiday as well. Case in point, there are options.

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Some star power to represent the Big Easy would be a fantastic way for the city to thank the fans. Star power also comes to the last point.

Number Four: Limit Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart is a fantastic comedian who is extremely funny. He’s great at his job and works wonders with the fans.

However last year, it felt like he was shoved in the faces of those watching all weekend.

For those that love him no matter what he does, that’s great. Yet it was tough to focus on the players when he was commanding attention everywhere. The Celebrity Game has turned into the Hart show, which will be tough to break without having other electric personalities in the game’s future.

He then went on to commentate the rest of the contests next to the NBA on TNT crew. It’s okay every once in a while, but last year seemed forced. It was never-ending Hart. Should he be a part of the festivities? Absolutely. The fans and players love him. However, too much of a good thing can ruin it.

Yes, this is an entertainment venue. Yes, Kevin Hart is an entertainer, and a great one at that. Yes, this writer is probably being a grumpy old man yelling at the kids to get off his lawn. However, the focus of the weekend should be for the fans and the players. Limiting the plethora of Kevin Hart can bring more focus to the players the event is set up for and who the fans come to watch shine.

Next: New Orleans Pelicans Hosting NBA All-Star Game is a Win-Win

With a great opportunity brought to them, the New Orleans Pelicans are stepping up to the plate. The show they will plan for early 2017 will be on short notice, but will still have the great expectations the league stands for. For New Orleans residents, it’s a great chance to see the best in the world have fun and put on a show. It will be an exciting time for the Crescent City.