Kevin Durant on why All-Star game is low quality: ‘It’s Sunday’

How should the NBA fix the All-Star game?

The game always features little intensity and even less defense, but in 2017, it reached new lows. Or at least that was the perception, which sparked a lot of talk about improving the game. To fix it requires answering the question:

Why does the All-Star game have such low quality of play?

Kevin Durant on The Bill Simmons Podcast:

It’s Sunday. It’s Sunday. It’s Sunday. The game is Sunday. We done did everything from Thursday, had a game, fly into New Orleans hit the ground running. And by Sunday, by the time Sunday – and you want to enjoy your break. By the time Sunday come, we’re like man, let’s just get this over with and get back to the second half of the season.

What a refreshingly honest answer.

Players have numerous media, sponsorship and other responsibilities throughout the weekend. Plus, they want to enjoy their “break.” It’s exhausting.

I don’t know the solution. Move the game to Saturday and the contests (dunk, 3-point, etc.) to Sunday? But that might just lower the quality of the contests.

At least Durant got the ball rolling by publicly acknowledging the elephant in the room.