NBA stars put on good game, bad dunk contest

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — If you still didn't like the NBA's newest All-Star Game format, you probably just don't like All-Star games. That seemed to be the sports sphere's consensus after the U.S.-against-the-world, round-robin tournament 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."I think every team honestly wanted to win," said Phoenix's Devin Booker, a member of the victorious Stars team.That's no small statement about an event that had become sports shorthand for pointless midseason pseudo-competition — a charade that wasted fans' time and produced unwatchable TV while players simply tried to get it over with.That's precisely why the NBA implemented its fourth format in four years, creating a World team and two teams of Americans to play 12-minute games.To the surprise of those who assumed this event was irredeemable, it actually worked for most people."I've been asking for it, fans have been asking for it, media have been asking for it, (and) I feel that after today, I think you all can see the competition is there," Karl-Anthony Towns said. "I think that we all brought it today, brought a sense of effort. I hope that the fans and all of you appreciate it."An Americans-versus-everybody finale didn't materialize, however. Instead, the team of slightly younger Americans routed the team of slightly older Americans in an anticlimactic finale.Even that finish had its entertaining points, though: "We're definitely one-up on the uncs right now," said a grinning Tyrese Maxey, who scored nine points in the final.The NBA hasn't declared a format for next year's All-Star Game in Phoenix, and the World component has potential problems depending on how many international players are having All-Star-worthy seasons.Several players, including LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, said they still want a return to the classic East vs. West format — you know, the one that produced enough bad games to force the NBA to try something different in the first place.Dismal dunksJust when the NBA might have its All-Star Game fixed, the Slam Dunk Contest was underwhelming enough to prompt fan discussion on how to save a venerable competition that's running out of steam.The event immortalized by the likes of Julius Erving, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant was mostly compelling for bad reasons this year, although Miami's Keshad Johnson did well enough to join 3-Point Contest champion Damian Lillard in an all-Oakland sweep of the two marquee events at All-Star Saturday.Can the NBA persuade star players to return to the contest? Can the dunkers rediscover the creativity that compelled Blake Griffin to jump over a car, Gerald Green to blow out a cupcake candle on the rim, Dwight Howard to put on a cape and Vince Carter to stick his whole arm in the hoop?That's no slam dunk.