Nuggets' Malone: ASG is 'worst basketball game ever played'
Denver Nuggets bench boss Michael Malone gave a brutally honest assessment of the NBA's All-Star Game following Team Giannis' 184-175 victory over Team LeBron on Sunday.
"It's an honor to be here. It's an honor to be a part of a great weekend with great players. But that is the worst basketball game ever played," Malone told reporters after the exhibition contest, courtesy of Altitude TV's Vic Lombardi.
This was Malone's second time as an All-Star coach - he also coached Team LeBron in 2019. Just like his previous go-around, this year's edition didn't feature much defense or intensity. The 51-year-old said he isn't sure that approach will change.
"I don't know if you can fix it. I give Joel Embiid and Kyrie Irving (credit). Those guys were competing," Malone said. "Joel was imploring some of the guys to play harder, to try and get some defence in. But no one got hurt, they put on a show for the fans, but that is a tough game to sit through, I'm not going to lie."
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown didn't have a glowing review, either, calling the All-Star Game a glorified "layup line," per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.
"That's not basketball," Brown said postgame.
The 2024 All-Star Game will take place in Indianapolis.