Kyle Busch had plenty of criticism to go around after his car was part of a major pileup at Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Busch was caught up in a crash right at the beginning of Stage 2, one that he blamed on Joey Logano.

‘Looked like the fastest car got in a hurry to get to the wreck,’ Busch said of Logano, whose bump with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. triggered the chain reaction. ‘We still got 20 laps to go and he’s trying to go through the middle and make a hole that isn’t there and just created chaos …

‘You gotta know how wide your race car is to find a hole that it will fit in. And he obviously doesn’t know that.’

But Busch, who has never won in his 20 starts at the Daytona 500, saved his harshest words for NASCAR, after race officials denied his attempt to return to the track.

Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet seemed to avoid major damage from the wreck, though it did need to be towed back to the garage area. After replacing all four tires, the car returned to the race under caution. But once Busch pitted under the yellow for more repairs, NASCAR ruled him out of the race.

Busch complained afterwards he wasn’t given a chance to get back on the track and up to speed. He took to social media after not getting what he felt was a satisfactory explanation.

‘The race never went back to green yet,’ he wrote. ‘I don’t think they know their own rules or procedures.’

NASCAR’s new Damaged Vehicle Policy is designed to give teams a chance to make repairs and keep racing. However, officials stated Busch needed to reach minimum speed immediately after the repairs in the garage were completed. Under the rules, his visit to the pits for anything other than fuel resulted in him being parked for the rest of the race.

The ruling was perhaps even more frustrating for Busch at Daytona.

Despite 63 NASCAR Cup Series wins (ninth all-time) and two season championships, Busch has never won the Daytona 500 in 20 attempts.

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The Daytona 500 is in the books, setting up what is sure to be an exciting season of NASCAR Cup Series racing.

Byron’s win likely already secures him a berth in the playoffs this fall – presuming there aren’t more than 16 different winners in the 26-race regular season. His performance Sunday at Daytona International Speedway also increased his odds to win his first championship, after Byron finished third in the final standings the past two years.

Here are the latest odds to win the 2025 championship, according to BetMGM as of Monday afternoon:

Odds to win 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship

(As of Monday, Feb. 17)

Kyle Larson (+550)
Christopher Bell (+550)
William Byron (+600)
Ryan Blaney (+700)
Tyler Reddick (+800)
Denny Hamlin (+800)
Joey Logano (+900)
Chase Elliott (+1200)
Ty Gibbs (+1800)
Chase Briscoe (+2000)
Ross Chastain (+2000)
Brad Keselowski (+2500)
Alex Bowman (+3000)
Chris Buescher (+3000)
Kyle Busch (+3500)
Bubba Wallace (+8000)

Next NASCAR Cup Series race

Drivers will now head to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, for Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400. Here’s how to watch:

Date: Sunday, Feb. 23
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Streaming: FoxSports.com, Fox Sports app and Fubo
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Race length: 260 laps, 400.4 miles

Watch NASCAR races on Fubo (free trial)

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The first game began with a Montreal crowd booing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ and three fights in succession just as soon as the puck was dropped. The best hockey players from USA and Canada played against one another in international competition for the first time in almost a decade on Saturday as part of the 4 Nations Face-Off. The action during the Americans’ 3-1 win left fans wanting more from this event taking place during the NHL’s All-Star break this year.

Canada made sure there will be a rematch later this week. It advanced to the 4 Nations Face-Off championship final against the United States on Thursday in Boston after beating Finland, 5-3, in Monday’s round robin finale.

There are storylines aplenty, starting with whether American fans at Boston’s TD Garden elect to boo ‘O, Canada.’ Tension between Americans and Canadians have been inflamed by President Donald Trump’s recent threats of implementing tariffs against Canadian imports and his desire to make Canada the 51st state of the United States.

But the on-ice narratives are just as juicy after Saturday’s first game drew so much positive attention to the entire sport, with some of the biggest NHL stars playing together in an intense environment that felt more like a Stanley Cup playoff game or the Olympics than the all-star break. The betting markets have already made the Americans an early favorite to pull off a repeat:

Here’s a look at the early odds ahead of Thursday’s rematch between USA and Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off championship final in Boston:

4 Nations Face-Off finals odds: USA vs. Canada rematch

USA has opened as an early favorite over Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship final, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Monday afternoon

Spread: USA (-1.5)
Moneylines: USA (-120); Canada (+100)
Over/under: 5.5

How to watch United States vs. Canada 4 Nations Face-Off final

Date: Feb. 20
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+

 The final will be available to watch on Sling, Fubo and ESPN+.

Watch the 4 Nations Face-Off finals with Fubo

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We all saw the in-state battle between No. 1 and No. 2. Top-ranked Auburn went into a raucous Coleman Coliseum and convincingly took down Alabama.

It’s almost become a routine; the Tigers face a strong opponent and have another impressive outing. They continue to stack up high-profile wins week after week. Which begs the question: Has one No. 1 seed been locked up, four weeks from Selection Sunday?

Auburn was the top overall seed in the selection committee’s top 16 reveal on Saturday, and it further proved it’s place by leaving no doubt against the Crimson Tide. It’s now a staggering 23-2 and first place in the SEC at 11-2, somehow separating itself from an already strong league.

That’s not all; the Tigers are already inching toward some history. Since the NET rankings were introduced in 2018, the record for most Quad 1 wins in a regular season is 15, done by Kansas in 2022-23.

Auburn is already at 14, and has plenty of more opportunities to add left.

With such an impressive resume, Auburn may as well be a lock for a No. 1 seed come tournament time. No one comes close to the body of work it has done, so the Tigers can afford to lose some more, if teams can somehow conquer them.

There’s still plenty of time for the bracket to change from now to March 16, but believe with complete certainty Auburn will be a top seed, and after winning the potential game of the season, it leads the top storylines from the past weekend of college basketball.

Houston, St. John’s take control of conferences

A conference title is a sweet bonus to getting a favorable draw in the NCAA tournament, and Houston and St. John’s inched closer toward having regular-season championships with victories over other contenders.

Houston went into a tough environment in Arizona on Saturday and after the Wildcats led for the majority of the game, the Cougars stepped it up defensively to hold Arizona to just 10 points in the final nine minutes. The win pushed Houston to 17-1 in its last 18 games and a two-game lead in the Big 12. In the Big East, St. John’s bounced back from a loss to Villanova by beating Creighton. RJ Luis Jr. had another big day to give the Red Storm a two-game lead over the Bluejays in the conference standings, continuing a magical season at Madison Square Garden.

Both Houston and St. John’s were in the top 16 and do have some challenges awaiting them in the next week, but getting some breathing room in their respective conferences against quality opponents are some big resume notches that could be useful in a few weeks.

Kansas blows generous offering from selection committee

A surprise in the top 16 reveal was Kansas, a team that’s been very inconsistent recently, being ranked a No. 4 seed. The Jayhawks haven’t looked like a No. 4 seed, but it was a gracious ranking given by the committee, showing that as long as Kansas rights the ship, it’ll be just fine.

So what did it do with the kind gesture? Blow it.

Kansas visited lowly Utah and looked nothing like a top-caliber team against the Utes. The Jayhawks never led during the game and despite Utah shooting 36.5% from the field, the Utes got hot at the end to pull off the signature victory.

Now it looks like Kansas is again going to fall short of preseason expectations with a 3-4 record in its last seven games. It’s now in a three-way tie for the fifth spot in the Big 12, which gets a bye in the conference tournament, and it still has a tough stretch with Texas Tech, Houston and Arizona waiting at the end of the regular season. Kansas was given a blessing, and it only took a few hours for it to ruin it.

Now what, Dan Hurley?

For some reason, Dan Hurley had a really good time taunting Creighton fans after finally winning at the Bluejays’ home court. What’s the celebration after losing to the worst team in the conference?

Connecticut continued it’s unpredictable trend by losing to Seton Hall in remarkable fashion. After allowing a 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation off a turnover to send it to overtime, the Huskies saw their late lead disappear after a costly turnover led to an incredible bucket for the Pirates to pull off the shocker. It ended Seton Hall’s nine-game losing streak.

Of course, Hurley spent the time right after the game complaining to the referees, something we’ve seen a lot of and should serve as a reminder that maybe he should spend less time trying to chirp at some fans. UConn is now 17-8 and had its second Quad 3 loss of the season. It continues to fall down the seed line of the tournament, making the chances of a three-peat more difficult as the days go.

A bad weekend on the bubble

It’s starting to become that time of the year where if you’re on the bubble, the wins feel better and the losses hurt worse. For those on the bubble, it was a painful weekend with many of them falling in defeat.

The first four teams out of the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology — Georgia, Southern Methodist, Kansas State and Villanova — all lost. The Bulldogs fell to Missouri at home, the Mustangs dropping to another bubble candidate in Wake Forest, Kansas State’s hot streak was finally halted against Brigham Young and Villanova couldn’t keep it going after the win against St. John’s with a bad loss to Providence. Arkansas, the last team projected in the field, also lost, but could be lucky it happened when so many others also had the same fate.

Time is starting to dwindle on making a case for the tournament, and the winning streaks are going to have to start soon for those trying to bounce back from the weekend.

New Mexico

Rick Pitino has been the talk of the Big East for leading St. John’s back into the national spotlight, but look at what his son Richard is doing in Albuquerque.

New Mexico is now solely at the top of the Mountain West after taking down Utah State in a Sunday thriller. The Lobos were down by 10 points early in the second half and flipped a switch to send The Pit crowd home happy. It was the second win of the season over the Aggies, and the Lobos are now 22-4, coincidentally the same record as the Red Storm.

Richard Pitino has elevated New Mexico each season he’s been there, and this is the team’s best ever start to Mountain West play. It likely won’t be a top seed come tournament time, but the Lobos are a team to watch out for in March.

The final of the 4 Nations Face-Off is set.

The United States will face Canada in the championship match after Canada punched its ticket with a victory over Finland on Monday. Canada advanced thanks to accumulating five points in the round-robin and owning the tiebreaker against the other participating team, Sweden.

It’ll be a rematch of the highly intense match that took place on Saturday between the two nations. Tensions were high heading into the game at the Bell Centre in Montreal, and it notably had three fights take place in the first nine seconds of play. The U.S. won 3-1 to advance to the final, regardless of the final round robin match against Sweden.

Now, the two rivals will meet again for the 4 Nations Face-Off title, this time on American soil. Here’s what to know for the big-time matchup:

When is United States vs. Canada 4 Nations Face-Off final?

The final will take place Thursday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET. It will take place at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

How to watch United States vs. Canada 4 Nations Face-Off final

Date: Feb. 20
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+

 The final will be available to watch on Sling, Fubo and ESPN+.

Catch the 4 Nations Final with Fubo

When does United States play in 4 Nations Face-Off?

The U.S. has one more game before the final against Canada. The Americans will play against Sweden on Monday at 8 p.m. ET. The game will be played at Boston.

Sweden vs. U.S. will be available to watch on TNT and streaming on MAX. It is also available to watch on Sling.

United States 4 Nations Face-Off schedule, results

Feb. 13: Win vs. Finland, 6-1
Feb. 15: Win vs. Canada, 3-1
Feb. 17: Vs. Sweden
Feb. 20: Vs. Canada, final

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Lionel Messi is set to play in the coldest game he’s ever encountered with Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup opener at Sporting Kansas City. But he’ll have to wait until Wednesday to play it.

Concacaf, Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City announced Monday they will postpone their match initially scheduled for Tuesday due to severe weather, prioritizing player and fan safety, in coordination with local authorities. All tickets sold will be honored for the Wednesday match at 8 p.m. ET inside Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

The National Weather Service in the Kansas City area has issued a winter storm warning and cold weather advisory, meteorologist Brad Temeyer told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. About 5 to 7 inches of snow, single-digit temperatures, and a wind chill 15-25 degrees below zero are expected Tuesday. The wind chill will be even lower on Wednesday night, approaching 15 to 30 degrees below zero.  

“What we would suggest is that if you’re going to be outside for a prolonged period of time, make sure you dress appropriately for the conditions. And so that would include dressing in multiple layers because frostbite can set in as little as 30 minutes with prolonged exposure,” Temeyer said. “We’re looking at even colder temperatures later this week that could lead to hypothermia. That would be closer to Wednesday and Thursday.”

Frostbite and hypothermia? It might be football weather to some, but certainly not fútbol weather.

Wednesday’s game is the first of two between Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City in the first round of the Champions Cup, one of five possible trophies Messi’s club will contend for in 2025. The second leg will be played next Tuesday at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Both teams will also play their MLS season openers Saturday: Inter Miami hosts New York City FC, while Sporting Kansas City will visit Austin FC in Texas. An MLS spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports both games will go on as scheduled.

“I think what we have to think about is that it’s not just about the game. If the snow that they say is going to fall falls, we would believe that the city is going to be completely collapsed. So, people won’t be able to go out and the access roads are going to be closed. That’s the thing,” Inter Miami coach Javier Masherano said before the postponement.

“Often, people only think about the game itself and not everything that surrounds it. I think you have to look at the forest a little more than the tree, and in that sense it’s a bit, I think, that what the game calls into question.”

With the game postponed, longtime Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes can return his focus to facing the likes of Inter Miami’s former Barcelona stars in Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Mascherano said Monday Messi is 100% healthy and will play, despite a report he would not play in the cold.

“We have to go all in. We know who we’re playing,” Vermes said. “I wish there was a lot different we can do, but we’re playing still some of the best players to play the game. They’re always a difficult group, and there’s one guy that can change the outcome of any game he ever plays in.”

From a player perspective, Sporting Kansas City’s Erik Thommy and Inter Miami’s Robert Taylor know both teams will be affected by the conditions when they meet.

“We were training the entire week. No one was asking us if it’s warm enough for us,” Thommy said. “We have to move and then you will forget the weather, because it’s all about the game. And we’re totally happy to welcome our fans.”

“I don’t think anyone likes those conditions. Playing in snow is always a little bit different,” Taylor said. “It’s all about preparation. And when you’re mentally ready for the game, it really doesn’t matter what the weather is because at the end of the day, it’s the same for both teams. There’s no excuses.”

Still, the weather is a concern for all parties involved, including fans in attendance.

At least 10 people were hospitalized and treated for frostbite and hypothermia, following an NFL playoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins on Jan. 13, 2024. The game was played at negative 4 degrees with a wind chill of negative 27, marking the third-coldest kickoff wind chill ever, the Chiefs communications team said at the time. The Chiefs won 26-7.

Sporting Kansas City hopes to use the weather to its advantage against Messi and Inter Miami this time around.

Messi scored a goal and had an assist when Inter Miami beat Sporting Kansas City 3-2 on April 13, 2024. The game was played at the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium in front of a reported crowd of 72,610 – the most-attended soccer match in state of Missouri and the third-most attended MLS game in history.

‘It’s always hard to get ready to play in games in this,’ Vermes said. ‘I would assume it will be a little bit of a shock to them.’

(This story was updated with additional news and details.)

Three’s a crowd, but four’s a party. Who’s going to become the fourth active coach to win a national championship? Texas’ Steve Sarkisian tops the list.
Transfer hauls give Oregon’s Dan Lanning and LSU’s Brian Kelly a shot at national title next season.
Penn State’s James Franklin boasts another strong team, but can he win the big games?

Ryan Day joined Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney as college football’s only active coaches to win a national championship. The number was as high as five before Nick Saban’s retirement, Jim Harbaugh’s bolt for the NFL and Mack Brown’s ouster.

So, who stands in the on-deck circle? Let’s peek at six candidates likeliest to turn three into four.

6. James Franklin (Penn State)

Penn State should be ranked in the preseason top five. It returns quarterback Drew Allar and its top two running backs from last season’s team that reached the College Football Playoff semifinals. So, Franklin’s a prime candidate, right? Well, there’s one problem: Franklin almost never wins his biggest games, and he’d need to win a big game or two or three to capture a crown.  

The Nittany Lions lost each of their three toughest games last season. Also, Penn State must replace defensive standout Abdul Carter and offensive standout Tyler Warren. Making the playoff seems probable, but a national championship? ‘Big Game James’ would need to stop being a sarcastic dig at Franklin.

5. Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame)

Notre Dame’s got good bones. Good culture. Its independent scheduling positions the Irish to perennially win 10 or more games, making them playoff regulars. Consider Notre Dame’s 2025 schedule. Tell me the game in which the Irish will be the underdog. I don’t see one.

Winning a national championship in this era, though, comes a lot easier with a standout quarterback and star wide receiver or two. Those two positions became the obvious difference in Notre Dame’s national championship loss to Ohio State. For Freeman to be the next coach to win it all, he’ll need a quarterback to emerge. Redshirt freshman CJ Carr, let’s see what you got in that mended elbow.

4. Kalen DeBoer (Alabama)

DeBoer misfired in his first season replacing Saban. No sugar coating it. He certainly hasn’t, acknowledging he failed to meet expectations. But, look here, Alabama signed the nation’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class, and Miami transfer Isaiah Horton will upgrade the receiving corps. Experienced players fill the defense.

Alabama’s national title bona fides hinge on its quarterback. Is Ty Simpson ready to be a starter after three years as a backup? How quickly will five-star signee Keelon Russell develop? DeBoer reunited with Ryan Grubb, his longtime consigliere. I don’t doubt Grubb will be a coordinator upgrade, but he can’t change the quarterback personnel. Either Simpson or Russell must be ready to shine by September.

3. Brian Kelly (LSU)

Did you get your digs in at Kelly, when LSU failed to make the playoff while Freeman rallied Notre Dame to the national championship game? Hope you enjoyed it, because Kelly loaded up for a chance at the last laugh. Kelly signed the nation’s best transfer class. That haul includes top-rung defensive line and secondary additions, necessary personnel tasked with jumpstarting a defense that’s been too feeble for too long.

The Tigers return the SEC’s most proven quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier. They’re set at receiver. A retooled offensive line must perform, but this is Kelly’s best shot at a title since coming to LSU. The national title window slowly closes on Kelly, 63. It’s not closed yet.

2. Dan Lanning (Oregon)

The combination of Lanning plus NIL at “Nike U.” have been quite good for Oregon. The Ducks went 25-3 the past two seasons. Much like Day, this feels like a matter of when, not if, the 38-year-old Lanning will win a national championship.

No coach of a playoff-qualifying team signed a better transfer class than Lanning. He paired those additions with a top-five recruiting class. Oregon looks like a near lock for the playoff. Its national championship pursuit hinges on whether UCLA transfer Dante Moore, Oregon’s backup quarterback last season, replicates the production of predecessors Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix.

1. Steve Sarkisian (Texas)

Nobody better positioned himself to join the list of national champions than Sarkisian. Texas is back, folks. No more sarcasm in that statement after the Longhorns reached the College Football Playoff semifinals in consecutive seasons.

Like Day, Sarkisian magnetizes talent. Coaches who consistently build elite rosters – see Nick Saban, Kirby Smart – give themselves the most opportunities for a national championship. That brings us to Sarkisian. A recruiting maestro, he signed the nation’s No. 1-ranked class to pair with an enviable roster led by quarterback Arch Manning.

Sarkisian proved himself an excellent quarterback developer. Add in Texas’ NIL war chest, and Sarkisian positioned the Longhorns to be an annual contender. The possibility of an NFL return rests in the backdrop of Sarkisian’s tenure, but, even if that happens, Sarkisian might deliver a national championship before he departs. Ohio State, Texas, Oregon and Georgia rank among the favorites to win this next national championship.

So, who will turn three into four? Sarkisian, Lanning, or … maybe no one, for a while.

Between Day, Smart and Swinney, they’ve got a chance to crowd out the contenders vying to join their exclusive club.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

SAN FRANCISCO — The 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco and Oakland yielded positive and appreciated moments.

But it also fell flat in other areas as the league fiddles with the All-Star Game format and tries to make it a more appealing and entertaining product for the league, players, partners and fans.

The new mini four-team tournament where the first team to 40 showed potential but still had drawbacks.

“I think it was a good step in the right direction to reinvigorate the game in some way, and then you tinker with it again next year and see what changes you can make,” Golden State All-Star MVP Steph Curry said.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, playing in his first All-Star Game, said, “It felt like there were high stakes in the games. It was better than I expected, and that format, I think it worked pretty well.”

There were hiccups, such as the in-game entertainment drawing out the length of the game to the detriment of viewers’ interest.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA All-Star winners and losers:

WINNERS

New format amplifies competitiveness, but system still flawed

The All-Star Game mini-tournament presented a clear upgrade, with players more engaged to defend and compete, though the revamped format was still imperfect. Ultimately, breaking up the All-Star teams across three different squads with no regard for conference affiliation still felt too much like a gimmick. The average fan likely wants to see something that more closely resembles a traditional East vs. West showdown, just one in which it’s clear the players care. The solution may be obvious.

During this All-Star Game, each player on the championship-winning team received a payout of $125,000, while each player on the second-place team earned $50,000. Each player on the third- and fourth-place teams got $25,000. If the NBA wants to return the All-Star Game to glory, the league should significantly increase the payout for the winners and have the losing team net considerably less. It may not be the best for optics, but if the league wants the exhibition to be a more desirable product, throwing some more cash behind it should be a starting point.

Bay Area: San Francisco and Oakland

The NBA celebrated San Francisco and Oakland — with official All-Star events taking place in both cities. Courts were refurbished throughout the region. Oakland native Gary Payton was a heavy presence throughout the weekend as were former Golden State Warriors stars Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin and former Warrior Rick Barry. All five are Hall of Famers, and future Hall of Famer Steph Curry and his wife, Ayesha donated the funds to renovate the McClymonds High School gym where Hall of Famer Bill Russell played in Oakland.

Steph Curry

Mac McClung makes his case as all-time dunker; contest may be better for it

No player had ever won three consecutive NBA Slam Dunk Contests before Saturday night, when Orlando Magic guard Mac McClung made his case as one of the all-time dunkers. McClung, who plays for the team’s Osceola Magic G League affiliate, scored perfect 50s on each of his four dunks and soared over sedans, people spinning on hoverboards and Evan Mobley — a 6-foot-11 forward — who was standing on a short stage.

Shaq’s purple fedora

Leave it up to Big Diesel to dress to impress. Shaquille O’Neal, whose Shaq’s OGs team won the All-Star Game, came correct with a purple fedora that made the rounds throughout the night. At one point, during a segment that was bolstered by comedian Kevin Hart’s delivery, the fedora was passed to Charles Barkley, who cooperated and put it on. During another segment, it went to Hart. All of it infused levity and humor to the festivities Sunday night.

Tyler Herro

Competing in his second NBA All-Star 3-point contest, Herro, a Miami Heat All-Star guard, won the event for the first time.

LOSERS

Delay in All-Star championship game

With the score 11-1 in the All-Star Game, there was a break to honor the TNT “Inside the NBA” crew, which is doing its final All-Star Weekend before the new TV deal begins next season and NBC provides coverage of All-Star events. Nothing wrong with that.

But it caused a nearly 20-minute delay in resumption of the game, and it was easy to lose interest. “Yeah, breaks, I guess, weren’t ideal. I would rather play without breaks. But I had fun nonetheless,” Oklahoma City All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said.

Said Boston’s Jayson Tatum: “The toughest part, they stopped the game to do the presentation while we were kind of halfway through it. We were sitting down for 20 minutes, whatever it was. It was kind of tough to get back into the game after that.”

Injuries

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dallas’ Anthony Davis and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards did not play in the All-Star Game because of injuries.

Antetokounmpo and Davis were listed out and were replaced with commissioner choices — Trae Young and Kyrie Irving. However, James and Edwards were late scratches.

James’ absence ended his NBA-record streak of 20 consecutive All-Star starts.

Skills Challenge sputters, again

The most exciting  part about the Skills Competition was that a team — the Spurs contingent of Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama — tried to cheat and got disqualified. The Spurs tried to find a loophole in the rule by quickly wasting their shot attempts in the interest of saving time. Fans booed, the product was substandard, communication of the rules was messy and an NBA staffer even prevented TNT’s Allie LaForce from interviewing Paul and Wembanyama.

Compare that to the 2007 Skills Challenge, when Paul (then 21), Kobe Bryant (28), LeBron James (22) and Dwyane Wade (26) — all legitimate stars — competed in the event. Getting the game’s best to participate, but more importantly buy in, is the only way the event survives.

Inclusion of the Rising Stars in All-Star Sunday

Warriors forward Draymond Green, working as a guest analyst for TNT, absolutely shredded the NBA’s decision to have the winning team of the Rising Stars event compete against the All-Stars who were selected. He called it “absurd” and “ridiculous” and ranted about it several times.

His teammate, guard and All-Star MVP Stephen Curry didn’t disagree, although he was far more diplomatic. “Obviously there was a lot of conversation around the fourth team and the Rising Stars,” he said. “The All-Star experience on Sunday is very sacred, and you have to work your way into that.”

They’re not wrong. While the Rising Stars did put forth a good fight, that is not the goal of All-Star Sunday; it’s to present the very best in the world, in competition. Including the Rising Stars is tantamount to a participation trophy, and it weakens the overall product.