It might have been easy to assume the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday would be hard to watch. The game usually just turns into a scoring fest that may be more fun for the players than fans of basketball. But this year’s had special challenges.

First, it had a different format. Instead of West vs. East, the team captains – LeBron James and Stephen Curry – picked their rosters. Would fans like that? Second, it ran head to head with the Olympic Games, siphoning off some potential spectators.

TNT reported on Monday that an average of 7.7 million people watched the game, down from 7.8 million a year ago. Compared with the 2014 game that was played during the Sochi Olympics, that was an increase from 7.5 million.

The good news for the NBA was a rising appeal in the 18-to-34 demographic and more followers and viewers on social media channels.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Blog says the NBA also overcame a couple of other major issues.

One was the pregame show, which went on endlessly but to no good end. There’s nothing wrong with Kevin Hart in small doses (so to speak), but enough is enough. The second was the much-discussed performance of the national anthem by Fergie, which has been panned by almost everyone. All of this contributed to a starting time roughly 35 minutes later than scheduled. That’s enough to send some viewers elsewhere.

The NBA’s regular season resumes on Thursday. Some of us just prefer that to fireworks, hoopla and noise.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman