We’re usually a harsh critic of All Star Games in sports. But, for the most part, we enjoy NBA All Star Weekend, mainly because it does it’s job. It doesn’t count (Piss off, Selig) and it doesn’t take place after the season (Pro Bowl). Instead, the festivities in New Orleans were designed for one thing: Fun.

Whether it was Dwight Howard flying through the air or both teams trading alley-oops, NBA All Star Weekend didn’t take itself seriously. Instead, it was about putting on a show for the fans. Back to that Howard dunk…holy shit! How is it even possible for someone that big to jump that high?
For one night, it was fun to watch the world’s best players focus primarily on offensive highlights. I don’t know how many times I “oohed” and “aaahd” over the weekend. The players were having fun. They weren’t faking injuries like the guys in Honolulu, and they weren’t hitting the showers in the 5th inning like the Major League Baseball version. Instead, they were calling ISO plays and alley-oops.

And while the Home Run Derby has seemingly lost its luster the last few years, the Slam Dunk Contest was able to get back some of its old magic over the weekend. Between D12’s aerial show and Gerald Green’s cupcake dunk (not to mention the underrated shoeles windmill), I thought it was one of the best contests in years.