Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the voice of the Raptors on the FAN 590 and writes regularly for Sportsnet.ca.

I have a few suggestions to help inject some life into what have become some pretty drab all-star festivities.

Well, thankfully the game itself saved all-star weekend because the rest of it fits a phrase that I use frequently when things are hyped and come up short: "Weak, like a teabag in the ocean."

The game turned out to be exciting and as usual it got serious in the fourth quarter when pride and the bottom line - winning -- suddenly became important. From a Raptors' standpoint, Chris Bosh acquitted himself well as he hit what turned out to be the eventual winning free throws and it's not inconceivable that he could have been named the game's MVP.

The all-star game always seems to turn into an exciting contest, sort of like a charity game where all the players who are supposedly invited actually show up and want to win at the end if nothing else, to say they were on the winning team.

But can we please do something about the Saturday night? Uggggh! Underwhelming or what? Like a teabag in the Pacific. I like the skills competition involving the guards and the three-point shooting contest is the highlight of the night for me. I have a few suggestions to spruce the evening up and it would actually test the skills of former and current players.

Nobody liked it when it was first added to all-star weekend but I'm still looking for a shooting contest that matches players in a two-on-two format, sort of like the old "two-ball" contest. I think the NBA dropped the ball when it mandated an NBA player be teamed with a WNBA player. Personally, I'd like to see Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher against say Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. And you could involve the old guys too in the tournament at the end once we hit all-star weekend by putting in a couple of legends teams (Reggie Miller and Kenny Smith or Steve Smith would be a decent team).

There could be some sort of play downs before the all-star weekend to determine the top 4 or 8 duos in each conference to compete at all-star weekend. Want to take it one step further? Let players form their own dynamic duos and let the league select the top 8 "sexiest teams" and match them up and let them have at it. Find a sponsor and away you go!

Here's how it works: Go for one minute with designated spots on the court worth different point values (the box - 2 points, foul line - 3 points, mid-range -- couple steps off the elbow and short corner on the baseline - 4 points, and beyond the arc worth 5 or 6 points.

The rules of the two-person shooting contest like the old practice drill apply. While one player shoots, the other spots up and you have to rebound your own miss and make the pass to your partner. It would actually test a vital skill in the game, the one the game is all about, shooting and putting the ball in the hoop. It's just a thought to inject some life into a pretty drab Saturday evening.

Nate Robinson a three-time winner of the Slam Dunk contest? Really! Never happened before huh? No Michael Jordan, no Dominque Wilkins, no Dr. J winning three times huh? I'm formulating my own conspiracy theory as some Canadians have said they were unable to vote online for DeMar DeRozan. I guess big brother is watching!

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So I'm sitting watching Kentucky and Tennessee on Saturday night, flipping back and forth trying to stay awake as all-star Saturday night's dunk contest is doing as good a job as a sleeping pill in knocking me out and I hear Hall of Famer Dick Vitale say that the NBA should do away with the age limit and let kids declare their eligibility for the league. I could not disagree more.

Have you seen what has happened to the college game with players staying only one year? Yep, it has led to more parity but it has also lead to kids not learning how to play properly and coming to the professional ranks ill-equipped to handle the rigors of the NBA both in a basketball and social sense at times. Some kids come in and make it, but others don't and it turns ugly for them.

I agree something has to be done about the sham that is the NCAA and kids that are going to school just to play basketball but the NCAA and their rules are a complete farce. Here's why? A coach can make hundreds of thousands of dollars but if you buy a kid a pizza or a t-shirt it's a rules violation. Give me a break!

True there are major violations happening and yes you need to crack down on those but let's look at the intent of the rule as opposed to strict interpretations and hand out penalties accordingly.

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The Wizards are starting to dismantle the ship that is sinking with the trade of Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross. The benefit for Dallas comes in acquiring Butler, a tough player who does not back down and some defensive help in Brendan Haywood. If Dallas is looking at getting to the conference finals and challenging the Lakers, the additional defensive length of Haywood will help alongside Erick Dampier.

We're talking offensively challenged at times but there's enough scoring to go around. To get to the Lakers, the Mavs may have to go through the Denver Nuggets, the "neighbourhood bullies." Butler will give them the right attitude and a guy who can play as well.

Back to some sense of normalcy Tuesday night and as we head toward the best part of the NBA, the playoffs.