![Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates with Team USA forward Auston Matthews (34) his goal against Team Finland in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre.](https://cdn1.thecomeback.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/94/2025/02/USATSI_25413107-scaled-e1739832120471-832x447.jpg)
The NBA and NHL’s approaches to their All-Star breaks couldn’t be more different — and according to the Pardon My Take crew, one league is clearly winning.
On Monday’s episode, Barstool’s Big Cat and PFT Commenter dove into the contrasting events, highlighting how the NHL’s revamped 4 Nations Face-Off left the NBA All-Star Weekend in the dust.
“The NHL absolutely bodied the NBA in terms of getting it right,” said Dan Katz, better known as Big Cat. “And what they’ve done with the 4 Nations tournament instead of the All-Star Game versus everything that has been going on with the NBA All-Star Game — it’s not even close… The NHL knocked this out of the park. The guys cared a lot, and it was so much fun to watch USA-Canada on Saturday night.”
PFT Commenter (Eric Sollenberger) echoed the sentiment, emphasizing how the NHL’s 4 Nations tournament addresses everything fans have criticized about the NBA All-Star festivities over the years.
“It was the complete opposite of the [NBA] All-Star Game,” he said. “Right from the first whistle, I think there were three fights in the first ten seconds of the game. That’s awesome. There’s nothing like a little pure, unadulterated nationalism to really get people going. And the NBA scratched the surface a little bit with that by doing the different teams with the guys from TNT. But it’s not the same. It’s not the same. Like just having USA against Canada, it gets the blood going.”
The NHL got it right with the Four Nations tournament pic.twitter.com/sodT266IvC
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) February 17, 2025
From the overwhelming celebrity presence — and influence — at NBA All-Star Weekend to the jarring imbalance of more commercials than actual basketball during Sunday’s game, it’s becoming painfully obvious that the NBA’s current All-Star format needs a major overhaul.
Meanwhile, the NHL has returned to basics, tapping into hockey fans’ deep-rooted nationalism with its 4 Nations format. The results have been undeniable, with 4.4 million viewers tuning into Saturday’s USA-Canada matchup.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has floated the idea of a Team USA vs. Team World format for future All-Star events. Still, even then, the question remains: would NBA players truly buy in enough to replicate the high-stakes intensity seen in the 4 Nations Face-Off?
The NHL has found its winning formula for the All-Star break. Now, the pressure is on the NBA to do the same.
