The NBA put a new All-Star Game format on display Sunday night and it went ... surprisingly well.
Three All-Star teams competed for the crown in a USA vs. World format with two American teams and one international team making up the event. It was a round-robin tournament where the two most successful teams would meet for a final as the decider in the event with four 12-minute games.
Intensity was on display throughout the night, which started right off the bat in Game 1 between the eventual champion Team Stars and Team World. Anthony Edwards, who was later named All-Star Game MVP, tied the first game with 13.5 seconds left and forced overtime. That caused everyone to wonder: Well, what now?
An overtime period—where the first team to score five points would come away with the victory—decided the winner. That brought a great burst of basketball where Team Stars trailed 3-2 and didn’t want to give the ball back to the international team for a chance to win. Team World sent a ton of attention toward Edwards, prompting the Timberwolves superstar to dish to Raptors All-Star forward Scottie Barnes beyond the three-point line. Barnes clutched up and ended the game.
SCOTTIE BARNES WINS IT FOR USA STARS.
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
USA STARS VS. USA STRIPES COMING UP NEXT ON NBC & PEACOCK 🍿
Tap to watch: https://t.co/UOPqgMKbFu pic.twitter.com/IokO8Nhvg0
The funny thing is, not even the players on the floor knew what was going on during the seemingly impromptu overtime period. Even Barnes, after hitting the shot, didn’t know that he just ended the game. He immediately ran back on defense until his teammates kindly let him know the game was over.
“Oh, that’s game?” Barnes said to Cade Cunningham after the clutch shot. “Ayyy!”
"Oh that's game?? AYYY!"
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026
Scottie Barnes after his game-winner in OT of Game 1 at NBA All-Star 2026 🤣 pic.twitter.com/ZFOhRns9CA
Even if the players didn’t know what was going on at times, the new format was surprisingly fun with three competitive round-robin games. Barnes and his Team Stars squad dominated Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James and Team Stripes in a final between the two American teams to end the festivities. The final was the only blowout of the night, but every basketball game can’t end on a final shot ... I guess.
The game winner was the only shot Barnes hit in Game 1 and it couldn’t have come at a better time, even if he didn’t know it.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Scottie Barnes Didn’t Even Realize He Hit a Game Winner in New All-Star Game Format.
