The NBA All-Star Game format: Do the changes go far enough?

When the NBA All-Star Game takes place at Staples Center in February, it will look a lot different than it has in the past.

The league announced Tuesday that it’s getting rid of the old East vs. West format and will instead form the two teams by letting captains choose the players playground-style. It’s a format that’s been previously used in the NFL’s Pro Bowl and NHL All-Star Game.

The move was made in an effort to generate more interest from players and fans alike in an annual event that has become more known for its ridiculously high scores — last year’s final was 192-182 in favor of the Western Conference — than as a showcase of talent.

“I’m thrilled with what the players and the league have done to improve the All-Star Game, which has been a priority for all of us,” National Basketball Players Assn. President Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to putting on an entertaining show in L.A.”

As in the past, the 10 starters will be selected through fan, player and media balloting. The coaches from each conference will choose the 14 reserves. Each conference will still be represented by 12 players, but the players with the highest number of votes from the East and West will choose their teams from there.

“I think it’s great for the game to kind of spice it up a little bit,” Curry told ESPN on Wednesday. “Give the fans a little bit more interest in how the teams are going to unfold. It’s great to follow how the 24-man rosters are voted on by the fans and the coaches but now there’s another element of mixing the East and the West and giving different combinations of guys out there on the floor. So it should be a pretty cool vibe to test it out and see how it goes.”

As a potential team captain, Curry has already given some thought toward his first pick.

“Probably one of my teammates,” he said. “It would be messed up if it wasn’t. That’s kind of the cool thing about it, following whoever the two guys who are picking, how their rosters kind of take shape. It will probably be some tough decisions in there which I think would be good for the game.”

His coach, Steve Kerr, wishes the changes went even farther.

“I think it really would have been interesting if they would have picked 24 All-Stars total — and not necessarily made it 12 from each side,” Kerr told ESPN. “If they really wanted to do it and get the 24 best players, maybe that would have been the way to go, but I respect the fact that the league is looking to alter the format, trying to make it better. I think it’s good.”

It’s not certain that everyone is in favor of the new format. In March, the Ringer’s Bill Simmons asked Warriors star Kevin Durant about the possibility of having captains choose the All-Star teams as a way to prompt players to exert more effort during the game.

“I don’t think that would work, either,” Durant said.

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii