NBA All-Star voting is way less fun without the #NBAVote Twitter hashtag

Hello and welcome to B-Sides, where we celebrate all the little things that make us love the NBA so much each week. But I have to admit, we’ve begun to take a dark turn a few times this year.

First, I told LeBron he was bad at Twitter. Then, I got upset with Nike for cancelling for Christmas jerseys. Now, I’m kinda down about how the NBA has changed their All-Star voting for 2019.

On Christmas Day, the NBA released that All-Star voting was open, with several ways to vote this year. One way is straight through Google search, where you can type a player’s name in and immediately vote for them there. The NBA is working with Google to take over the world.

I get it and I don’t blame them, but the one part that upsets me is that you can no longer vote with the #NBAVote hashtag and a player’s name on Twitter.

There was something really pure and special about #NBAVote hashtag. Yes, it was used to literally vote, but it was used as so much more for NBA fans on Twitter. We used it to signify big plays or moments. We used to honor players that needed more love than the general public was giving them. We even used it to joke about players having a bad night. It was a thing for us. And some people really used it to ... actually vote!

#NBAVote on Twitter was a fun way to get involved with the league, and it’s gone now. NBA Twitter has changed so much since we started many moons ago, but the death of #NBAVote really has me feeling some type of way.

RIP to tweets like this.

B-Sides getting dark? Well that’s 2018 for you. Here’s all the fun stuff, though!

We’re long overdue for Steven Adams to get his own reality TV show. These bloopers are the most charming and delightful thing I have seen in quite some time.

His American accent? Perfect. If you can somehow watch this one and then not immediately replay it, then we could never be friends.

Hydrate.

Absolutely my favorite City Edition look to drop yet. The pattern down the side harkens back to Biggie Small’s bright sweaters.

I love the shooting sleeves that match.

The socks are even good!

These look good both on and off the court.

I know this is Rebel Wilson and not a random fan. But I don’t care if I’m a famous actor from the legendary Pitch Perfect move or just some average schmo: if LeBron James ever gives me bunny ears in a photo, I AM GOING TO BE SO HYPE.

(If I’m supposed to know who the other guy in the photo is ... well, I don’t).

I think it’s silly he got a technical foul for plopping himself in the front row, but my favorite part is the girl next to him chiming in as if she’s known Simmons for years.

I know Raymond Felton is shorter than everyone else, but the fact he got completely confused by Ferguson had me laughing for four days straight.

If I were him, I’d frame this and put it in any house or office or place I spend even just a moderate amount of time inside.

If he’s not already, he has a second career up his sleeve. Look at this fit!

If this dude wasn’t a multimillionaire basketball player I feel like he should be posing for GQ and sipping whiskey on the rocks. I hope he’s doing that anyway, to be honest.

It also forced me to do a deep dive on Ibaka’s Instagram. THIS IS MODEL STUFF, GUYS.

Surely by now my point has been made.

James Harden has been temporarily dethroned, because this is the only picture that matters. What a great homage to one of the most iconic shot of all time.

See ya next week, friends. Tweet me your B-Sides, and I’ll include them in the next round.