The 2018 NBA Rising Stars Challenge was about what everybody expected it to be: a showcase of the NBA's young talent, but no real stakes involved in the whole thing. It's mainly a defenseless highlight show and although that can bother some it's perfectly fine for others.

At least it gives everybody a chance to see some of the greatest athletes in the world do some absolutely incredible stuff. The World ended up beating the USA 155-124 and the MVP was Bogdan Bogdanovic, but that isn't why everybody checks out the Rising Stars game.

It's about seeing Donovan Mitchell go off the backboard to himself in the opening moments of the game. Oh and don't forget: He's going to be in the dunk contest Saturday.

Dennis Smith Jr. will be in the contest as well. Hopefully they saved some for Saturday.

Joel Embiid got a chance to show his footwork.

Players such as Bogdan Bogdanovic get to heat check from as deep as they want with no conscience. It works out even better when he makes it.

It allows franchise rivals from the Lakers and Celtics to team up and form a sick Kyle Kuzma-to-Jaylen Brown alley-oop.

Of course, teammates work best together in these events. Ben Simmons found Dario Saric for a nice Sixer-to-Sixer dunk.

Unless those teammates have to go at it against each other like De'Aaron Fox and Bogdanovic did.

Of course, the best part of the event is always at the end, when everybody gives up on defense entirely and it becomes a mini dunk contest. 

Jaylen Brown went between his legs.

Jayson Tatum brought out the windmill.

Dennis Smith Jr. pulled out a 360.

And John Collins might have had the alley-oop dunk of the night.

It was a great time. The basketball might not have been the best for purists, but the game provided some entertainment and nobody got hurt. That's all anybody really wanted. Hopefully next year's is just a little closer.