Team Lebron outlasted Team Durant 163-160 to win the NBA All-Star game behind a 50 point effort from Stephen Curry at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland.
Making his record setting 18th all star appearance, Lebron drained the fade away jumper over two players to see his team reach the required 24 points mark in the fourth quarter to seal the game.
LEBRON JAMES WINS THE #NBAAllStar GAME FOR #TeamLeBron IN CLEVELAND.
Storybook. pic.twitter.com/7huDFODsXD
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
The victory extended Lebron James’ undefeated record as an All-Star captain to five.
The recent trend of All-Star game being a leisurely stroll continued as the two teams scored freely, combining for a grand total of 323 points. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors led both the teams in scoring. The 8 time NBA All-Star drained a record 16 threes on his way to a 50 point game and the MVP honors.
Curry was well supplemented by performances from Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo who ended with 24 and 30 points respectively.
Joel Embid, the front runner for the league MVP this year, led Team Durant in scoring with 36 points in their captain’s absence with a knee injury while Ja Morant showed out with some jaw-dropping dunks.
JA MORANT ARE YOU SERIOUS 😮
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/RjCXnbreeE
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 21, 2022
Other notable names on Team Durant including Devin Booker and Trae Young failed to find their rhythm from beyond the arc in a losing effort.
The All-Star game was a welcome distraction for Lebron James whose LA Lakers currently sit at a precarious position in the Western conference as the ninth seed with a subpar record of 27 wins and 31 losses.
The friendly hue of the All-Star game will certainly fade as the regular season resumes from Friday. As teams continue to vie for the top seeds in their respective conferences, the 75th season of the NBA is shaping up to be one of its best ever.
