Tatum scores All-star record 55
SALT LAKE CITY >> Jayson Tatum put on a record-setting show, and made Giannis Antetokounmpo look like a genius.
Tatum scored an All-star Gamerecord 55 points on his way to winning MVP honors, and Team Giannis ended Lebron James’ hold on All-star captain supremacy by beating Team Lebron 184-175 in the NBA’S annual showcase exhibition on Sunday night.
Tatum had 27 points in the third quarter, another All-star Game record for any period. He was the first pick by Antetokounmpo in the starters’ portion of the AllStar draft, and in the end, that pick proved to be the right one.
“It means the world,” Tatum said. “You think of all the legends and great players that have played this game, and in all honesty, records are made to be broken. I’ll hold it for as long as I can, but I’m certain someone will come along in a couple years and try to break it.”
Tatum broke Anthony Davis’ All- Star record of 52 points. He was 22 of 31 from the floor, plus had 10 rebounds and six assists.
It was James’ first loss in six times as captain. Antetokounmpo improved to 1-2 in his All-star captaincies, and became the first captain to hoist a new trophy presented to the winners of the AllStar Game.
“Winner, winner, chicken dinner,” Antetokounmpo said.
Donovan Mitchell added 40 for Team Giannis, which got 26 points from Damian Lillard — including the game-winner to push his team past the target score.
Jaylen Brown scored 35 points and had 14 rebounds for Team Lebron, while Kyrie Irving had 32 points and 15 assists and Joel Embiid finished with 32 points.
Lillard, the winner of the 3-point contest on All-star Saturday Night, made eight 3s — including a halfcourt pullup in the third quarter.
“That was the worst basketball game I’ve ever seen,” Team LEBron coach Michael Malone said, clearly poking fun at the defenseoptional event.
The league had a ceremony before the second half to pay tribute to the three leading scorers in NBA history: No. 3 Karl Malone, No. 2 Kareem Abdul-jabbar and James, now the game’s career leader after he passed Abdul-jabbar earlier this month.
Karl Malone and Abdul-jabbar were brought to the stage, and then Dwyane Wade — James’ former teammate in Miami and now a part- owner of the Jazz — introduced James to bring him onto the platform.
“We’ve all been witnesses,” Wade said. “No matter the challenge, no matter the noise, he was relentless.”
With the number 38,388 displayed behind him, James then raised his hand to thank the fans for their ovation, hugged AbdulJabbar and Karl Malone. He didn’t return to the game, his night ending with a right hand contusion.
He finished with 13 points, and said a chasedown block in the first half led to him getting a finger caught in the rim.
Antetokoumpo drafted his team before the game, went through warmups (such as they were) and started the game as planned.
But his right wrist was wrapped, and that was an ominous sign. The injury kept him out of All-star Saturday’s skills event, limited him to 20 seconds in this one. “Whatever I have, I’m going to give,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s who I am. That’s never going to change.”
As in past years, the teams played for charity, with Team LEBron raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah and Team Giannis for Raise the Future, which connects youth in foster care with stable adults. Each team started with $150,000, with the first three quarters worth another $100,000 apiece and the All-star Game winner getting another $150,000.
Team Giannis won $700,000 for its charity, and Team Lebron won $200,000.