Points aplenty: West, 196-173
Westbrook MVP in 369-point game
Russell Westbrook repeated as MVP and the Western Conference broke the NBA All- Star Game team scoring mark Sunday in Toronto. The combined 369 points also set a record. Story,
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant — playing in his final All-Star Game in his final NBA season — dominated the story line right up until tip-off of Sunday’s game.
Then the game’s young stars took over in the most defenseless of All-Star Games.
The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 196-173, setting a record for points scored by a team. The 369 total points easily broke the record for combined points (321) that was set in last year’s game.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook had 31 points and led five West players who scored at least 20. He was named All-Star MVP for the second consecutive year.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry had 26 points, the New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis had 24 and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden and the Thunder’s Kevin Durant each scored 23.
The Indiana Pacers’ Paul George led the East with a gamehigh 41 points, one shy of Wilt Chamberlain’s record set in 1962.
Dunks and three-pointers ruled. Even by normal NBA AllStar Game standards regarding defense (read: little of it), this was a new level of offensive freedom.
The West set records for points in a game, a half (92) and a quarter (53) and field goals made in a half (41). Both teams combined for the most points in a half (182) and a game.
Before the game, the NBA honored Bryant — an 18-time AllStar, five-time champion, onetime league MVP and two-time Finals MVP — with a video tribute, and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson introduced Bryant.
The fans chanted “Kobe! Kobe!” before Bryant said, “I just want to thank you guys for all of your support. ... I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to play the game I love and be in the NBA for more than half my life.”
Bryant scored 10 points. Although he entered the game as the leading scorer in All- Star history, he now is second by one point to LeBron James, who has 291 points in 12 All-Star Games.