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0 In the 73rd annual NBA All-Star game, Damian Lillard stole the show by winning the All-Star MVP award, scoring an impressive 39 points and sinking 11 3-pointers. The game held in Indiana was nothing short of a thriller, with the East breaking multiple records. They set a new All-Star game record by scoring 211 points, surpassing the previous record of 196 set by the 2016 West All-Star team.
The East also set a new record for most points scored in a half with 104 points, and they tied an any-half record by scoring 104 by intermission. The previous record was set last year with 191 points. The East managed to achieve a 25-point victory, even with the reigning MVP Joel Embiid and New York Knicks Forward Julius Randle out due to injury.
The West All-Stars also had some exceptional performances, with Karl Anthony Towns becoming only the 4th player behind Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, and Jayson Tatum to score 50 points in an All-Star game. He hit the mark with a 3-pointer in the 4th quarter. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also scored 31 points for the West.
The game was filled with highlights from both teams, with Lillard’s half-court shot in the third quarter being one of the most memorable moments of the game. Luka Doncic also tried a shot from about 70 feet late in the first half, but it hit near the top of the backboard.
Defense was not a priority, and at times, it seemed to be accidental. Tyrese Haliburton had five 3-pointers in a 1:32 span in the first quarter, helping the East take a 53-47 lead after the opening 12 minutes.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and other league executives had been hoping for a more competitive All-Star Game after last season’s 184-175 matchup was widely panned, and television ratings plummeted. Even Hall of Famer Larry Bird, who was honoured at the NBA Legends Brunch, expressed his expectation that players would take the All-Star game more seriously.
Despite the lack of defense, the game had a big-game, Finals-type atmosphere, but obviously, nothing near a playoff feels. Donovan Mitchell threw a 50-foot inbounds pass underhand, Bam Adebayo inbounded a ball off Nikola Jokic’s backside before dribbling downcourt and making a 3, and Devin Booker went through pregame with a hat on backwards. Overall, it was an exciting and record-breaking NBA All-Star game.
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