The annual showcase played in Toronto, Canada for the first time centered on Bryant who played in a record 18th All-Star appearance. A video montage showing the highlights of his 20-year career was showed before the game in a ceremony em-ceed by Lakers great Magic Johnson.
“I just want to thank you guys for all your support all these years,” Bryant told the “Ko-be!” chanting crowd.
“I’ve just been extremely fortunate to play the game I love and be in the NBA for over half my life.”
“He’s the Michael Jordan of our era,” said Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, an Eastern All-Star who like Bryant hails from Philadelphia.
“He’s the most competitive a lot of us have played against. And the things he’s done throughout his career and the things he’s done to change the game and motivate other players is unbelievable.”
Bryant, the top vote-getter in the All-Star Game, finished with 10 points, six boards and seven assists as his younger counterparts stole the spotlight.
Russell Westbrook won the NBA All-Star MVP award for the second straight year after piling up 31 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
“We were just playing lockup defense at the end,” said Russell, although for the most part defense wasn’t part of the program at the Air Canada Centre, where the annual exhibition was being held outside US borders for the first time.
Reigning NBA MVP scored 26 points, Anthony Davis had 24 while Kevin Durant and James Harden each had 23 markers. Chris Paul also collected 16 assists to go along with 14 points.
East’s Paul George top-scored the game with 41 points, one shy of tying the record for the most points made in an All-Star Game.
He just missed the All-Star single-game record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.
It was a night of soaring dunks and long-range bombs all adding up to unprecedented numbers.
The 369 total points was an All-Star Game record, as was the West’s 196 total and their 104 points in the second half.
The Western Conference made a record 31 three-pointers — including seven apiece from Westbrook and James Harden and six from Curry.
source: interaksyon.com
