NBA: All-Star Weekend Recap
INDIANAPOLIS —The East secured the W in the highest-scoring All-Star Game in history and also became the first team to surpass the 200-point mark. Sheesh.
Fans were in for a treat watching the Giannis Antetokounmpo-captained team defeat the West, 211-186, in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Damian Lillard led the East with 39 points, including two half-court shots. He was awarded the Kobe Bryant MVP Award for his performance. The newly signed Milwaukee Bucks star celebrates his first time winning the award in eight All-Star appearances. The star also secured the 3-PT Contest title with 26PTS.
Jaylen Brown added 36 pts. Tyrese Haliburton, playing in front of his own Indiana Pacers fans, scored 32 pts. He started 5-for-5 with all his shots from beyond the 3-PT line.
Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns was the game’s leading scorer with 50 points for the West. West captain LeBron James had 8 points in 14 minutes. He had a slam dunk with an assist from Luka Dončić in the first quarter but was limited due to an ankle injury. The Los Angeles Lakers star was playing in his record 20th All-Star game. We can all agree that the twentieth appearance is crazy. James isn’t nearly done, and clearly, fans aren’t done watching him grace the court again and again.
STEPH VS.SABRINA
It was a record-breaking performance from New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu that led to a historic All-Star Saturday. In 2023, Ionescu set the WNBA record for most three-pointers in a single season (128). She also set a WNBA and NBA all-time record score in the three-point contest last season, recording 37 points out of a possible 40. Thus, a battle was born as the two reputable scorers in their league faced off Saturday night in a three-pointer showdown against NBA All-Star Stephen Curry.
It was the Golden State Warriors guard who won it all, as Curry won by 3 PTS, 29-26, in an NBA vs. WNBA 3-PT contest -- the first of its kind. Curry had perfect racks from both the left and right wings and went into the final rack -- his money-ball rack, with each, makes worth two points -- with 21 points. He missed his first shot but then made the last four to close with 29 points and a theatrical finale.
So, do you think this 3-point contest will be a regulated NBA All-Star Weekend trend?
Mac McClung, wins second Slam Dunk Contest title
McClung is beating the odds, only playing in 4 NBA games, and joins a handful of players with at least 2 NBA Slam Dunk Contest wins after securing his 2nd title Saturday. The 6-foot-2, G League star McClung defeated Brown in the final round with a dunk over 7-foot-1 Shaquille O'Neal, who put on McClung's jersey as a request from the point guard.
