This past weekend the 73rd NBA all-star game took place. Back to the regular format of East vs West. In a very high scoring and what seemed, non-competitive at all the East beat the West 211-186. Damian Lillard won the games MVP scoring 39 points. he shoot 11-23 from behind the arc and had 3 rebounds and 6 assists.
This game was the first time that an NBA team has reached 200 points in a game. It is pretty clear why they were able to get to 200 points as the east shoot 97 three pointers making 42 of them, 43.3%. The Eastern conference starting five went Antetokoumpo, Tatum, Adebayo, in place of Randall, Lillard, Haliburton. The reserves were first year all star Banchero, Barnes, Brunson, Yuong, Maxey, Mitchell, and Brown. The youth of this team everyone was picking them to loose the game but as it turns out maybe being younger helped them.
The West all star starters were Durant, James, Jokic, Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander. The reserves were Davis, George, Leonard, Towns, Curry, Booker, Edwards. The put of 186 points shooting 55.9% from the field. Towns put up 50 points shooting 23-35.
Many people did not enjoy this All-Star game because it was so uncompetitive and guys were just trying things. Many of them were just trying to get as many points as they can. The NBA allegedly talked to them about making it more competitive, and Anthony Edwards went on to say guys do not see this as a competitive game at all. They see it as a break.
The night before they had the skills challenge, three point contest, Ionescu vs Curry, and the Dunk Contest.
In the skills challenge it was the Pacers vs All Stars vs The Rookies. In the skills challenge it test there dribbling, passing, and shooting. Team Pacers won the skills challenge after they made a half court shot to win the tie breaker.
The next challenge was the three point contest. The participant’s were Malik Beasley, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Lauri Markkanen, Donavan Mitchell, Trae Young, Karl-Anthony Towns. The winner was Dame Lillard. Lillard, Towns, and Young were the three who made it to the final round. Dame Lillard won the finals round scoring 26 points, winning it on his last shot of the last rack.
The next thing up we had Steph Curry vs Sabrina Ionescu. In the very exciting matchup we saw Sabrina put up 26 points but Curry soon after beat her and won the matchup. Earning the belt.
The last event of the night was the Dunk Contest. An NBA G-League player won the contest for the second year in a row. Mac McClung got a perfect 50 score on his final dunk jumping over Shaq. The dunk contest has also not gotten better but the main reason of this is possibly because dang near every single dunk has happen and there is not many more dunks left to go.