The game set a number of records for the most points for a single team and total combined score in an All Star Game.
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Bryant finished with just 10 points, so few that he lost his career lead in All-Star Game scoring to LeBron James, even though James also had a quiet night.
-Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry scored 26 points to help the West prevail Sunday.
Playing in his 15th and final All-Star Game – he was selected 18 straight years – Bryant finished with 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists in 26 minutes, forced to settle for tying Bob Pettit for the most MVP performances at four.
Indiana Pacers forward Paul George leads all scorers with 16 points.
Paul George had 41 points to lead the East, including nine three-pointers that broke the previous record of eight set by Carmelo Anthony (2014). Chris Paul had 14 points and 16 assists for the West. Bryant left the game to a standing ovation with 1:06 to play. Please note that comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language and will be removed accordingly. Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, participating in his first All-Star Game, finished with 9 points on 4-for-11 shooting in 19 minutes. What was made abundantly clear during the tragically casual main event, though, is that Bryant is leaving the league in extremely capable hands – even if a natural-born competitor like him might be silently glad to leave the All-Star Game, specifically, behind.
The Washington Wizards’ John Wall added 22 points for the East, but that squad’s biggest superstar, the Cavaliers’ James, had a quiet night with just 13 points. He will retire at the end of the season.
Both teams started the game fast with a combination of slam dunks, alley oops and three-point shots as the West closed the first half 92 to 90 over the East, and marked the most points ever scored in a half of an All-Star game.
Kobe took note of Banham’s unbelievable shooting, and he tweeted his admiration for her game-winning shot.
Magic Johnson, another Los Angeles Lakers great, then walked onto the court, spoke into a microphone and listed many of Bryant’s accomplishments.
Bryant, who said all week he did not want his fellow players to go easy on him in his final All-Star Game, was a shadow of the player who dominated the NBA’s midseason showcase many times before, but was still the man of the hour.
First Bucket Bryant got on the scoreboard in the first quarter by getting this turnaround jumper to spin in against Toronto’s Kyle Lowry. “I’m just thankful to be able to play the game of basketball and be in a game like this is something that I never take for granted”. To hear those stories now, you have such a deep sense of appreciation and such a brotherhood from all the years of competing against each other.
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Robertson is a past president of the players’ association. Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine dueling in the dunk contest, one of the finest in a very long time, maybe since the Jordan vs Dominique days in the 1980’s. In his remarks Sunday he urged the NBA’s current players to study the history of how past players fought for certain rights “and look where you are today”.
