Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
For the first time since 2014, the Eastern Conference was victorious in the All-Star Game.
The NBA returned to the traditional East against West format after six straight years of team captains drafting rosters regardless of conference affiliation, and the Eastern Conference delivered with a 211-186 victory on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers.
Game MVP Damian Lillard (39 points and six assists) and Tyrese Haliburton (32 points, seven rebounds and six assists) spearheaded the winning effort, but it wasn’t just the backcourt that delivered. Jaylen Brown (36 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (23 points) also helped the offense eclipse the 200-point mark.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
DAME FROM HALFCOURT… AGAIN. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ilNmCdBfqU
NBA Communications @NBAPR
Bucks guard Damian Lillard (Eastern Conference) is the recipient of The Kobe Bryant Trophy as the #KiaAllStarMVP.
Nine media members were part of the voting panel. In addition, NBA fans counted for three votes by voting via the NBA App.
The voting results are below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KOPD9KbxJR
Karl-Anthony Towns did what he could with 50 points for the West, but the East broke a slump after losing six of the last seven All-Star Games from 2011 through 2017 before the format switched.
As the MVP, Lillard drew plenty of love on social media even if the Indiana crowd wanted Haliburton to take home the award:
A’ja Wilson @_ajawilson22
Damian “I ain’t come here to waste my time” Lillard 😂😂😂😂
🥤 @34for2
DAMIAN LILLARD TONIGHT:
39 points
11 3PM (2 from beyond half court)
6 assists
27 minutes
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?! pic.twitter.com/Sts1xJvjor
FanDuel Sportsbook @FDSportsbook
Damian Lillard in the All-Star game: pic.twitter.com/LSZNttRzJX
StatMuse @statmuse
The first team to ever eclipse 200 points. pic.twitter.com/DSNluqHqst
Nathan Marzion @nathanmarzion
Obviously this game and the 3p contest are meaningless, but nice to see Dame cooking, getting some confidence back, and reminding people that he is still Damian mf Lillard
Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 @big_business_
Dame Lillard is losing his mind
Andy Herman @AndyHermanNFL
Winning the 3 point contest and likely all-star MVP – I’m hoping this is exactly what Dame needed. This is the Dame everyone has been waiting for all season. If the Bucks get this Dame with Giannis playing the way he is, everything is still possible.
Damian Lillard, Bucks. @agoodkidripcity
Dame wins 3PT contest and All-Star MVP in the span of 26 hours. pic.twitter.com/JQSSu3jvaF
Marques Eversoll @MarquesEversoll
What if I told you that All-Star Weekend flipped the switch for Damian Lillard’s #Bucks Era?
Lily Zhao @LilySZhao
Damian Lillard shooting lights out during All-Star weekend, putting up 39 points in the All-Star Game tonight.
Next up? The race to the postseason with the #Bucks.
As expected, there was little to no defense being played out of the gate as the league’s best players put on a show with dunks, fast breaks and three-pointers. Fittingly, it was Pacers hometown hero Haliburton who caught fire in the early going, connecting on five triples in the first quarter alone.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
HALI FIVE 3PT IN A ROW 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9Uy5n1ixIr
He played to the crowd by moving further away from the basket as he kept launching, but he was far from the only one racking up the points as the two teams combined for 100 points in the first quarter. Still, the most memorable early moment might of been Stephen Curry blocking a Paolo Banchero dunk attempt.
NBA TV @NBATV
Steph’s block on Paolo leads to the two-hand HAMMER from Ant! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1jENZEkGFS
The East rode that offensive explosion and jumped out to a commanding 15-point halftime lead, but the middle of the game was more about the highlights than the score.
And those highlights included Trae Young dribbling through Kevin Durant’s legs, LeBron James dialing back the clock for multiple soaring dunks, Antetokounmpo throwing down slams, Curry and Lillard launching from well beyond the arc, and Luka Dončić defending his shot selection:
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Luka came online at the half to defend his shot selection 🤣 pic.twitter.com/V85kRlTvLN
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Trae nutmeg on KD 🥶 pic.twitter.com/iuc7XbW1rX
NBA on TNT @NBAonTNT
Luka ➡️ LeBron
Dame casually pulls up from the logo 🎯 pic.twitter.com/U4Zxke6klT
NBA @NBA
PG bounces off the floor to LeBron 😱#NBAAllStar Game on TNT pic.twitter.com/IT5PGVzgpn
The highlights didn’t stop in the second half with Lillard pulling up from half court after Dončić missed a dunk and Haliburton breaking out an elbow pass:
NBA on TNT @NBAonTNT
HALF COURT DAME 🤯🎯 pic.twitter.com/K8H0lZurbw
Indiana Pacers @Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton hit ’em with the elbow pass 😳 pic.twitter.com/SHBNJgiEp3
Despite all the highlights, the outcome of the game was never truly in doubt during the second half. With little defense being played, the Western Conference never put together enough of a run to seriously threaten as the East wrapped up the win even though Towns put on his own personal dunk contest in the fourth quarter.
Maybe the West will get back in the win column when next year’s All-Star Game is at Chase Center, the home of the Golden State Warriors.
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