Jayson Tatum placed on a record-setting present, and made Giannis Antetokounmpo seem like a genius.
Tatum scored an all-star game-record 55 factors on his technique to profitable MVP honours, and Team Giannis ended LeBron James’s maintain on all-star captain supremacy by beating Team LeBron 184-175 within the NBA’s annual showcase exhibition on Sunday night time.
Tatum had 27 factors within the third quarter, one other all-star recreation document for any interval. He was the primary choose by Antetokounmpo within the starters’ portion of the all-star draft, and ultimately, that choose proved to be the fitting one.
And the MVP award Tatum was given is called for Kobe Bryant, one in every of his heroes.
“It means the world,” Tatum stated. “You consider all of the legends and nice gamers which have performed this recreation, and in all honesty, data are made to be damaged. I’ll maintain it for so long as I can, however I’m sure somebody will come alongside in a pair years and attempt to break it.”
55 PTS (NBA All-Star Game Record)<br>10 REB<br>6 AST<br>10 3PM<br><br>Jayson Tatum balled out to steer <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamGiannis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#TeamGiannis</a> to the win and declare 2023 <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/KiaAllStarMVP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#KiaAllStarMVP</a>!<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#NBAAllStar</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/Kia?ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>@Kia</a> <a href=”https://t.co/k4EXJHtTgz”>pic.twitter.com/k4EXJHtTgz</a>
—@NBA
Tatum broke Anthony Davis’s all-star document of 52 factors. He was 22 of 31 from the ground, plus had 10 rebounds and 6 assists.
It was James’s first loss in six occasions as captain. Antetokounmpo improved to 1-2 in his all-star captaincies, and have become the primary captain to hoist a brand new trophy introduced to the winners of the all-star recreation.
“Winner, winner, hen dinner,” Antetokounmpo stated.
Later, with a extra severe tone, Antetokounmpo stated he had a cause for selecting Tatum.
“I knew he would take it severe. It was a no brainer,” he stated.
Donovan Mitchell added 40 for Team Giannis, which acquired 26 factors from Damian Lillard — together with the game-winner to push his workforce previous the goal rating.
Jaylen Brown scored 35 factors and had 14 rebounds for Team LeBron, whereas Kyrie Irving had 32 factors and 15 assists and Joel Embiid completed with 32 factors.
Brown and Tatum — Boston teammates — have been reveling in a back-and-forth duel throughout a stretch of the second half.
“It was a traditional day for us,” Tatum stated. “Just tens of millions of individuals watching.”
Lillard, the winner of the three-point contest on Saturday night time, made eight threes — together with a halfcourt pull-up within the third quarter.
DAMIAN LILLARD FROM BEHIND HALF COURT 🤯🔥 <a href=”https://t.co/sMbSLLctl2″>pic.twitter.com/sMbSLLctl2</a>
—@ComplexSports
“That was the worst basketball recreation I’ve ever seen,” Team LeBron coach Michael Malone stated, clearly poking enjoyable on the defence-optional occasion.
Winning coach Joe Mazzulla of Team Giannis stated he had a quite simple technique.
“Stay out of the way in which, get pleasure from it, have enjoyable, enable the fellows to only be themselves,” Mazzulla stated. “I feel it is essential, particularly on this league, that guys are simply capable of be themselves.”
The league had a ceremony earlier than the second half to pay tribute to the three main scorers in NBA historical past: No. 3 Karl Malone, No. 2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James, now the sport’s profession chief after he handed Abdul-Jabbar earlier this month.
Malone and Abdul-Jabbar have been dropped at the stage, after which Dwyane Wade — James’ former teammate in Miami and now a part-owner of the Jazz — launched James to carry him onto the platform.
“We’ve all been witnesses,” Wade stated. “No matter the problem, irrespective of the noise, he was relentless.”
With the quantity 38,388 displayed behind him, James then raised his hand to thank the followers for his or her ovation, hugged Abdul-Jabbar and Malone. He did not return to the sport, his night time ending with a proper hand contusion.
He completed with 13 factors, and stated a chasedown block within the first half led to him getting a finger caught within the rim.
“Precautionary causes,” James stated.
The BEST DUNKS from the 2023 <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAAllStar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#NBAAllStar</a> Game 👀 <a href=”https://t.co/H3roNew0vX”>pic.twitter.com/H3roNew0vX</a>
—@NBA
James performed a half. The recreation’s different captain did not play a half-minute.
Antetokoumpo drafted his workforce earlier than the sport, went by way of warmups (resembling they have been) and began the sport as deliberate.
But his proper wrist was wrapped, and that was an ominous signal. The damage saved him out of all-star Saturday’s expertise occasion, restricted him to twenty seconds on this one. He acquired an uncontested dunk to open the sport, then took a foul and headed to the bench.
“Whatever I’ve, I’m going to present,” Antetokounmpo stated. “That’s who I’m. That’s by no means going to vary.”
As in previous years, the groups performed for charity, with Team LeBron elevating cash for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah and Team Giannis for Raise the Future, which connects youth ready in foster care with secure adults. Each workforce began with $150,000 US, with the primary three quarters price one other $100,000 apiece and the all-star recreation winner getting one other $150,000.
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Mac McClung of the Delaware Blue Coats, the G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, seals the victory on the NBA Slam Dunk contest with a powerful 540..
The groups have been tied at 46-46 within the first quarter, and Team Giannis took the second quarter 53-46. Team Giannis additionally received the third quarter 59-49, and the cumulative rating to that time — 158-141, Team Giannis — meant 182 can be the rating to succeed in within the untimed fourth quarter with a target-score ending.
Team Giannis received $550,000 for its charity, and Team LeBron received $200,000. And Tatum, simply as he vowed he would at his first all-star Game in 2020 — when the award was named for Bryant — received the trophy that he is wished for some time.
“Icing on the cake,” Tatum stated.
Indianapolis will play host to the subsequent NBA all-star weekend, set for Feb. 16-18, 2024. The metropolis was speculated to have the 2021 recreation, however it was moved to Atlanta and significantly scaled down due to the pandemic.
