No defense allowed as West beats East in All-Star game
Anthony Davis #23 of the Western Conference All-Stars dunks during the NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2017 NBA All Star Weekend on Feb 19, 2017 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, US. [Photo/VCG] |
Feb 19 - In the full-court layup drill and three-point contest otherwise known as the 66th NBA All-Star Game, New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis set an All-Star record with 52 points and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook added 41 points to carry the Western Conference to a 192-182 victory over the Eastern Conference on Sunday night in New Orleans.
In a game in which defense was outlawed and feuding former teammates Westbrook and Kevin Durant played together for only 81 seconds, the West defeated the East for the sixth time in the last seven games.
The 374 combined points broke the record of 369 set during the West's 196-173 win a year ago.
The East was led by Milwaukee Bucks center Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 30 points, and LeBron James, making his 13th All-Star start, with 23 points.
Davis, named the MVP, broke the All-Star Game scoring record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. He made 26 of 39 shots from the field, eclipsing Blake Griffin's 2014 record of 19 made field goals in an All-Star Game.
One play in the second half summed up the general mindset of the players, who naturally placed self-preservation ahead of bravado.
Antetokounmpo stole the ball near midcourt and had a four-on-one against Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry. Curry found a spot in the middle of the lane -- 10 feet in front of the basket -- and laid stomach-first on the floor while Antetokounmpo hit an uncontested layup.