NBA All-Star Game: Team Giannis wins 184-175

SALT LAKE CITY — Jayson Tatum placed on a record-setting present, and made Giannis Antetokounmpo appear to be a genius.

Tatum scored an All-Star Game-record 55 factors on his option to successful MVP honors, and Team Giannis ended LeBron James’ 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 Game 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 correct one.

“It means the world,” Tatum said. “You think of all the legends and great players that have played this game, and in all honesty, records are made to be broken. I’ll hold it for as long as I can, but I’m certain someone will come along in a couple years and try to break it.”

Tatum broke Anthony Davis’ All-Star document of 52 factors. He was 22 of 31 from the ground, plus had 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

It was James’ first loss in six instances 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 Game.

“Winner, winner, rooster dinner,” Antetokounmpo stated.

Donovan Mitchell added 40 for Team Giannis, which received 26 factors from Damian Lillard — together with the game-winner to push his group 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.

Lillard, the winner of the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday Night, made eight 3s — including a halfcourt pullup in the third quarter.

“That was the worst basketball recreation I’ve ever seen,” Team LeBron coach Michael Malone stated, clearly poking enjoyable on the defense-optional occasion.

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 challenge, no matter 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 didn’t 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.

James performed a half. The recreation’s different captain didn’t play a half-minute.

Antetokoumpo drafted his group earlier than the sport, went by way of warmups (comparable to they have been) and began the sport as deliberate.

But his proper wrist was wrapped, and that was an ominous signal. The damage stored him out of All-Star Saturday’s abilities occasion, restricted him to twenty seconds on this one. He received an uncontested dunk to open the sport, then took a foul and headed to the bench.

“Whatever I have, I’m going to give,” Antetokounmpo stated. “That’s who I am. That’s never going to change.”

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 steady adults. Each group began with $150,000, with the primary three quarters value one other $100,000 apiece and the All-Star Game winner getting one other $150,000.

The groups have been tied at 46-46 within the first quarter, and Team Giannis took the second quarter 53-46. Team Giannis additionally gained the third quarter 59-49, and the cumulative rating to that time — 158-141, Team Giannis — meant 182 could be the rating to succeed in within the untimed fourth quarter with a target-score ending.

Team Giannis gained $700,000 for its charity, and Team LeBron gained $200,000.

Team Giannis: Antetokounmpo’s two factors stored him the all-time All-Star scoring common chief. He’s now averaging 25.1 factors in All-Star Games, simply forward of Kevin Durant (25.0). Without that basket, he’d common 24.9. … Jrue Holiday took Antetokounmpo’s spot within the beginning lineup for the second half.

Team LeBron: Denver’s Nikola Jokic, the two-time reigning MVP, turned the primary participant to start out an All-Star Game on his birthday; he turned 28 on Sunday. The solely different participant to seem in an All-Star Game on his birthday, the NBA stated, was Larry Nance Sr. in 1989. … Halftime lasted 42 minutes. … Paul George began rather than James for the second half.

Last yr’s All-Star Game was broadcast in 215 nations; this yr, it was proven in 214 nations. The omission was Russia. The NBA isn’t displaying its video games in Russia and hasn’t for almost a yr. The league suspended its enterprise actions with Russia in March 2022, simply days after that nation invaded Ukraine.

The officiating crew of John Goble, Mark Lindsay and Michael Smith had the sport.

Indianapolis will play host to the following NBA All-Star weekend, set for Feb. 16-18, 2024. The metropolis was alleged to have the 2021 recreation, however it was moved to Atlanta and significantly scaled down due to the pandemic.