Final Score: USA 161, World 144
Most Valuable Player: Kyle Kuzma
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the NBA’s annual showcase of the best young players in the league, USA Team snapped their two-year losing streak to World Team with a 161-144 win during the 2019 MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars on Friday night.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma took home the MVP honors with 35 points for USA Team’s squad of first- and second-year players. With All-Star Kyrie Irving pacing the sidelines as honorary coach, USA Team led for the majority of the game and outscored World Team in fastbreak points, 48-26.
Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons led the way for World Team with 28 points on 14-for-17 shooting and six assists. Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic added 13 points and nine assists in front of his teammate and All-Star Dirk Nowitzki, who served as honorary coach for World Team.
The high-scoring game was filled with high-flying moments. Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins, playing for USA Team, gave the crowd a preview of Saturday night’s AT&T Slam Dunk when he threw an alley-oop to himself off the backboard for a huge slam near the end of the first half.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum added 30 points for USA Team with nine rebounds. Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen was the second-leading scorer for World Team with 21 points. Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox dished a game-high 16 assists for USA Team.
Both teams finished the game with the same field-goal percentage – 55.4 percent.
