Team LeBron is undefeated in All-Star competition, having picked up its second straight win, a 178-164 victory over Team Giannis, at the 68th NBA All-Star Game at the Spectrum Center on Sunday.
Team Giannis took early control with a 53-37 first quarter, featuring a combined 28 points on 12-for-13 shooting from Bucks teammates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Team Giannis led by as many as 20 points, but Team LeBron made it a game with an 18-4 run, fueled by Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal, in the third quarter.
The teams traded leads early in the fourth and it was a three-point game with 4 1/2 minutes to go, but Team LeBron put it away with a 10-2 run featuring five straight points – a step-back 3-pointer over Joel Embiid and an alley-oop dunk from former teammate Kyrie Irving – from LeBron James.
Kia All-Star MVP Kevin Durant led Team LeBron with 31 points on 10-for-15 shooting, scoring 11 (on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting) in the fourth quarter. Nine other members of Team LeBron scored in double-figures.
Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 38 points on 17-for-23 shooting, adding 11 rebounds and five assists. The Hornets’ Kemba Walker shot just 2-for-8, but had a game-high eight assists. Dirk Nowitzki, a special roster addition in perhaps his final NBA season, entered late in the first quarter and shot 3-for-3 from 3-point range in four first-half minutes for Team Giannis. Dwyane Wade, playing his final All-Star Game, had seven points and four assists for Team LeBron.
