Sunday’s 65th NBA All-Star game was the first to be played outside the U.S. and ended up being a record-setting contest as the West topped the East, 196-173, in highest-scoring All-Star game in league history.
The Cavaliers were represented by their coaching staff led by Head Coach, Tyronn Lue, and forward, LeBron James, who finished with 13 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 20 minutes of play.
James’ 13 points (291) moved him ahead of Kobe Bryant (290) atop the All-Star scoring list in what would be Bryant’s final All-Star appearance.
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(Coach, I wanted to ask you just about an experience for you, what it was like coaching out there these All-Stars and Kobe’s final All-Star Game?):
“It was a great experience for me. I was just honored and privileged to have an opportunity to coach these guys and enjoy this weekend with them, and then being Kobe’s last All-Star Game, it was a great experience for me.”
(Coach, can you talk about Paul George and his performance?):
“Well, PG and John Wall, they were serious. They weren’t messing around tonight. They took the game more serious than everybody else did, and you could see the outcome with Paul. I think he had 41, I think.”
(Did you talk about Wilt’s record and trying to break it for him? Did you realize Paul was that close to it?):
“No, we didn’t. We talked about him breaking Carmelo’s record of eight threes, and I think PG had nine threes, so Carmelo was talking stuff about that.”
(LeBron played 20 minutes tonight. Was that by design? Did he tighten up or what happened there?):
“Before the game he just said he wanted to play six minutes in the quarter, in the fourth quarter. If it was close, in reach, he’d play more minutes. Just talking to Carmelo, D-Wade and LeBron, once it got out of hand, just sent the young guys in to play and let them enjoy it.”
(LeBron, you’re the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in All-Star Games now, I think, by one point over Kobe. Does it mean anything to you to get that and especially just being that you got it in Kobe’s last game?):
“Oh, it absolutely means nothing. It means absolutely nothing (smiling). I’m just blessed to be a part of All-Star Weekend. This being my 12th consecutive appearance, being able to start for the East, it means a lot to my family and my fans. But the scoring, that’s never meant nothing to me.”
(LeBron, you had that one exchange with Kobe there where you’re slapping the court, put your arms out. What was that exchange for you? And that seemed to be one of the few times somebody got in a defensive stance. What was that like tonight?):
“Oh, like I’ve been saying over the last week, it was Kobe’s last game before the break was in Cleveland. It was just bittersweet being out on the floor with him, knowing the matches between us two are coming to an end soon. We’ve got one more in March in L.A. But when you get that opportunity versus a great man, you just have fun with it. I know it’s been overwhelming for him over this year, but our fans across the world and here in the States and here in Toronto, as well, has just been paying so much respect. It’s all well deserved. Man, I’m happy that I’ve been along for a small piece of the ride of his journey.”
(To follow up on the Kobe stuff, was there any banter between you two that jumped out to you tonight?):
“No, just small talk, man, but all in the favor of respect between each other. We’re very good friends, and I’ve been watching his journey for 20 years. He’s been keeping up on mine for 13. So it’s been pretty cool.”
(When you came in, Kobe was already established as an All-Star and whatnot. Has it sunk in really that this is the last time that you’re going to be in an All-Star Game and Kobe Bryant will be there as well?):
“I don’t think so. If I’m fortunate enough to represent the East next year in a game by either being voted in or coach picks me, and I don’t see him out there in Charlotte, I think that’s when it will sink in. But at this point, it hasn’t sunk in yet.”
