Kobe Bryant’s 37 point, 14 rebound performance headlined the NBA All-Star game on Sunday night, in which the West comfortably defeated the East 148–143 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The 32-year-old Bryant, who captured his fourth All-Star MVP to tie Bob Pettite’s record, said he was galvanized by all the young talent on the court.
“Just being around so many young players gave me so much energy to see them bouncing around and all that sort of stuff. It just re-energized me for the night,” Bryant said after the game.
The Los Angeles Lakers had come into the All-Star break having lost three in a row on the road, including an incredibly embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. The Cavs had reached basketball futility just two weeks ago with a record-setting 26-game losing streak.
But that was all erased for Bryant on Sunday night as he set his sights from the get-go to not play an exhibition game but instead playoff-level basketball.
“You could tell from the start he wanted the MVP. He wasn’t passing the ball at all,” Knicks All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire said. Stoudemire tied LeBron James in scoring with 29 points to lead the East.
One of Bryant’s first baskets was a difficult turnaround fade-away jump shot off the glass just over the reach of Dwyane Wade. Then he made a phenomenal two-handed dunk on the opposite side of the basket after flying and twisting his body in the air under the rim. It brought the West bench and the largely pro-Bryant crowd to their feet.
Bryant was the only player to break double-digit scoring in the first quarter with 11 points. He added 10 more in the second quarter and 13 in the third quarter. All-Star games are not known for their defensive tenacity, but the scoring was still impressive and a sign that number 24 still has what it takes to play at the level of the NBA’s most promising new stars.
The 32-year-old Bryant, who captured his fourth All-Star MVP to tie Bob Pettite’s record, said he was galvanized by all the young talent on the court.
“Just being around so many young players gave me so much energy to see them bouncing around and all that sort of stuff. It just re-energized me for the night,” Bryant said after the game.
The Los Angeles Lakers had come into the All-Star break having lost three in a row on the road, including an incredibly embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. The Cavs had reached basketball futility just two weeks ago with a record-setting 26-game losing streak.
But that was all erased for Bryant on Sunday night as he set his sights from the get-go to not play an exhibition game but instead playoff-level basketball.
“You could tell from the start he wanted the MVP. He wasn’t passing the ball at all,” Knicks All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire said. Stoudemire tied LeBron James in scoring with 29 points to lead the East.
One of Bryant’s first baskets was a difficult turnaround fade-away jump shot off the glass just over the reach of Dwyane Wade. Then he made a phenomenal two-handed dunk on the opposite side of the basket after flying and twisting his body in the air under the rim. It brought the West bench and the largely pro-Bryant crowd to their feet.
Bryant was the only player to break double-digit scoring in the first quarter with 11 points. He added 10 more in the second quarter and 13 in the third quarter. All-Star games are not known for their defensive tenacity, but the scoring was still impressive and a sign that number 24 still has what it takes to play at the level of the NBA’s most promising new stars.
Still, Bryant admitted after the game that he is not the spring chicken he used to be. “I’m exhausted. Three dunks took it out of me,” he said.
Bryant was backed up in the scoring department by Oklahoma City Thunder wonder Kevin Durant with 34 points. No other West player broke 20 points, and only point-guard Chris Paul, Bryant’s teammate Pau Gasol, and Russell Westbrook broke double-digit scoring.
LeBron James joined Michael Jordon as the only other player to capture an All-Star game triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
James played a motivational role for the East, telling his teammates in the huddle to pick up their game after going into the fourth quarter with a 17-point deficit. The East had led by only as much as four points in the opening minutes of the game.
James and Stoudemire contributed 14 points and 15 points respectively in the fourth quarter to rally the East and pull within a few baskets, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, it was still about winning even though it was an exhibition game, and the West wanted it more.
Rookie phenom Blake Griffin saw limited playing time (just under 15 minutes) and scored eight points for the West. He made one of his signature high-flying dunks early on off an alley-oop pass; it was almost as acrobatic as his car-leaping stunt in the slam dunk contest, which he won on Saturday.
The Miami Heats’ James Jones beat out Boston Celtics veterans Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to win the 3-point shootout, also on Saturday.
The All-Star events will head back to the East next year at the new Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., after eight years of the West playing host.
Bryant was backed up in the scoring department by Oklahoma City Thunder wonder Kevin Durant with 34 points. No other West player broke 20 points, and only point-guard Chris Paul, Bryant’s teammate Pau Gasol, and Russell Westbrook broke double-digit scoring.
LeBron James joined Michael Jordon as the only other player to capture an All-Star game triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
James played a motivational role for the East, telling his teammates in the huddle to pick up their game after going into the fourth quarter with a 17-point deficit. The East had led by only as much as four points in the opening minutes of the game.
James and Stoudemire contributed 14 points and 15 points respectively in the fourth quarter to rally the East and pull within a few baskets, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, it was still about winning even though it was an exhibition game, and the West wanted it more.
Rookie phenom Blake Griffin saw limited playing time (just under 15 minutes) and scored eight points for the West. He made one of his signature high-flying dunks early on off an alley-oop pass; it was almost as acrobatic as his car-leaping stunt in the slam dunk contest, which he won on Saturday.
The Miami Heats’ James Jones beat out Boston Celtics veterans Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to win the 3-point shootout, also on Saturday.
The All-Star events will head back to the East next year at the new Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., after eight years of the West playing host.
