The Western and Eastern All-Star teams this season were some of the most talented combinations of players in this annual NBA event in recent history. With Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) and Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) headlining the West and LeBron James (Miami Heat) and Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic) highlighting the East squad, there were bound to be fireworks.
Unfortunately, one of the key matchups that many people were looking forward to; never really come to fruition. Andrew Bynum (Los Angeles Lakers) and Dwight Howard were unanimous starters on the West and East squads and set up a classic matchup between league’s best big men. With Bynum recently getting a knee injection, the Lakers center struggled in just five minutes on the floor and was pulled to rest the knee.
Despite the failed big man showdown, Kevin Durant and LeBron James put on a scoring display. Both of these NBA MVP candidates scored game-highs of 36 points. Durant eventually took top honors by helping lead the West to victory over the East, 152-149, with the assistance of Kobe who also dropped in 27 points.
Along with being a lethal scoring combination with Durant, Kobe also set a milestone by passing Michael Jordan on the all-time list of All-Star game scoring (271 points). Unfortunately, Kobe did get banged up in this one by suffering a broken nose after a hard foul from Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat). Kobe still continued to perform after the injury and helped this team get the win.
Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder), Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers) also helped the cause for the Western Conference All-Stars by combining for 60 points. On the East, Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks), Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls), Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets) and Andre Igoudala (Philadelphia 76ers) all scored in double figures, but failed to get past the West.
Related News
Leave a Reply
-
Sportsbook News- NBA Power Rankings: Heat top dogs to start second half of the season
- Lamar Odom will miss at least two more games for the Dallas Mavericks
- Dwyane Wade breaks Kobe Bryant’s nose with hard foul in All-Star game
- Kobe and Durant lead West over the East in 2012 NBA All-Star game
- Chris Paul will pick up contract option with the Los Angeles Clippers
- Is Pau Gasol still on the trading block in Los Angeles?
- NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers interested in trading for Michael Beasley?
- Will Peyton Manning end up with the Seattle Seahawks?
- Miami Heat dominate Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks in South Beach
- Rajon Rondo set to replace Joe Johnson in the NBA All-Star game
Comments- frank: please bring manning and thetop running back in the draft maybe abig time left tackel and all jet fans will...
- Alexis: theres no way that rondo can get traded we need him the rest of the season AND IM GOING TO THE CELTICS GAME...
- And1: Damn the Suns if they do trade Nash. Retire Nash as a Sun, resign him next year, and spend money in getting...
- CLNS_Nick: Great read. Very interesting. Do you have any link/sources to Bird’s quotes?
- sid: OKC is overrated they are still the same exact team that only won one game last year in the playoffs against the...
- baltimore 34-32: Baltimore will carve them up no problem winning here
- Ravens Fan: YES They can!
- Ravens Fan: Tottally agreed Baltimore will win but it will be tough.