Team Giannis won 184-175 in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game against Team LeBron on Sunday evening with Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum scoring a record-breaking 55 points on his way to winning MVP honours.
Tatum, who was the first pick by Antetokounmpo in the starters’ portion of the All-Star draft, had 27 points in the third quarter in Salt Lake City, another All-Star Game record for any period.
Jayson Tatum enjoyed a record-breaking night at the All-Star Game
The MVP award Tatum was given is named after Kobe Bryant, one of his heroes.
“It means the world,” Tatum said. “You think of all the legends and great players that have played this game, and in all honesty, records are made to be broken. I’ll hold it for as long as I can, but I’m certain someone will come along in a couple years and try to break it.”
Tatum broke Anthony Davis’ All-Star record of 52 points. He was 22 of 31 from the floor, plus had 10 rebounds and six assists.
Team Giannis forward Jayson Tatum (0) receives his MVP trophy after the NBA basketball All-Star game
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Jayson Tatum sinks 10 three-pointers on his way to scoring his 55 points for Team Giannis against Team LeBron in the All-Star game
It was James’ first loss in six times as captain. Antetokounmpo improved to 1-2 in his All-Star captaincies, and became the first captain to hoist a new trophy presented to the winners of the All-Star Game.
Antetokounmpo said he had a reason for choosing Tatum. “I knew he would take it serious. It was a no-brainer,” he said.
Donovan Mitchell added 40 for Team Giannis, who got 26 points from Damian Lillard – including the game-winner to push his team past the target score.
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Damian Lillard hits the three pointer to win the All-Star game for Team Giannis against Team LeBron
Jaylen Brown scored 35 points and had 14 rebounds for Team LeBron, while Kyrie Irving had 32 points and 15 assists and Joel Embiid finished with 32 points.
James also delivered 13 points, including a incredible dunk off the backboard:
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LeBron James plays the ball off the backboard for the incredible dunk during the NBA All-Star game
Brown and Tatum – Boston team-mates – were revelling in a back-and-forth duel during a stretch of the second half.
“It was a normal day for us,” Tatum said. “Just millions of people watching.”
Lillard, the winner of the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday Night, made eight threes – including a halfcourt pullup in the third quarter.
“That was the worst basketball game I’ve ever seen,” Team LeBron coach Michael Malone said, clearly poking fun at the defense-optional event.
Winning coach Joe Mazzulla of Team Giannis said he had a very simple strategy.
“Stay out of the way, enjoy it, have fun, allow the guys to just be themselves,” Mazzulla said. “I think it’s important, especially in this league, that guys are just able to be themselves.”
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Damian Lillard scores from inside his own half during the NBA All-Star Game
The league had a ceremony before the second half to pay tribute to the three leading scorers in NBA history: No. 3 Karl Malone, No. 2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James, now the game’s career leader after he passed the 75-year-old earlier this month.
Malone and Abdul-Jabbar were brought to the stage, and then Dwyane Wade – James’ former team-mate in Miami and now a part-owner of the Jazz – introduced the LA Lakers star to bring him onto the platform.
“We’ve all been witnesses,” Wade said. “No matter the challenge, no matter the noise, he was relentless.”
With the number 38,388 displayed behind him, James then raised his hand to thank the fans for their ovation and hugged Abdul-Jabbar and Malone.
He finished with just 13 points as a chasedown block in the first half against Pascal Siakam led to him getting a finger caught in the rim, and subsequently leaving at the half-time mark.
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LeBron James says ‘I’ll be fine’ after exiting the All-Star game with a finger injury
After the game, James told reporters he had no concerns over the injury.
“I tried to get one little chasedown block and got my finger caught in the rim, but I’ll be fine,” James said “It’s not too much to worry about. For precautionary reasons, just took the rest of the night off.”
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Kyrie Irving collected 15 assists for Team LeBron during the All-Star game against Team Giannis
James played a half. The game’s other captain did not play a half-minute.
Antetokoumpo drafted his team before the game, went through warm-ups (such as they were) and started the game as planned.
But his right wrist was wrapped, and that was an ominous sign. The injury kept him out of All-Star Saturday’s skills event and limited him to 20 seconds in this one. He got an uncontested dunk to open the game, then took a foul and headed to the bench.
“Whatever I have, I’m going to give,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s who I am. That’s never going to change.”
