NBA All-Star Game: Damian Lillard leads East to scoring record in 211-186 win
ByBob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Game MVP: Damian Lillard was No. 1 during the NBA's All-Star weekend, winning Saturday's 3-point contest and taking MVP honors in Sunday's All-Star Game. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
ByBob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
INDIANAPOLIS — Damian Lillard led a barrage of points at the 73rd All-Star Game on Sunday, scoring 39 points as the East earned a record-setting 211-186 victory against the West at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Lillard, who also won Saturday night’s 3-point contest, won MVP honors on Sunday, The Athletic reported. The Milwaukee Bucks star had 11 3-pointers on Sunday, giving him 57 for the weekend.
Sunday’s 211 points by the East broke the previous mark of most points scored by one team in a game, 196 by the West in 2016, according to The Associated Press.
The two teams set All-Star records for total points in a game (397), and in a half (193); and for most 3s made (67) and attempted (167), according to The Athletic. The East also set a record for points by one team tied a record with 104 points in the first half, and had a record number of 3-pointers (42), the news outlet reported.
Not a bad All-Star Weekend for Damian Lillard 🌟
◽️ First All-Star Start ◽️ Back-to-back 3PT Champion ◽️ Took home Kobe Bryant MVP Trophy pic.twitter.com/VLs7XlYO2J
Lillard joined Michael Jordan, who won the dunk contest in 1988, as the only other player in NBA history to win a Saturday night event and then be named an MVP during the same All-Star Weekend, according to ESPN.
Lillard’s effort blunted the effort of the West’s Karl-Anthony Towns, who put up a game-high 50 points in a losing effort, according to the cable sports network.
“It’s an honor. I’ve been here quite a few times, so to have this kind of accomplishment is special,” Lillard told TNT in an on-court interview after receiving the Kobe Bryant MVP Trophy. “Anytime you have this type of experience enough, you want to have this experience -- you want to be All-Star Game MVP.”
Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton, made his first five 3-pointers and the East hit 13 treys during the first quarter, according to The Athletic. He finished with 32 points and six assists.
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown came off the bench to score 36 points, while East team captain Giannis Antetkounmpo contributed 23 points.
LeBron James, playing in his NBA record 20th All-Star Game, scored 8 points in 14 minutes for the West. He did not play during the second half, according to The Athletic.
“It’s just been an absolute honor to be able to grace the floor throughout my career and be out there with the greatest players in the world year in and year out,” James said. “This is very humbling, very blessed, and it’s something I will never forget obviously. It’s part of my journey.”
This season’s All-Star Game returned to the East-West format after six years of two captains picking players in a draft, a la playground style, USA Today reported.
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2024 NBA All-Star Game: An exterior view of Gainbridge Fieldhouse before the NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: An exterior view of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis before the NBA All-Star Game. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: NBA royalty: from left, Bill Walton, Oscar Robertson and Julius Erving share a moment before Sunday's NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Director Spike Lee attends the NBA All-Star Game. (Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Lil Wayne sits courtside during the 73rd NBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg were in attendance at the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Kawhi Leonard of the Western Conference squad shows off his sneakers before the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Actor-comedian Bill Murray looks on before the 73rd NBA All-Star Game. (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Lilly Singh, a Canadian television host and YouTube star, attended the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star All-Star Game: Charlotte Cardin sings the Canadian national anthem before the NBA All-Star Game. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Babyface sings the national anthem before the NBA All-Star Game. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Three men synonymous with basketball in Indiana -- Oscar Robertson, Reggie Miller, and Larry Bird -- address the the crowd at the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: 50 Cent, Anthony Wilson, Chris Tucker, and Destin Christopher Tucker sit courtside during the 73rd NBA All-Star Game. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: 50 Cent, Anthony Wilson, Chris Tucker, and Destin Christopher Tucker sit courtside during the 73rd NBA All-Star Game. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: LeBron James (23) of the Western Conference hugs Bam Adebayo (13) of the Eastern Conference during the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Eastern Conference drives to the basket during the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Eastern Conference All-Stars dribbles the ball against Kevin Durant (35) during the NBA All-Star Game. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) of the Western Conference takes a shot during the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Luka Doncic of the Western Conference dribbles the ball upcourt during the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Jayson Tatum of the Eastern Conference plays defense against the Western Conference during the NBA All-Star Game. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: LeBron James of the Western Conference drives to the basket during the NBA All-Star Game. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Jalen Brunson of the Eastern Conference All-Stars takes a shot during the NBA All-Star Game. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Kevin Durant of the Western Conference drives to the basket during the NBA All-Star Game. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Damian Lillard was No. 1 during the NBA's All-Star weekend, winning Saturday's 3-point contest and taking MVP honors in Sunday's All-Star Game. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against the Eastern Conference during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. Towns scored 50 points to lead the West in a losing effort. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Jalen Brunson of the Eastern Conference. left, guards Luka Doncic during the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
2024 NBA All-Star Game: Members of the Eastern Conference celebrate after winning the NBA All-Star Game. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)