The All-Star weekend was in full swing and brought many gasps as the athletes and celebrities brought their best game to the table. The three days had many highs and lows, but in the end was a big success, putting many of the players in the spotlight with insane highlights.
The weekend kicked off with the celebrity game, in which consecutive MVP for the second time in a row, Kevin Hart, led the West in a win over the East. The 58-38 game was greatly enjoyable, filled with laughter, a few antics and at times, intense moments full of basketball action. The West team had former Rockets Clyde Drexler and Dikembe Mutombo, plus WNBA star Maya Moore, but their greatest weapon was Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, a former Harvard forward. The East had the WNBA’s Tamika Catchings and former Spurs Sean Elliott and Bruce Bowen, plus the fastest human in the world and Olympic champion, Usain Bolt.
Kenneth Faried, who plays for the Denver Nuggets, took the MVP award as he crashed the rim and the boards, while incredibly piling up forty points and ten rebounds in twenty-two minutes for the winning side as Team Chuck (Barkley) beat Team Shaq (O’Neal) 163-135 in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge of first- and second-year players. Even though Faried won MVP, Kyre Irving of the Cavilers took the show when he broke Brandon Knight’s ankles with a bucket, as they had a rivalry going on in between them as the game progressed. Kyrie Irving was a perfect eight-for-eight from beyond the arc and finished with thirty-four points.
Team Bosh, which also included Miami’s Chris Bosh and WNBA star, Swin Cash, beat out Eastern Conference teammates Team Lopez, which included Nets center Brook Lopez, legend Muggsy Bogues and WNBA star, Tamika Catchings, to advance to the championship round for the West, where they beat Team Westbrook led by Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, seven-time NBA champ Robert Horry, and WNBA’s Maya Moore for a title for the East. The Blazers’ Damian Lillard became the first rookie to win the Taco Bells Skills Challenge, defeating Jrue Holiday by 5.8 seconds in the final and earning ten points for the Western Conference in the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night competition. Kyre Irving won the Foot Locker three point contest with a twenty-three point score, showing that he is a threat beyond the arc. Terrance Ross won the dunk contest with almost a perfect score in every dunk that he put up.
The starters for the East were: Carmelo Anthony (New York), LeBron James (Miami), Kevin Garnett (Boston), Dwyane Wade (Miami), and Chris Bosh (Miami). The alternatives included Tyson Chandler (Knicks), Luol Deng (Bulls), Paul George (Pacers), Jrue Holiday (76ers), Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers), Brook Lopez (Nets), and Joakim Noah (Bulls). The starters for West were: Kevin Durant (Thunder), Blake Griffin (Clippers), Dwight Howard (Lakers), Kobe Bryant (Lakers), and Chris Paul (Clippers). With twenty points, fifteen assists and four steals, Chris Paul earns the MVP Award as the West edges the East in a tight All-Star Game, 143-138 inHouston’sToyotaCenter. This was the West’s third consecutive win over the East. Kevin Durant became the first All-Star to score 30+ in three consecutive All-Star games.
