Damian Lillard wished to do one thing particular in his eighth NBA All-Star Game.
His pull-up 3-pointer from half courtroom delivered a stunning spotlight. A postgame announcement in which he was named NBA All-Star Game MVP for the primary time offered an ideal end.
Lillard scored 39 points and drained 11 3-pointers to lead the Eastern Conference to a record-setting 211-186 win over the Western Conference on Sunday evening in Indianapolis.
“It’s an honour,” mentioned Lillard, who’s in his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks. “I’ve been here quite a few times, so to have this kind of accomplishment is special. Any time you have this type of experience enough, you want to have this (specific) experience — you want to be All-Star Game MVP.”
The Eastern Conference shattered the file for many points by a crew in an All-Star Game. The earlier mark was 196 points, which late Los Angeles Lakers nice Kobe Bryant and the Western Conference notched throughout the 2016 All-Star Game.
Boston Celtics ahead Jaylen Brown added 36 points on 15-for-23 taking pictures for the Eastern Conference in the win. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton completed with 32 points on 11-for-15 taking pictures to delight followers who watched him play on his house courtroom.
“I was just going to keep shooting until I missed,” Haliburton mentioned. “(I was) just having fun, playing basketball. I didn’t know how many minutes I was going to play, didn’t know how my leg would feel, but I felt good (Sunday). …
“It wasn’t excessive depth in any respect, however it feels good that I felt good, and hopefully I can proceed that shifting ahead.”
Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves led the Western Conference with 50 points on 23-for-35 shooting. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 31 points on 12-for-16 shooting, including a 7-for-10 mark from long distance.
Towns said Anthony Edwards, his Timberwolves teammate and a fellow All-Star, kept encouraging him to score more.
“He was breaking down the points to me on the bench,” Towns said. “I knew it was one thing particular as a result of even (Stephen Curry) bought up and was like, ‘Get 50. Get 50.'”
The contest was dominated by 3-pointers and dunks, as neither facet devoted a lot vitality or consideration to protection.
The Eastern Conference shot 56.8 p.c (83-for-146) from the sphere and 43.3 p.c (42-for-97) from 3-point vary. The Western Conference shot 55.9 p.c (80-for-143) total and 35.2 p.c (25-for-71) from past the arc.
LeBron James made historical past by enjoying in his twentieth All-Star Game. The 39-year-old surpassed fellow Los Angeles Lakers nice Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who earned 19 alternatives.
The profession milestone didn’t equate to a memorable efficiency on the courtroom for James. He completed with eight points on 4-for-10 taking pictures, and he missed all three of his 3-point makes an attempt.
The Eastern Conference led 104-89 on the half. Lillard had 22 points earlier than the break, together with a half-dozen 3-pointers, to assist his crew seize a 15-point lead.
Lillard maintained his scorching hand in the second half. He drained a spot-up shot from half courtroom throughout the third quarter to make it 132-105. After the shot swished by way of the basket, Lillard prolonged his arms right into a full wingspan and walked again towards the defensive finish.
The Eastern Conference scored at the least 50 points in all 4 quarters.
The Western Conference scored 47 points in the primary quarter, 42 in the second, 47 in the third and 50 in the fourth.