Team LeBron beat Team Giannis 178-164 during the 2019 NBA All Star Game in Charlotte, North Carolina. Team LeBron’s Kevin Durant (of the Golden State Warriors) was named All-Star Game MVP after tallying 31 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists in 25 minutes. Team Giannis Captain Giannis Antetokounmpo (of the Milwaukee Bucks) had a game-high 33 points, starting the game strong, scoring 10 points on five dunks early in the first quarter.
As is the standard during All-Star Games, this year’s contest featured little to no defense during the first three-and-a-half quarters, with the intensity picking up in the fourth. Team Giannis led by as much as 18 points, but Team LeBron had a scoring run late in the third quarter to tie the game. They took the lead in the fourth and never looked back.
The game also featured two retiring future Hall-of-Famers, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. They were special “legacy” add-ons to the rosters. Wade (Team LeBron) finished finished with 7 points while Nowitzki (Team Giannis) had nine on three three-point shots in the first quarter.
The game featured several first time All-Stars from both teams:
- D’Angelo Russell (Team Giannis)
- Khris Middleton (Team Giannis)
- Nikola Jokic (Team Giannis)
- Nikola Vucevic (Team Giannis)
- Ben Simmons (Team LeBron)
Viewers were wowed by numerous jaw-dropping dunks by players from both teams, including a bounce-pass alley-oop from Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors) to Antetokounmpo that went higher than your usual lob.
Wade and LeBron gave the crowd some nostalgia candy when Wade threw a lob that James ferociously hammered home in the third quarter, a play that was reminiscent of an iconic moment when the two were teammates on the Miami Heat.
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