West Win The All-Star Game (Video)
Bryant scores 37 and wins fourth MVP (Foto: cnn.com)
Kobe Bryant seems to enjoy an All-Star game more than every clash with Lakers. Los Angeles star scored the most points last night and made history with his fourth NBA All-Star MVP award.
West All-Stars beat the East 148-143 after a spectacular show at the Staples, Bryant’s hometown. The dunk of the night came from the same ‘Laker’ in the third quarter when LeBron James was also there to block him. Miami star failed as Bryant slapped him friendly afterwards. The West stars didn’t allow the East, who where there with leaders’ Boston and Miami Trios, get but the fourth quarter. Apparently, the last round looked like an eventual consolation for James and Co., but the East stars got very close to the victory, conceding the game to just five points in the end.
Bryant finished with 37 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Kevin Durant scored 34, won three rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Tim Duncan was among the Western starters, but the center, who played just 12 minutes, left Staples with three rebounds, two assists, two steals and also two points. Pau Gasol’s performance was not a less important one. His 24-minute showing included 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Chris Paul was also there, hitting ten points and delivering seven assists plus four rebounds and five steals. Carmelo Anthony, who might leave his team this season, added eight points for the West and had seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Russell Westbrook came off the bench to score 12 points and grab five rebounds. Blake Griffina scored eight, Manu Ginobili came up with seven, Dirk Nowitzki added six, Deron Williams five and Kevin Love two points.
Durant converted four 3-pointers, Bryant and Paul had two while Williams finished with one conversion. West had a very strong start which allowed them go ten points adrift, 37-27, but their lead increased with just two points right before the half time, following a 39-37 second quarter result. Bryant and Co. kept improving their performance going even 17 points ahead of the East stars. They claimed the third quarter 41-36. Eastern side woke up pretty late, but did something what the Westerns couldn’t do. They took the biggest quarter win of the night, leaving the East 12 points behind in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately their lead was a meaningless one.
On the other side, Amare Stoudemire and LeBron James finished with 29 points, each. Heat star’s spectacular showing included in the same time 12 rebounds and ten assists. Stoudemire completed his 28-minute performance with six rebounds, two assists and one block, being the only starter to leave Staples with a 3-point conversion. Reserve Joe Johnson had three, Ray Allen two and Paul Pierce one conversion.
Miami had two stars among the Eastern starters, the second one being Dwyane Wade. He finished the game with 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. Derrick Rose had 11 points, five assists, three rebounds and one steal, while center Dwight Howard grabbed seven rebounds and added five points, one assist and one steal.
As for their bench, Miami’s Chris Bosh brought 14 points, won five rebounds, delivered two passes and made one block. Ray Allen came up with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists, while Joe Johnson ended his 20-minute intervention with 11 points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds.
Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo scored six points each, with the last one also delivering eight passes, Kevin Garnett four, while Al Horford added two points.
Said Bryant: “I feel like we have a sense of responsibility and we are voted in for what we do during the season, which is play hard. The fans want to see us go at it and see us compete and that’s what I try to do and that’s what I try to tell my teammates to do.”
NBA Tuesday fixtures:
Detroit Pistons – Houston Rockets
Charlotte Bobcats – Toronto Raptors
Miami Heat – Sacramento Kings
Washington Wizards – Indiana Pacers
Denver Nuggets – Memphis Grizzlies
Golden State Warriors – Boston Celtics
Milwaukee Bucks – Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder – Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers – Atlanta Hawks
