Team LeBron wins 2020 NBA All-Star Game

Kawhi Leonard (Google Images)

The 2020 NBA All-Star Game from the United Center in Chicago on Sunday. In a game that had a complete tribute to the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, Team LeBron (captained by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James) defeated Team Giannis (captained by Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks) 157-155.

The format in the scoring was different for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game with Bryant in mind. After three quarters of play, the shot clock was turned off, and a target score was put into play. The leading team needed to score 24 points (Bryant’s number) before the losing team recorded the predetermined target score. The target score was the leading team’s score after three quarters plus 24. In this case, the predetermined target score was 157 points as Team Giannis had a 133-124 lead after 36 minutes. Then in the final stanza, Team LeBron won the game after outscoring Team Giannis 33-22.

Six players on Team LeBron reached double figures in scoring. Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard had 30 points. He was followed by LeBron himself and Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder (23 points each), Chicago native Anthony Davis of the Lakers (20 points), Australia’s own Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers (17 points) and James Harden of the Houston Rockets (11 points).

In an interesting note, five of the six players who reached double digits in scoring for Team LeBron were from the Western Conference. The only one from the Eastern Conference was Simmons. Leonard was named the MVP of the game despite being a -5. The game was highlighted by a rendition of “For All We Know” by musician Jennifer Hudson, who honoured Bryant.