The Three Point Shootout ended about half an hour before the 2021 NBA All-Star Game started, but in the middle of the display, it was clear that Team LeBron did not understand the memo. Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry casually exchanged 43-foot shoes at the end of the first half – which wouldn’t have been a problem if they hadn’t been on the same team – the highlight of a 27-8 streak that gave Team LeBron an advantage of 20 points in the interval. Despite the occasional fright, the star-studded group used this race to cling to victory for the rest of the game, achieving a 170-150 victory.
That flood of Curry and Lillard was the highlight of the game. In a period of 12 seconds, each of them hit 3 points from just one step inside the half-court, effectively stretching the limits of what is expected from the NBA, even in an All-Star game.
Outside the defense, the highlight was the Most Valuable Player in the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The regular season’s two-time MVP ended with 35 points and 7 rebounds in an All-Star record of 16 out of 16 pitches, and 3 points out of 3.
Because Team LeBron’s offensive attack was so versatile, the game never really seemed to be in danger after that race mentioned in the first half. Lillard gave his last push to the All-Star Game MVP by scoring the last 11 points for the LeBron team ending with a looooong (a simple “long” does not do it justice) 3 points 12 meters away that ended the competition forever.
Try not to look so surprised.
Lillard’s touch was contagious during the rotation; he finished with 32 points out of 11 out of 20 field shots, including eight points out of 3. Next to him, Jaylen Brown and Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers warmed up in the final leg, on their way to performances of 22 and 17 points, respectively.
Completing the rest of the main contributors, Chris Paul played the role of field general, distributing 16 assists to go with eight rebounds and six points, as well as a buried alley-oop to turn the clock back for 2007.
Together, Team LeBron collectively shook their wrists for a 31 out of 3 point reveal in 61 attempts. Consider this as yet another victory for LeBron James, the GM, who advanced to 4-0 in the All-Star Draft era. And, because of their affinity with Lillard, the two have already joined each of the past three seasons, staying undefeated.
On the other hand, the Durant team seemed to be missing out on some of their own GM’s scoring punch. Durant did not play, and although they managed to balance the efforts of their stars – Brooklyn Nets stars James Harden and Kyrie Irving scored 20+ efficiently, as did Jayson Tatum and striker Bradley Beal – it was clear that they needed an extra punch to follow the LeBron Team’s long-range dominance.
There was not much to unpack in terms of X’s and O’s. Except for some possessions, there was not much defense. The lack of a game played meant that there was no need to bite your nails. Both sides left the intensity in their respective cities, but at the very least, they brought their offensive firepower to Atlanta for the weekend festivities.
Overall, Sunday night can be considered a victory for the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard was among the best absolutes in the game. His teammate, Anfernee Simons, took center stage at the break by winning the Slam Dunk Contest. Meanwhile, Robert Covington made the HBCUs proud, competing in the Skills Challenge.
And, perhaps most importantly at this point, the Blazers await the return of several contributors who will soon be healthy from their own list. They may have brought pain to Atlanta, but I hope that health will prepare them for a good fortune, as the second half of the schedule starts on March 11th.
The Blazers have a chance to close the gap between themselves and a high-profile Western Conference power, as they fight the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, March 11 at 5:30 pm PT.
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