STEPHEN Curry scored 50 points and set an All-Star Game record with 16 3-point baskets to give Team LeBron a 163-160 victory over Team Durant on Sunday night in Cleveland.
Curry, playing for Team LeBron, shattered the former All-Star record of nine 3-pointers, set by Paul George in 2016. The Golden State Warriors’ star fell two points shy of the scoring record set by Anthony Davis in 2017 but still took home MVP honors with his dazzling performance.
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers had 36 points and 10 rebounds to lead Team Durant.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers hit the game-ending shot to reach the target score and give Team LeBron the victory.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks had 30 points and 12 rebounds for Team LeBron. James scored 24 points while playing in his 18th All-Star Game, one shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record.
Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns added 20 points for Team Durant.
The third quarter ended with Team Durant holding a 139-138 lead. That set the target winning score at 163 with the National Basketball Association (NBA) adding 24 points to the leading total after three quarters. It is the third straight year the formula has been part of the game.
Curry’s 16th 3-pointer gave Team LeBron a 144-139 lead. Embiid’s three-point play later pulled Team Durant within 151-150 and then he sank two free throws to give his team a one-point lead.
Antetokounmpo later scored back-to-back baskets, James added a layup and DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls hit a turnaround to give Team LeBron a 161-155 lead. Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine scored five straight points for Team Durant before James drained the 17-foot fadeaway jumper that gave his team the required 163 points.
Curry attempted 27 3-pointers and was 17 of 30 overall from the field.
Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns played 2:19 for Team LeBron despite having a fractured right thumb that will sideline him for six to eight weeks. Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz missed the contest due to a non-COVID illness.
Also, injured Kevin Durant (knee) of the Brooklyn Nets didn’t partake in the festivities due to the death of his grandmother earlier on Sunday.
Between halves, members of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team were honored.
When play resumed, Curry went into lava-hot mode and knocked down five 3-pointers in 128 seconds, including shots from 37 and 33 feet. His second 3-pointer during the stretch — a 25-footer with 8:37 remaining in the third quarter — was his 10th to break George’s record.
Curry added two more 3-pointers later in the stanza to take a total of 15 into the final quarter. Both teams scored 45 points in the third period.
Curry had 24 first-half points on a record eight 3-pointers for a half, but Team LeBron trailed 94-93 at the break. Embiid had 17 first-half points to pace Team Durant. — Reuters