Jayson Tatum Scores NBA All-Star Record 55 Points, Wins MVP
SALT LAKE CITY -- Team Giannis had Giannis Antetokounmpo for only one play because of his sprained right wrist. Team LeBron only had LeBron James for one half because of a right hand contusion and a plan to save the 20-year veteran's legs for the Los Angeles Lakers' post-break playoff push.
And so in Sunday night's NBA All-Star Game, the real competition ended up being between Boston's Jayson Tatum and Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell as they vied for MVP while playing for the same team.
While Mitchell, whom the Cavaliers acquired from the Jazz in the offseason, had the Utah return narrative going for him and scored 40 points, Tatum took home top honors, scoring 27 of his 55 points in the third quarter to lead Team Giannis to a 184-175 win. He shot 22-for-31 from the field (10-for-18 from 3) with nine rebounds and six assists.
Tatum set the record for most points in an All-Star Game, edging Anthony Davis' 52 points in 2017.
"It's extremely special to me," Tatum, 24, said. "My first All-Star Game was in Chicago in 2020 when they renamed the MVP after him, and I remember telling myself that someday I got to get one of those."
Tatum took home 11 of the 12 votes for the award, with Mitchell earning the other through a fan vote.