Team LeBron Wins NBA All-Star Game
CHICAGO -- Perhaps no one in recent history cared more about winning the All-Star Game than Kobe Bryant. The format changes and his memory combined to create a game Sunday night at the United Center that would've made Bryant proud.
Technically, the winners were Team LeBron over Team Giannis 157-155 and local charities, as $500,000 was donated. The last hero was Chicago native Anthony Davis, who made the winning free throw. But the real victor was the competitive spirit Bryant embodied. Regardless of the headwinds that have made this a difficult NBA season, this contest was a reminder of the greatness of NBA basketball.
The new format featured a revamped fourth quarter in which the teams play to a final target score, first introduced in The Basketball Tournament as the Elam Ending. The final target score was determined by taking the leading team's total cumulative score through three quarters and adding 24 points -- the 24 representing Bryant's jersey number. The first team to reach the final target score during the untimed fourth quarter wins the game.
The effort level shown in this game could have rewarded numerous players with the MVP honor. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, James had 23 and Embiid 22.
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