Team Stars triumph in their inaugural appearance at the new All-Star Game
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Anthony Edwards secured the Most Valuable Player award while guiding Team Stars to a victory over Team Stripes, 47-21, in the final of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.
The Minnesota Timberwolves standout earned his first All-Star MVP title with a crucial 3-pointer in the initial round-robin match, followed by eight points in the final, which was the only segment without a thrilling conclusion in this mini-tournament that highlighted All-Star weekend at the LA Clippers’ Intuit Dome.
The NBA’s fourth format in as many years featured two teams of American All-Stars competing against a team representing the World, aiming to ignite national pride among players and fans during an Olympic year.
The slightly older Stripes had triumphed over the younger Stars with De’Aaron Fox’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the second 12-minute round-robin game. However, Edwards propelled the Stars to victory in the rematch, as the Stripes seemed to tire while participating in their third consecutive mini-game.
“We chose to compete today, and we came out on top,” Edwards stated. “I won’t lie, Wemby set the tone. He came out and played hard, and we had to follow that.”
Indeed, Victor Wembanyama effectively motivated his fellow All-Stars to take this game seriously, and they largely responded. Despite finishing 0-2, Wembanyama led the World team in scoring in both matches, contributing 14 points in the opener and 19 in the third game.
In addition to the late-game excitement, the event generally showcased a higher level of competitiveness than most All-Star Games in recent years, indicating that the league may have finally found a solution to the ongoing challenge of enhancing this midseason showcase’s entertainment value.
“It was a pretty good display of basketball,” Wembanyama remarked. “Better than last year, in my opinion. It was fun. … I think being honest with ourselves is beneficial. It’s a game we love, it’s a game I personally cherish, so being competitive is the least I can do.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed gratitude to the All-Stars for their effort when he presented the championship trophy to the Stars.
Kawhi Leonard excited his home crowd with a 31-point performance for the Stripes in the final round-robin game, but he managed only one point in the final. Tyrese Maxey led the Stars with nine points in the decisive match.
Scottie Barnes secured the opening 12-minute game for the Stars with a game-ending 3-pointer in overtime, defeating the World 37-36 after Edwards forced the extra period.
Following Fox’s clutch shot in the second game, Leonard completely dominated the third game before sinking a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds remaining in the Stripes’ 48-45 victory.
The World team was filled with talent, but NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic both sat out its second game, likely to safeguard the health of two superstars who have faced injury issues in the past month.
John Tesh performed with his band before the game, delivering a live rendition of “Roundball Rock,” the iconic 1990s theme song of “NBA on NBC,” to celebrate the league’s return to the network this season. This partnership is also the reason the All-Star Game took place in the afternoon on the West Coast, as NBC broadcasts the Winter Olympics in the evening.
The Intuit Dome audience included former President Barack Obama, who received a standing ovation prior to the game.
