2016 NBA All-Star Game Recap And Highlights
Here’s a look at the game recap, stats and best highlights from the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, where Russell Westbrook won MVP honors.
In a historically woeful (or, nonexistent) defensive performance, the West defeated the East 196-173 in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game. Russell Westbrook earned MVP honors for the second year in a row, leading the West with 31 points, eight rebound, five assists and five steals on 12-of-23 shooting (7-of-13 shooting from three-point range).
Paul George led the East with a game-high 41 points, setting an All-Star record for most made three-pointers (nine). Stephen Curry scored 26 points, Kevin Durant added 23, Anthony Davis finished with 24 points on 12-of-13 shooting off the bench and James Harden finished with 23. Chris Paul added 14 points an a game-high 16 assists.
John Wall was the East’s second leading scorer with 22 points, while DeMar DeRozan added 18 in the highest scoring game in NBA All-Star history.
In the first quarter, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade threw it back to their Miami Heat days, reigniting the Flying Death Machine for an incredible double alley-oop that marked the first major highlight of the game.
But Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook responded right back for the West, with the first quarter being their own personal Oklahoma City Thunder highlight reel.
Russ throwing the ball off the backboard to KD let the fans know what kind of night it was going to be leading into a record-breaking scoring performance in the first half.
Russ also caught a pass in stride from Kobe Bryant and decided to punish that poor rim for no particular reason.
LeBron was on the receiving end of another alley-oop within the quarter, throwing down this monster reverse two-handed slam from Kyle Lowry at damn near half court:
Even Stephen Curry got in on the dunking action with a two-handed jam!
Kobe Bryant got off to a slow start, but his first basket of the game got the full support of the crowd, with the ball rolling around and around the rim to toy with the fans’ emotions.
DeMar DeRozan had a quiet night, but he did throw down quite an impressive 360 two-handed dunk in the first quarter.
When the subs came in, Anthony Davis and Chris Paul tormented New Orleans fans with a couple of eye-popping alley-oops that impressed everyone except for Kawhi Leonard.
The East led 43-40 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, James Harden had his first highlight play of the game on the receiving end of a rim-rocking alley-oop.
LeBron James quickly reminded everyone that he doesn’t just have to be on the receiving end of alley-oops, setting up Andre Drummond nicely for the beautiful jam.
It took awhile for Kawhi Leonard to get into the groove of his first All-Star Game, but once he stopped taking midrange jumpers and actually trying on defense, he started to get more involved with his first highlight play of the game.
At that point, LeBron started to take center stage again. Not only did he finish another monster alley-oop from his former teammate Wade,
But he also earned some extra comedy points for slapping the floor while guarding Kobe in an iso play
And video-bombing Kobe’s halftime interview, letting Craig Sager and the rest of the world know that Bryant had tried to jam on him.
The West led the East 92-90 at the break, marking the first time in NBA All-Star Game history that any team reached 90 points in a half. Paul George led all scorers at the break with 16 points.
After a halftime performance from Sting (yes, you read that right), Russell Westbrook and Paul George began to heat up.
It didn’t take long for Westbrook to catch fire, nailing triples left and right to remind everyone of his 41-point MVP performance in the All-Star Game last year.
One day, the MVP trophy for the NBA All-Star Game should really just be renamed the Russell Westbrook.
John Wall submitted his highlight reel of the game with a gorgeous between-the-legs pass to LeBron James, who finished with an unbelievable windmill while switching hands in midair.
George entered the fourth quarter with a game high 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting (8-for-15 from deep). Westbrook had 22 points, six boards and five rebounds, while Anthony Davis had 24 points off the bench to lead the West on a nearly perfect 12-of-13 shooting.
Al Hofrford knocked down a three-pointer at the third quarter buzzer.
The West led the East 145-136 heading into the decisive period, where the defense finally began to ramp up.
DeRozan had a nice little spurt to start the quarter, slamming home an absolutely punishing dunk with Westbrook-like authority.
Though Pau Gasol had a quiet night, his back and forth with Kobe Bryant was a terrific moment of camaraderie and a nice throwback for Lakers fans. When he exited the game with 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds, he received a well-deserved standing ovation.
When the West began to pull away, Westbrook and PG-13 were going back and forth launching shots to try and distance themselves for MVP. George joined Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Westbrook as the only players in NBA All-Star history to score at least 40 points in an All-Star Game.
Curry and Westbrook provided the fans with the final highlight of the game, a filthy pass to the eventual MVP in the corner for three.
More hoops habit: 2016 NBA All-Star Saturday Recap And Highlights
But on the game’s final possessions, the West committed the ultimate troll act by doubling PG-13 to prevent him from passing Wilt Chamberlain for the record of most points scored in an All-Star Game (42). George finished one point shy with 41 and Westbrook won back-to-back MVP Awards with his 31 points, eight assists, five rebounds and five steals.