NEW ORLEANS — Pelicans star Anthony Davis openly proclaimed ahead of Sunday’s All-Star Game that he was going after the MVP award, and he didn’t make his master plan on how to do so much of a secret.
“Coach [Alvin] Gentry already told me every time I catch it to put it up,” said Davis upon being selected to his fourth straight spot on the Western Conference team.
The Western Conference All-Stars seemed to have no problems feeding Davis on his home floor at the Smoothie King Center.
Davis took an All-Star record 39 shots and scored 52 points to lead the West over the East at the 66th All-Star Game, 192-182 — the highest-scoring game in league history.
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After a rough breakup, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were back on the court as West All-Star teammates, managing to find their old groove at least once in a win.
After a rough breakup, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were back on the court as West All-Star teammates, managing to find their old groove at least once in a win.
Davis’ point total smashed the previous record of 42, set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.
The honor is the first NBA trophy for Davis, who finished fifth in regular-season MVP voting after the 2014-15 season.
“It was a lot of fun,” Davis said. “My teammates did a great job of looking for me.”
Davis, 23, also had 10 rebounds. He held off a late MVP charge by Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, who had 41 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the East with 30 points.
Westbrook checked in for the first time with 6:07 to play in the first quarter, joining Warriors forward Kevin Durant, a West starter, on the court as a teammate for the first time since they were in the Western Conference finals last postseason with the Thunder. Durant signed with the Warriors as a free agent after last season.
A minute into their time together, Westbrook drove the ball into the lane and hit Durant, positioned in the paint, with a pass. Durant quickly lobbed the ball in the air toward the basket while in midair and Westbrook slammed it in to finish off the alley-oop.
The West All-Stars celebrated the connection at the next timeout, as clapping and smiles abounded.
Draymond Green called the play “cute,” and Westbrook and Durant seemed happy with it as well.
“It was a nice give-and-go, man,” Westbrook said. “Good give-and-go. Made a good pass. I barely got over the rim, but it was a nice give-and-go.”
Added Durant: “It was a great basketball play. He was open so I threw him the lob. He can jump really high, so yeah, good play.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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