Jayson Tatum was the ‘star’ of the ‘All Star Game’ of the North American Basketball League (NBA) with a record 55 points, won on Sunday by the team of the Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo, who defeated the team of LeBron James with 184 – 175.
In Salt Lake City, home of the Utah Jazz, the Boston Celtics player hit 22 of 31 shots from the field, including 10 of 18 triples, and one of two free throws to set the record of Anthony Davis of 52 points. , in 2017.
“I started scoring and kept going. It’s an honor to have this record,” said Tatum, who of course won the Kobe Bryant trophy for the “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) of the “All Star Game,” in a game in which he also broke the record for points in a period, with 27 in the third, still adding 10 rebounds and six assists.
In ‘Team Giannis’, which had only the Greek in the first 20 seconds – he scored two points and left, as ‘hit’ -, highlights also for Donovan Mitchell’s 40 points and 10 assists and Damian Lillard’s 26 points, including a ‘triple’ for midfield and the game-ending basket.
For his part, substitute Jaylen Brown, with 35 points and 14 rebounds, was the best on LeBron James’ team, who injured a finger in the first half, adding 13 points and four assists, and did not play again in the second half .
Kyrie Irving, with 32 points and 15 assists, and Joel Embiid, with 32 points, six rebounds and four assists, were the other players trying to counter Giannis’ team superiority.
In a match in which, by tradition, little or nothing was defended, the first period ended in a draw (46-46), while the next two were won by ‘Team Giannis’, the second by 53-46 and the third by 59-49 . The total was 158-141.
According to the regulations, the first team to reach 182 points would win (the leading team’s 158, plus 24, in honor of Kobe), and the Greek’s formation did not let the triumph pass, despite losing the last partial with 26 -34.
On Saturday, game day, the highlight was MacClung (Philadelphia 76ers) wins in the dunks and Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) in the three points, while host Utah Jazz won the Skills Challenge, via the trio composed by Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton.
Earlier, on Friday, it was the turn of the ‘Rising Stars’ game, for first and second year players, which ended with the triumph of the team led by Spaniard Pau Gasol, who played with Jose Alvarado (New Orleans Pelicans) the ‘Player Most Valuable’ (MVP).
On the margins of the NBA’s “All Star Game”, the game of the “stars” of the G-League took place, in which the Portuguese Neemias Queta was present, who was the best scorer of his team, defeated by 178 -162 , adding up to 22 points, plus nine rebounds and five assists.
Source: DN
