Fansided

The five best NBA All-Star Game performances ever

By Luke Norris

Kobe Bryant (L) of the L.A. Lakers playing for the West team, scores as East Team's LeBron James of the Miami Heat tries to block during the All-Stars Game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 20, 2011. The game won by the West team 148-143 is the 60th NBA All-Star Game showdown between the Eastern and Western conference superstars. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant (L) of the L.A. Lakers playing for the West team, scores as East Team's LeBron James of the Miami Heat tries to block during the All-Stars Game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 20, 2011. The game won by the West team 148-143 is the 60th NBA All-Star Game showdown between the Eastern and Western conference superstars. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia (13), goes up high to snag a rebound in the NBA All-Star game, St Louis, Missouri, January 16, 1962. Below him are (l-r) Bob Cousey, Boston (14); Jerry West, Los Angeles (11); Tom Heinsohn, Boston (15); Bob Pettit, St Louis (9); Walt Bellamy, Chicago (8) and Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles (22). (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia (13), goes up high to snag a rebound in the NBA All-Star game, St Louis, Missouri, January 16, 1962. Below him are (l-r) Bob Cousey, Boston (14); Jerry West, Los Angeles (11); Tom Heinsohn, Boston (15); Bob Pettit, St Louis (9); Walt Bellamy, Chicago (8) and Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles (22). (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images) /

2. Wilt Chamberlain — 1962

Had the Eastern Conference won this game or had he taken home the MVP, Wilt Chamberlain would probably be on the top of this list. But the East lost and Wilt went home empty-handed so he has to settle for number two here.

But as usual, Chamberlain put on a dominating performance in the 1962 All-Star Game. Playing for the Philadelphia Warriors at the time, Wilt put up 42 points on 17-of-23 shooting and pulled down 24 rebounds to boot. He could have had 50 in this one but missed eight of his 16 free throws, not that he was ever known for being a great shooter. But it just wasn’t enough as the East couldn’t keep up with the West on this night in St. Louis. Bob Pettit would win the last of his four MVP awards by leading his team to a 150-130 win with 25 points and 27 rebounds, which likely would have been included here had this been a Top 10 list.

But let’s not cry for Wilt here. Not even two months later, Chamberlain would score 100 points in a game and went on to average 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds that season. No, seriously. That’s for the entire season. And he had already won the All-Star Game MVP a couple of years earlier. While a few have come close to matching Wilt’s 42, nobody has gotten past it just yet. Paul George went for 41 a year ago and Russell Westbrook also fell one point short in 2015. And the number one entry on this list came close as well. Wilt Chamberlain still sits 10th on the all-time scoring list and still has more rebounds than anyone in NBA All-Star Game history.

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