2018 NBA All-Star Game recap: Team LeBron wins with…defense?

Team LeBron defeated Team Stephen 148-145 with suffocating double-team defense by James and Durant on Curry to end the 2018 NBA All-Star Game.

The 2018 NBA All-Star game was one to remember with the final possession decided by… defense? Team LeBron was up by three points when the ball went to, you guessed it, Stephen Curry. LeBron James and Kevin Durant played absolute lockdown double-team defense on Curry, stopping the chance of a three-point shot even being taken. Curry would pass it off to the corner to DeMar DeRozan who was unable to get a shot off.

LeBron James and the rest of Team LeBron looked absolutely ecstatic to win the game. Westbrook was smiling from ear to ear at the accomplishment in a post-game interview. TNT commentators Reggie Miller and Chris Webber joked it was the playground win for bragging rights.

LeBron James was named the 2018 KIA All-Star Game MVP with 29 points on 12-17 made (70.6 FG percent), 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. LeBron was 4 of 8 from the three-point line. Damian Lillard and DeMar DeRozan were the game’s next highest scorers tied at 21 points apiece for Team Stephen. Lillard scored 21 points on 9-14 made (64.3 percent), 3 rebounds and 2 assists, and DeRozan scored 21 points on 7-13 made (53.8 FG percent), 6 rebounds, and 2 assists.

2018 NBA All-Star Game: Tale of the Tape

The game had started getting heated around the 7:30 mark in the fourth quarter when Damian Lillard hit a flurry of 3s from way downtown. James Harden gave a relatively hard foul to former teammate Russell Westbrook and you could tell things were getting testy and pride was on the line. Team LeBron went on a run before it looked like Team Stephen was about to take the reigns back after a turnover was called off Durant’s foot rather than Embiid’s. Durant and LeBron looked genuinely furious, with playoff-like atmosphere, arguing with the ref — the way an All-Star game should look.

Despite a ferocious block by Joel Embiid on a Paul George layup on the next possession, Team LeBron would soon take the lead. A missed three-point shot by James Harden when the game was 146-145 would soon lead to a Westbrook layup to put Team LeBron by three points. Curry would receive the ball with a three in mind for his team’s final possession and saw absolutely suffocating defense to end the All-Star Game.

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Curry passed the ball to DeRozan who similarly unable to get a shot off before time ran out. It looks like from now on, NBA All-Star games will be played with serious intent to win. A defensive display to remember by Team LeBron.