By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The hosts managed not only to win the NBA All-Star Game in the new US vs the World format, but they did it with an All-American final.
Team Stars beat Team Stripes 47-21 in the last quarter that decided the NBA All-Star winner with Anthony Edwards getting the MVP title.
In the first and third quarter, Team World lost both to Team Stars after overtime (37-35) and Team Stripes (48-45) with Kawhi Leonard scoring 31 points for the winners, while Team Stripes beat Team Stars (42-40) in the second period.
The teams with the best records played again in the “final” which was the last period of the game.
Missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and having Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic playing just five minutes each the World Team leaned on Victor Wembanyama (photo) who scored in total 33 points (19+14) which were not enough.
Still Wemby was intense and passionate on the court, giving to coach Darko Rajakovic’s team and to an underwhelming All-Star Weekend a much needed ejection of passion.
And he will not shy from the challenge of becoming the face of the league, as he said after the game: “Yeah, I see that. I see what you’re trying to make me say, too. It’s something that’s got to be natural, of course. Obviously, the social media, NBA can promote whoever they want. But at the end of the day, it’s going to be the best players and who the people ask for. Being the face of the league, it’s something that can be manufactured, but only to some extent. It’s only going to be the best players. This is what it’s all about. Being the face of the league is just the by-product of their basketball level.”
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