2019 NBA All-Star Sunday: Team LeBron claim a comeback victory

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Team LeBron won the 2019 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday by defeating Team Giannis 178-164. Though Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 38 points, 11 rebounds and five assists to help steer his team to a first-half lead, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson rained enough three-pointers in the second half to trigger a comeback victory for Team LeBron.

Durant, who scored 31 points with a remarkable 66.7 percent efficiency from the field (10/15) and behind the three-point line (6/9), received his second All-Star MVP.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, February 17. /VCG Photo

Feeling excited about leading an All-Star team as captain, Antetokounmpo understandably went on fire from the beginning. He kept making dunks in the first quarter and finished the period with 16 points. Meanwhile, thanks to the four three-pointers sunk by his Milwaukee teammate Khris Middleton, Team Giannis held a 16-point lead heading into the second quarter (53-37).

As neither side played any defense in the paint during the entertaining All-Star Game, Antetokounmpo perhaps felt sorry for putting down too many easy points in the paint and began to work from the three-point line. Such a change of play slowed down his scoring and helped Team LeBron catch up a little after the second quarter (82-95).

Damian Lillard shoots a three-pointer in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, February 17. /VCG Photo

The situation took a favorable turn for Team LeBron in the third quarter as they clamped down on defense and went on a few scoring runs led by the hot shooting of Lillard and Thompson from beyond the arc. After Q3, Team LeBron held a 132-131 lead.

The teams ramped up the competitiveness in the last five minutes of the game. While Team Giannis went cold, Kevin Durant went into "playoff mode" for Team LeBron to nail down multiple shots despite the tight defense. Durant's fadeaway jumper in the final minute sealed both the victory for his team and the All-Star MVP trophy for himself.

The game on Sunday led to several new All-Star records. Team LeBron and Team Giannis shot 168 three-pointers and made 62, both numbers are records. Meanwhile, Team LeBron made 35 threes on 91 attempts to set another pair of records. As for Team Giannis, their 53 points in the first quarter tied the record for most points in a quarter set in 2016.

Stephen Curry (Top Right) celebrates in front of Warriors teammate Klay Thompson (Top Left) after finishing a four-point play in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, February 17. /VCG Photo

Stephen Curry (R) dunks while Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James look on during the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, February 17. /VCG Photo

Considering that the NBA All-Star Game is meant for entertainment, it requires players who know how to entertain – like Stephen Curry. The 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists of the "Baby-faced Assassin" were nothing impressive, but he managed to create multiple poster moments for his teammate, like Antetokounmpo. Moreover, Curry even finished a four-point play in the fourth quarter at the expense of his Warriors teammate Thompson. His dunk at the end of the game even shocked the fans and his captain.

Dirk Nowitzki (L) and Dwyane Wade (R) hold All-Star jerseys with their numbers during the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, February 17. /VCG Photo

Nostalgia was also an integral part of the All-Star Game. As special additions to the rosters, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade both brought what fans wanted to see. The German basketball icon said before the game that his only wish was to sink a three-pointer and he did it three times. Wade again helped James finish an alley-oop, reproducing the "James-Wade connection" when they played for the Miami Heat. The two veterans even received All-Star jerseys of their numbers during a timeout as tributes to their incredible careers.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers (clockwise from left) George Gervin, Magic Johnson, David Robinson, Julius Erving, Bill Russell, and Allen Iverson take a family photo at the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, February 17. /VCG Photo

Since it's about nostalgia, some of the biggest names in league history had to be present. The following Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers appeared on the court: Allen Iverson, David Robinson, Magic Johnson, George Gervin, Julius Irving and the immortal Bill Russell. They surrounded the 85-year-old, 11-time NBA champion and took a family photo.

Michael Jordan (R) hands a ball to Michael Reinsdorf Jr., president of the Chicago Bulls, at the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, February 17. /VCG Photo

At the end of the game, the real host of Charlotte, Michael Jordan, stepped on the court and passed the ball to the representative of Chicago, where the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend will happen. By the way, Sunday (February 17) also marked Jordan's 56th birthday.

The 2018-19 NBA regular season will continue on Thursday.