Team LeBron James captain Lebron James runs the floor against Team Kevin Durant battles at the 2021 NBA All Star Game in Atlanta State Farm Arena Sun Mar 7, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The NBA played its annual All-Star game in Atlanta Sunday night. There was some controversy as several players, including LeBron James, would have preferred the game not to be played this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two of the players selected, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, could not play as they were exposed to someone who contracted the disease. 

The game’s purpose was to raise money for the HBCUs (Historic Black Colleges and Universities) and The United Negro College Fund. The amount of money won depended on which team won each quarter. LeBron James was captain of Team LeBron and Kevin Durant captain of Team Durant. Durant did not play due to an injury. 

Team LeBron won all four quarters to raise 1.25 Million dollars for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Team Durant $500,000 for the United Negro College Fund.

Team LeBron put five fantastic players on the floor to start the game. The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James were the forwards. Nikola Jokic was at the center position. The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry and the Portland Trail Blazers made up the backcourt. Team Durant starters were Zion Williamson, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, and Kyrie Irving.

Team Lebron squeaked out a 40-39 win in the first quarter.  Curry helped his team win the quarter with 12 points. Curry made four threes. 

The two teams played a very competitive second quarter. Team LeBron led 31-30. At this point, Team LeBron went on a 19-2 run to cruise to an easy 60-41 win in the second quarter.

Team Lebron kept running the court and knocking down threes and making spectacular lobs and dunks. Antetokounmpo continued to make baskets to keep his team ahead. Paul George and Jaylen Brown knocked down threes to pace Team LeBron to another win 46-32. Team LeBron led 146-125 after three quarters.

The NBA changed the rules for the fourth quarter. The winner of the game would be the team that reached 170 points irrespective of the clock.  Curry, Damian Lillard, and Antetokounmpo  wanted to end the game as soon as possible.

Curry and Lillard knocked down threes. With the score at 167-150, Curry missed a three that would have won the game. He didn’t get another chance as Lillard hit a three from downtown to win it for Team LeBron.

Game Notes and Stats: Antetokounmpo set an All-Star record as he was 16-for-16 from the floor. He made 13 buckets for 26 points and three threes to finish with 35 for the night. Antetokounmpo was awarded the Kobe Bryant Trophy for the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Danion Lilliard had 32 points. Lillard connected on eight threes. The Warriors’ Curry, who won the three-point shooting contest earlier in the evening, had 28 points. Curry was ten-for 19 from the floor, and he made eight threes.

The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown finished with 22, and he connected on five from downtown. The Clippers’ Paul George had 17, the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic eight. Rudy Gobert had ten, Nikola Kokic six, Chris Paul six points, and 16 assists. Paul may have either tied the record for assists or broken it. LeBron James played 12 minutes and scored four points.

Team LeBron shot an astounding 63.6% from the floor. They made 31 threes in 61 tries. Team Durant shot 52.6% from the floor. They made 27 three in 72 attempts. There were not a lot of free throws in the game. Each team had five free throws. 

Bradley Beal led Team Durant with 26. Kyrie Irving had 24. James Harden and Jayson Tatum each had 21. Donovan Mitchell had 15, Zach LaVine 13, Zion Williamson 10, and Kawhi Leonard 8.

As mentioned earlier,  Curry won the three-point shooting contest. Curry won the contest for the second time. He won the first crown in 2015. The Blazers’ Anfernee Simons won the Slam Dunk Contest.