NBA All-Star Game 2011: Kobe Bryant scores 37 points and wins MVP as West beats East
LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryantdribbled up the court and looked over to his right, where Kevin Durant was sprinting on the opposite end. LeBron James, running in between them, was waiting for Bryant to make a decision. Bryant lowered his head, picked some steam and soared toward the rim and James chased him down in an attempt to block his shot. But as James took a swipe, Bryant had already swooped in for a two-handed dunk.
"I wanted to see if I could avoid the LeBron chase down," Bryant said, chuckling. "I told him afterwards, if I had tried to go over the rim, like get up, he probably would have blocked it with his armpit. I kind of snuck it by him."
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| REUTERS/Jeff Gross/Pool |
Bryant tied Kevin Garnett for the fourth-highest scoring game in all-star history, and moved into fourth place on the career all-star scoring list with 244 points. Bryant said he was aware he was closing in on Wilt Chamberlain's single-game record of 42 points, but didn't have the legs to finish the fourth period after throwing down four dunks. "Man I had nothing left," Bryant said. "I exceeded my dunk quota for the game."
With Bryant tiring, he decided to look more down the stretch for Durant, who scored 14 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter. Durant, making his first all-star start, cut inside for a dunk that gave the West a 134-118 lead, but James and Amare Stoudemire and combined to score 11 points during a 17-3 run that brought the East's deficit to two points with 2 minutes, 34 seconds left. Durant then made a pull-up jumper near the foul line and caught a pass from Bryant for a wide-open three-pointer.
"It was like playing in the playground," Durant said. "It was like a pick-up game almost. But to be on this team and see that the things that [Bryant] was doing out here, is just amazing. As a young player like me, I grew up watching him, and to play alongside him was an honor. This was a dream come true for me."
The East got to 142-140 on another James layup, but Pau Gasol (17 points, seven rebounds) tipped in a Bryant missed jumper and Paul added two free throws. James and Stoudemire both had 29 points to lead the East, which lost Dwyane Wade to a sprained right ankle in the third quarter when he stepped on the foot of Utah point guard Deron Williams while make a jump pass. James had the second triple-double in all-star history with 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
Bryant didn't hide his objective, as he came out aggressive from the start. He backed down Wade, turned around and hit a high arching jumper over him. He later drove baseline, went under the basket and dunked on the other side with two hands. He offered another reminder that he can still get up later in the first half, when he blew past Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, got inside and made a two-handed reverse dunk.
"You could tell he wanted to get the MVP," Stoudemire said. "He was not passing the ball, at all."
The two-time defending champion Lakers may have had a difficult week that included an embarrassing loss to the league's worst team in Cleveland, but the all-star weekend provided a chance for Bryant to get away from the drama that always seems to surround his team. "What last game?" Bryant asked. "That game's been flushed."
The loudest ovations were reserved for Bryant, who was applauded as he exited in the final seconds, and Los Angeles Clippers rookie forward Blake Griffin. Griffin had just eight points, but fans started chanting in the fourth quarter, "We want Blake! We want Blake!"
"Me being around the young players gave me so much energy to see them bouncing around and all that sort of stuff, just re-energized more for the night," Bryant said, adding that he wasn't jealous of the young players coming up. "I had my time. It's not about that at this point in my career. I've been there. It's very important the game to continue to have young stars emerge. You know, it's important for me to step aside."
But not yet.
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