Team LeBron defeat Team Stephen as defence makes rare appearance in NBA All-Star game

Then, after the final buzzer, there was joy and pain, as if this was a real game.

“We wanted to kind of change the narrative of the All-Star game being a joke,” said Durant, James’ first pick in the All-Star draft. “Today we wanted to make it a real basketball game.”

There were moments in the game when it felt like the same old story – a game that didn’t matter in front of fans who didn’t care. But it didn’t end that way, and the teams didn’t play that way. They played defence. They schemed and called plays. And in the game’s final minutes, both the players and the crowd rose to the occasion.

Team LeBron beat Team Stephen, 148-145, and the game’s new format, and new financial incentives, seemed to work.

“They’ll probably bring up the cash prize, but, $100,000 to $25,000, I think everybody in this room would be doing the same things we were doing,” Kyrie Irving said, laughing. “I think it did give some incentive, but also surrounding and circulating kind of the opinions of what the All-Star game has kind of turned into, I think we all took it kind of personal.”

James was named the game’s MVP with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. DeRozan scored 21 points with six rebounds and two assists.

“What I take pride in is taking care of my body,” said James, at 33 the oldest player in the game. “Taking care of my body, making sure I’m available every night and continue to get better and better. I don’t really take it as a young guy, OK, I need to show him that I’m still able to do this. I need to continue to show myself.”