Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum mixed for 27 factors as Shaquille O’Neal’s “Group Shaq” cruised to victory within the new-look NBA All-Star recreation in San Francisco on Sunday.
Curry, enjoying on his house courtroom at Golden State’s Chase Middle, reeled off a string of trademark three-pointers to assist his star-studded line-up coast to a 41-25 victory over Charles Barkley’s “Group Chuck.”
Boston Celtics star Tatum completed with 15 factors after delivering a dominant efficiency in a beginning line-up that additionally included Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and James Harden.
Group Shaq’s preparations for the sport had been dealt a blow shortly earlier than tip-off when Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James withdrew from the line-up, citing a nagging foot and ankle harm.
However even with out the 40-year-old James, the veteran line-up was all the time in management in opposition to opponents spearheaded by Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Donovan Mitchell.
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Curry was named Most Useful Participant of the All-Star Recreation, the second time he has achieved the accolade after successful the respect in 2022.
“It’s a celebration of quite a lot of nice issues — to have the ability to play with these guys for so long as we’ve got,” Curry stated after being handed his MVP award.
“It’s our duty to come back out and placed on a present, and I thank them for serving to me try this,” Curry added, gesturing to his teammates.
The NBA opted to shake up the format for this yr’s All-Star recreation after mounting criticism of the annual mid-season celebration as being a meaningless exhibition recreation missing in aggressive edge.
The previous Japanese Convention v Western Convention format was scrapped in favour of a four-team mini-tournament, with every group managed by basketball greats O’Neal, Barkley, Kenny Smith and Candace Parker. Every recreation was performed on a first-to-40 foundation somewhat than within the typical four-quarter format.
However this yr’s new format didn’t impress everybody.
Curry’s Golden State teammate Draymond Inexperienced — working as a tv analyst for the occasion — lambasted the competitors throughout Sunday’s broadcast.
“You’re employed all yr to be an All-Star, and also you get to play as much as 40, and then you definitely’re completed. C’mon, what are we doing? That is ridiculous,” Inexperienced stated. “This sucks. It ain’t basketball.”
Nonetheless, Milwaukee star Lillard voiced approval for the format after serving to O’Neal’s group full victory in Sunday’s ultimate.
“I feel they have been simply searching for a extra aggressive recreation and looking for methods to create that,” Lillard stated.
“I assumed tonight was a little bit bit extra aggressive than it had been the previous few years. I feel that was the primary factor — present a little bit of leisure and a little bit bit extra competitiveness on the ground, and it felt like we did that tonight.”