The NBA found some (unexpected?) success with its new All-Star format on Sunday, even if it ended in a bit of a dud.
Luka Dončić and LeBron James took part in the three-team, USA vs. World format for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game which saw a trio of really exciting games before an underwhelming championship game.
LeBron’s Team Stripes won back-to-back games to earn a spot in the title game, but ran out of steam in the final, losing to the much younger Team Stars. Team World lost to each USA team in close
contests. Luka did play in the first game, but only played a short stint before sitting out the remainder of the night.
Luka had a layup early in the first game between Team World and Team Stars after leaking out on a fastbreak. He played just past the five-minute mark of the first game before checking out.
The game had a little more intensity to it than previous versions, largely thanks to Victor Wembanyama setting the tone. Cade Cunningham, Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards matched that for Team Stars and the result a close contest in the final minutes.
Ant knocked down a three with 13 seconds left to tie the game, forcing overtime. In a race to five points, a jumper from Ant and a 3-pointer from Scottie Barnes sandwiched a Wemby 3-pointer to give Team Stars the win.
Jamal Murray, in his first All-Star appearance, finished 0-6 and was a -14 in a game his team lost by two.
Team Stars stayed on the court as a result of the win to play Team Stripes and LeBron in the second game.
Kevin Durant opened the game with a three off a LeBron assist before LeBron added one of his own minutes later. The surest sign of an increased effort level was LeBron being fouled on an attempted offensive rebound putback.
Led by Kawhi Leonard and Jaylen Brown, Team Stripes built up a lead. While Team Stars closed it to two points in the final minutes, a 3-pointer from Donovan Mitchell added some more space between the sides and a LeBron logo three made it a six-point lead.
However, a couple of quick baskets preceded a steal and a pull-up 3-pointer in transition from Ant, giving Team Stars the lead with under 20 seconds left. With the game on the line, Team Stripes moved the ball around with De’Aaron Fox splashing home an open three at the buzzer.
Team Stripes stayed on the floor for the final game of the round robin format to take on Team World. Luka did not start or play in the game.
Kawhi raced out of the gate with eight of the first 10 points in a back-and-forth game. Wemby took matters into his own hands to give Team World a lead. Jalen Brunson scored eight points in a hurry to try to answer Wemby’s surge.
With a Laker on the team across from him, Murray actually played like an All-Star this game, scoring eight points early as Team World opened up a 27-20 lead.
Out of a timeout, Kawhi was unconscious, hitting three straight threes to tie the game before a baseline jumper for 11 straight points to give Team Stripes the lead.
Team World came back into the game to tie it on a free throw. Kawhi threw down a dunk on one end before Wemby hit a three in response. Norman Powell made it a three-point lead before an and-one by Kawhi tied it again.
A LeBron putback dunk with 30 seconds remaining put Team Stripes up, but two Wemby freebies tied it again. Kawhi put his final stamp on the game with a stepback three over Wemby to put Team Stripes up three with 3.5 seconds left.
Wemby had an open look to tie the game at the buzzer but missed, eliminating Team World from the competition and setting up a Team Stripes and Team Stars final.
Playing in their third straight game, Team Stripes fell behind 12-1 in the opening minutes, forcing a timeout. After missing their first 10 shots, LeBron finally converted on a fastbreak dunk for Team Stripes’ first field goal.
LeBron and Brunson then hit 3-pointers, but Jalen Duren was punishing Team Stripes and their lack of centers while Ant took over with eight-straight points, making it 26-9 and forcing another timeout.
Team Stars’ run eventually reached 15-0 as the game was never close, as they won going away, 47-21. Anthony Edwards was named the MVP.
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