The Eastern Conference rallied late to pull within one-point of the Western Conference in the final minute of the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Ultimately, a 19-point halftime deficit was too much to overcome, however. That, and 36 points on the night from Kevin Durant. Final Score: 152-149, Western Conference All-Stars.
Carmelo Anthony didn't make the highlight reel, but he had a nice night as the sole representative on the court for the New York Knicks. He scored 19 on 7-for-15 shooting and was second on the squad with nine rebounds. He went 0-for-3 from behind the 3-point arc, however, so he didn't quite fully shake off the rust that has plagued his return from a groin injury last week.
Deron Williams was the team's third-leading scorer with 20 points in just 18 minutes on the court. He went for 4-for-7 from long range, but missed a late 3-point attempt that would have given the East the lead on their final shot of the game. The East rebounded the miss, but LeBron James turned the ball over to Blake Griffin on a misguided pass.
Despite the play, James was the best player on the East squad on Sunday night, scoring 36 and picking up seven rebounds and six assists. He also went 6-for-8 from 3-point land, including this pretty crossover and step-back shot:
Durant's 36 led the West, topping Kobe's 27 and Blake Griffin's 22-point efforts. For Nets fans holding out hope in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes, you did't see much from the big man tonight. He played 30 minutes, but had just nine points and three assists in addition to his 10 rebounds.
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