Damian Lillard scored 39 points to earn game MVP honours as the Eastern Conference won the highest-scoring All-Star Game in NBA history with a resounding 211-186 victory over the Western Conference in Indianapolis on Sunday.
The East became the first team to surpass the 200-point mark in a defence-deficient event that also shattered the previous All-Star Game high of 374 combined points, set by the West in their 192-182 win over the East in New Orleans in 2017. The West also held the previous team high for points when they recorded 196 in the 2016 edition held in Toronto.
One night after successfully defending his title in the 3-point contest during Saturday's skills competition, Lillard teamed with Indiana Pacers home-town hero Tyrese Haliburton for a prolific display from beyond the arc. The duo combined for 21 of the East's 42 3-pointers, also an All-Star Game record for one team.
Lillard, a seven-time All-Star with the Portland Trail Blazers who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks during the offseason, finished 11 of 23 from 3-point range and Halliburton went 10 for 14.
Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics chipped in 36 points and eight rebounds to help the East overcome a dominant performance from the West's Karl-Anthony Towns. The Minnesota Timberwolves forward amassed 50 points to become the fourth player to reach that mark in an All-Star Game, joining Boston's Jayson Tatum (55 in 2023), then-New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (52 in 2017) and Golden State Warriors icon Stephen Curry (50 in 2022).
LeBron James, participating in his record 20th All-Star Game, played just 14 minutes while scoring eight points.
The East never trailed after Lillard knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers in the first quarter that gave his team a 35-29 advantage, while Haliburton hit five triples in the opening period to help the East take a 53-47 lead into the second quarter.
Lillard scored 13 more points in the second quarter as the East extended the margin to 104-89 at half-time, with the 193 combined first-half points also the most in a single All-Star Game.
Towns had just 19 points through three quarters before putting up an incredible 31 while playing the entire fourth, though the game was out of hand by that point as the East took a commanding 160-136 lead into the final period.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the West's lone other player with more than 18 points, as the Oklahoma City Thunder guard finished with 31 on 12-of-16 shooting.
Lakers fire coach Darvin Ham after swift first-round exit
The Los Angeles Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham on Friday after he failed to live up to the franchise’s championship expectations.
Ham coached two seasons of his four-year contract, compiling a 90-74 record with two play-off appearances. He also guided the Lakers to a championship in the league’s inaugural in-season tournament.
But Ham’s Lakers needed to survive the play-in tournament in both seasons. Despite getting 71 games from LeBron James and 76 games from Anthony Davis, this year’s run came to a quick end with a five-game loss in the first round at the hands of the Denver Nuggets.
“We greatly appreciate Darvin Ham's efforts on behalf of the Lakers and recognise the many accomplishments achieved over the past two seasons, including last year's remarkable run to the Western Conference finals,” general manager vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said in a statement.
“We all want to thank Darvin for this dedication and positivity. While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season. The organisation will remain unwavering in its commitment to deliver championship-calibre basketball to Lakers fans around the world.”
Ham took over for Frank Vogel in 2022, just 18 months after the Lakers won the NBA title in the 2020 “bubble.”
Los Angeles will now face more change in a crucial offseason. The Lakers will almost certainly choose Ham’s successor to encourage the 39-year-old James to pick up his $51.4million player option for 2024-25.
If James stays, the Lakers are likely to be active players in the trade market to acquire more talent around him and Davis.
Lillard left frustrated by injuries after Bucks eliminated by Pacers
Damian Lillard lamented the Milwaukee Bucks’ injury troubles after their playoff exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.
The Bucks lost the series 4-2 after suffering a heavy 120-98 defeat in Game 6 on Thursday, condemning them to their second consecutive first-round exit to a lower seed.
Two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo was one of the key players missing for the Bucks as he missed the entire playoff series due to a left calf strain, while Lillard returned after missing the last two games with an Achilles injury.
Lillard, who finished with 28 points, admitted it was frustrating to have so many injuries, but he wanted to try to make an impact.
"I don't think I would've went into the summer feeling good about much if I felt like I let the team go out there and me not at least try," he said.
"It's definitely disappointing because you know how much better of a team we are when he's [Antetokounmpo] on the floor and how much things change when he's on the floor.
"You play an entire 82-game season. You go through training camp, you go through all the ups and downs of an NBA regular season, and you get to the point where, all right, now we're going to play for everything. And you're not whole.
"You don't have the best opportunity to reach where you want reach. So it is frustrating, it's disappointing, but it's part of the game."
Meanwhile, T.J. McConnell says he is proud to be part of the Pacers team that ended their long wait to reach the semifinals.
McConnell had 20 points and nine assists off the bench, while Obi Toppin finished with a playoff career-high 21 points for the Pacers, who had lost their last six playoff series since 2014.
McConnell said: "It means a lot. Not getting into the playoffs since the bubble, not being able to advance since 2014, we take great pride in being able to advance and extend our season.
"Milwaukee has a great team and, if I can be honest with you, I think our bench has taken a couple steps back competitive wise and I think tonight all of us went out there with the mentality we’re going to take it to another level."
The Pacers will face New York in the next round after the Knicks eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers.
NBA: Knicks survive 76ers to advance, Pacers eliminate Bucks with rout
Jalen Brunson scored 14 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter and Josh Hart made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 24.4 seconds left as the New York Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 118-115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
Donte DiVincenzo added 23 points, OG Anunoby had 19 and Hart finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists as the Knicks reached the second round for the second consecutive season.
New York will face Indiana in the East semis after the Pacers eliminated the Bucks in six games. Game 1 is Monday at Madison Square Garden.
Brunson became the first player to score 40 or more points to close out a series since Michael Jordan for Chicago against Cleveland in 1989.
Joel Embiid had 39 points and 13 rebounds but was held to six points in the fourth quarter. Buddy Hield scored 20 points off the bench and Tyrese Maxey was a non-factor in the first half and finished with 17 points on 6-of-18 shooting as the 76ers failed to win a playoff round for the first time since 2019-20.
The Knicks led 109-101 with 2 ½ minutes remaining in the back-and-forth game, but Kelly Oubre Jr. hit a 3 and a layup sandwiched around Maxey’s layup to make it a one-point game.
After Brunson’s layup put New York up 111-108 with under a minute to play, Maxey converted a three-point play with 35 seconds left to tie it.
Hart drilled a 3 from the top of the key before Embiid’s layup four seconds later made it 114-113. DiVincenzo and Brunson each sank two free throws to seal it.
Pacers advance with rout of Bucks
Obi Toppin led six players in double figures with a playoff career-high 21 points and the Indiana Pacers won a playoff series for the first time in a decade with a 120-98 rout of the Milwaukee Bucks.
T.J. McConnell had 20 points and nine assists off the bench, Pascal Siakam added 19 points and Tyrese Haliburton contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who had lost their last six playoff series since 2014.
Indiana will face New York in the next round after the Knicks eliminated Philadelphia.
The Pacers went 8-3 against the Bucks this season and handed Milwaukee its second straight first-round exit.
Damian Lillard returned from a right Achilles injury with 28 points and Bobby Portis added 20 and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who shot just 42.2 percent (35 for 83) from the field and 25.9 percent (7 for 27) from 3-point range.
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the entire series after straining his left calf on April 9.
The Pacers used a 15-3 run in the first quarter for a 29-19 lead and never trailed again.
Milwaukee cut the deficit to 85-78 with 6:05 left in the third, but McConnell capped an 11-0 run with consecutive 3s to make it 96-78 early in the fourth.
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