Five Most Memorable NBA All-Star Game Performances
The NBA All-Star Weekend is coming up soon, and basketball fans everywhere are getting pumped for what’s certainly going to be an exciting contest between the best of both conferences. Oklahoma City natives have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming MVP battle between their main man, Kevin Durant, who has been at his scary best this season, and two-time champion, Lebron James, who is still playing as well as he always does.
Who knows what amazing feats we’ll witness in this clash of the titans, but will they match up to the best moments in NBA All-Star history? Here’s a rundown of the top five performances.
5. Lebron James – 2006 – 29 Points, 6 Rebounds
Now the stat line might not seem so impressive, and Lebron James has had better All-Star Games than this one, number-wise, but you have to remember that Lebron was just 21-years-old when he helped the East overcome a 21-point deficit and became the youngest All-Star MVP ever. Most NBA players start peaking once they reach their mid-to-late twenties. Lebron was a monster right out of the gates. This is why he is considered one of the best, not just in today’s league, but league history.
4. Kobe Bryant – 2011 – 37 Points, 14 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 3 Steals
The Black Mamba put on a display in front of his home crowd at Staples Center and reminded fans why Kobe Bryant is a name nearly everyone knows. He won his fourth All-Star MVP, beating Jordan’s three. He may be on his last legs this season, but that’s what everyone said about him last year and his astounding play made many of us eat crow. Who knows what Kobe will bring out once he recovers from his injury and gets back on the ball court?
3. Wilt Chamberlain – 1962 – 42 Points, 24 Rebounds
This man was a force of nature back in the days of old school basketball. And to this day, nobody has displayed sheer statistical dominance quite like Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, the only player to put up 100 points in a single game.
2. Magic Johnson – 1992 – 25 Points, 9 Assists, 5 Rebounds
Now why is this man in the number two spot? The stats are alright, but not really silver caliber. Well, have you watched the video of this game? Magic had announced his retirement the previous year before he walked back onto the court for the All-Star Game and proceeded to dominate. He put on one of the greatest crunch time performances of all time when he drained three shots from beyond the arc in the final minutes of the game. If this performance doesn’t rank high on the “memorable” criteria, then nothing does.
1. Michael Jordan – 1988 – 40 Points, 8 Rebounds, 4 Steals, 4 Blocks
The Hanes-loving man who made the NBA what it is today scored 16 points in the final six minutes of this All-Star Game, asserting his position as the best player of all time. And if that weren’t enough, he also won the Slam Dunk Contest against Dominique Wilkins with a perfect 50 point slam dunk from the free throw line. His other accomplishments include six NBA championships and Space Jam. A true ubermensch.
The personal injury lawyers at Maples Law Firm hope everyone has a blast watching the All-Star events this upcoming weekend. Go Durantula!