Westbrook named MVP as West All-Stars win 163-158

The 2015 NBA All-Star weekend culminated in yet another record-setting All-Star game. The West All-Stars defeated the East 163-158. They were led by Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook and his impressive 41-point game. He was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Western All-Stars, coached by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, were in control for most of the exhibition game. The East was kept in fighting range thanks mainly to the efforts of LeBron James and John Wall.

Both squads scored a combined 321 points, a new record, breaking last season’s 318. In this game there were also 48 three-point shots made, totally destroying last year’s record of 30. Another set in this game was by Spanish imports Pau and Marc Gasol. They are the first brothers to start in an All-Star Game.

Russell came to play. He made a few easy shots early on and just kept on rolling. He played more like a two-guard in last night’s game, deferring to Chris Paul to take of the ball handling and distribution. Westbrook was on the receiving end of more than a few of Paul’s recorded 15 assists for the game. His 41-point performance was one point shy of the all-time all-star scoring record held by Wil Chamberlain (1661-62), which still stands at 42 points. Russ still set a new all-star game record for the most points scored in a half with the 27 points he put up on the board in the first half of the game. Westbrook shot a solid 16-of-28 from the field as well as 5-of-9 from behind the arc. He also handed out five assists. Houston Rockets guard James Harden helped him out with a near-triple-double performance of 29 points, eight rebounds, eight assists.

LeBron James led the East All-Stars with 30 points and seven assists. Atlanta Hawks’ Kyle Korver, who named as an All-Star as a replacement for an injured Dwyane Wade, proved he was worth the add as he scored 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting from three-point range.

A packed Madison Square Garden also got to see what could be the last game for the season of New York’s Carmelo Anthony, who has been seriously considering shutting it down for the season to undergo surgery on his ailing knee. He finished the night with 14 points (6-20 FGM-A).