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Anthony Davis Hits All-Star Game-Winner for Team LeBron

Historic from every angle.

In what was arguably the most competitive and exciting All-Star Game ever, Anthony Davis and LeBron James shined in delivering the win for Team LeBron, 157-155.

AD sealed the deal at the free throw line, ending a very special evening for the Lakers organization as the NBA, its stars and many others joined forces in celebrating the memory of Kobe Bryant.

Magic Johnson and Common before the game and Chance the Rapper at halftime made sure to remember the Laker legend properly.

And on the hardwood, the league’s finest represented the purest essence of Mamba Mentality, competing until the very last play in a thrilling performance that included a lot of ingredients that can sometimes be scarce in these settings – teamwork, hard screens, charges, contested rebounding and coaching challenges.

The result was a spectacular display of basketball between two teams that left everything on the United Center parquet.

Kawhi Leonard took home the now aptly named Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award after leading Team LeBron in scoring with 30 points on an impressive 8-for-14 from downtown, and the purple and gold duo did their thing down the stretch.

Davis was instrumental in the fourth before finishing with 20 points and nine rebounds, becoming the hero in his native Chicago:

LeBron James also had a clutch layup and finished with 23 points, five rebounds and six assists.

His team won the first quarter, and LBJ was key in coming back in the third to secure a tie. That guaranteed that, after winning the fourth quarter and the game, Team LeBron secured a $300,000 prize for a local charity.

And The King, as he did recently in a Laker game replicating one of Bryant’s iconic dunks, found an opportunity to dust off another Mamba classic:

James got to have fun with old friends (Chris Paul had 23 points off the bench) and fresh faces (Ben Simmons scored 17), while also showing that his chemistry with Davis translates perfectly to an exhibition setting.

The L.A. duo connected often, and this was one of those occasions:

This allowed Team LeBron to go back-to-back after winning in 2019, and it had the added significance of having Frank Vogel and the Lakers coaching staff on the bench.

That, and the outpouring of love toward No. 24 made it as close to the perfect night as possible given the circumstances.