LeBron James has never lost as team captain in the NBA All-Star Game. In the final moments in Cleveland, he made sure of it, rattling in a turnaround jumper at the right elbow to give Team LeBron the target score of 163 in a close victory over Team Durant.
But James had a fellow Akron-born superstar to thank for his fifth consecutive win in the league's annual midseason showcase.
Stephen Curry poured in a game-high 50 points -- 48 of those coming off the 3-pointer -- in a performance that earned him the Kobe Bryant NBA All-Star MVP award. Curry's 16 made 3s obliterated the previous All-Star Game record of nine set by Paul George in 2016, and the Golden State Warriors guard finished two points shy of Anthony Davis' All-Star record of 52.
In a game that saw 323 total points and 121 shots launched from beyond the arc, which stars shined brightest in Cleveland? We're grading every participant for Team LeBron and Team Durant.
Grading All-Star Saturday Night | Rising Stars Challenge
Team LeBron
STARTERS
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Grade: A
Stats
50 PTS, 16-27 3FG, 5 REB, 2 BLK
Analysis
We've never seen a shooting exhibition quite like Curry's to win MVP not far from his shared birthplace with LeBron James (Akron, Ohio, while father Dell Curry was playing for the Cavaliers). Curry's 8 3s before halftime smashed the previous single-half high in All-Star play, and he claimed the overall record (which was nine by Paul George) early in the third.
By that point, it was clear Curry was on an all-time heater. He made a variety of difficult 3s, including a one-legged running effort, before missing a heat check from half court. Curry finished with 16 3s in 27 attempts, a record for any NBA game. Remarkably, no team had made 16 3s in an All-Star Game until 2014. All of Curry's points came beyond the arc until his final score, an absurdly high floater in the fourth quarter that gave him an even 50.
Running out of gas by that point, Curry missed his last six shot attempts, denying him a chance of breaking Anthony Davis' All-Star record of 52 points. Still, there was never any question who would be MVP.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Grade: A
Stats
30 PTS, 12 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL
Analysis
Living up to his reputation for taking the All-Star Game seriously, the 2021 MVP went all out, particularly late in the third quarter as Team LeBron eked out a tie and a share of the donation to charity that was on the line. Antetokounmpo broke up a lob for a steal that set up Luka Doncic's basket to tie the quarter score.
In the fourth quarter, Antetokounmpo chased down his Milwaukee teammate Khris Middleton for a block and finished over Joel Embiid to get Team LeBron within six points of the target score. The only downside was that after making his first two shots, Antetokounmpo saw his streak of consecutive All-Star field goals snapped at 18 after going 16-for-16 last year.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Grade: A-
Stats
24 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL
Analysis
It wasn't quite the dominant performance we might've expected from James coming home to Northeast Ohio, but he got the last word by hitting the target score of 163 with a deep, high-arcing turnaround jumper that carried an immense degree of difficulty. That shot moved James' teams to 5-0 since the league began drafting with captains in 2018.
Before the final shot, James was just 10-of-23 from the field. He missed nine of his 11 3-point attempts and had surprising difficulty converting some layups in the early going. Still, he was in the center of everything as usual, as his eight assists tied for a team high. That doesn't include going off the glass to himself for a score.
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Grade: A-
Stats
10 PTS, 9 REB, 8 AST
Analysis
Jokic threatened to post the fifth triple-double in All-Star history, finishing two assists and a rebound shy. His eight dimes tied James for the most on Team LeBron, including a lob from Jokic to James. Jokic was also efficient with the few shots he did take, scoring 10 points on five attempts, including a well-timed running tip.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
Grade: B
Stats
10 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB
Analysis
Playing to his strengths to an absurd degree, DeRozan took half his eight shots from midrange on a night where the other players combined for just 11 attempts between the paint and the 3-point line. DeRozan hit his first such attempt as well as his last one, which got Team LeBron within two points of the target score. In between, DeRozan missed his other two midrangers but did draw a shooting foul on Devin Booker on a fourth-quarter turnaround.
RESERVES
Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
Grade: B+
Stats
10 PTS, 9 REB, 2 BLK
Analysis
Entrusted with key minutes in the fourth quarter, Allen offered more defense than we typically see in All-Star Games. He did a nice job keeping up with Jayson Tatum on a switch earlier in the game and had two of the night's seven blocks. Allen also impressed with a reverse finish off a James feed as he went 5-of-6 from the field.
Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors
Grade: B+
Stats
6 PTS, 3 AST, 2-4 3FG
Analysis
With Team LeBron shortening its rotation after halftime and hometown favorite Garland ahead of him at point guard, VanVleet saw no action in the second half. In the nine minutes he did play, VanVleet had six points and three assists, hitting a deep 3-pointer (listed at 32 feet) and connecting with Allen on a high lob.
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Grade: B
Stats
8 PTS, 3 AST, 2-4 3FG
Analysis
Given the run he's been on in the regular season, Doncic wasn't a big factor in the All-Star Game, finishing with eight points and three assists. However, his two made 3-pointers were critical to winning the first quarter, first giving Team LeBron the lead and then putting the period score out of reach.
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
Grade: B-
Stats
13 PTS, 3 AST, 2 STL
Analysis
The other hometown member of the Cavaliers in Sunday's game was aggressive, firing up 12 shots and seven 3-point attempts while scoring 13 points. Garland hooked up with teammate Allen for an alley-oop and jumped a pass for one of his two steals.
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Grade: C
Stats
2 PTS, 2 STL
Analysis
Not typically the most motivated player in an All-Star setting, Butler had a modest two points, two steals and an assist in limited playing time. That dime did set up a Garland dunk.
Analysis
Shortly before the game, the Suns announced that Paul has been diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of his right thumb suffered in Wednesday's pre-All-Star finale. Although Paul will be sidelined until he's reevaluated in 6-8 weeks, he gave it a go on the court trying not to use his dominant hand at all. Even for a player as skilled as Paul, that proved difficult. He missed his only shot attempt, a left-hand layup.
Analysis
In a statement Sunday afternoon, Mitchell pulled out of the game due to an upper respiratory infection that left him unable to play. Get well soon!
Team Durant
STARTERS
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Grade: A
Stats
36 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST, 5-8 3FG
Analysis
Had Team Durant won, Embiid would have been the biggest reason why, leading the team with both 36 points and 10 rebounds. After showcasing his shooting skill early on, hitting five 3-pointers (including back-to-back makes in the second quarter), Embiid moved inside with the game on the line and drew double teams in an All-Star Game. He still had seven points in the fourth period and set up LaMelo Ball for a 3 with a kickout from the post.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Grade: A-
Stats
6 PTS, 3 AST
Analysis
Officially, Morant had just six points in his All-Star debut, but he made them count. All three scores were spectacular dunks, starting with a reverse two-hand lob finish and including a 360 alley-oop from Trae Young at half court. He also went off the backboard to Embiid for one of his three assists.
Andrew Wiggins, Golden State Warriors
Grade: B
Stats
10 PTS, 2-4 3FG
Analysis
Wiggins played something akin to the smaller role with the Warriors that helped make him an All-Star for the first time, attempting four of his seven shots from beyond the arc and making a pair of them for 10 points.
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Grade: B-
Stats
8 PTS, 5 AST, 4 REB
Analysis
It was a quiet night for Tatum, the other starter besides Morant not to score double-figures. He missed six of his 10 shot attempts, but handed out five assists. Tatum also produced a memorable two-hand dunk driving from the perimeter.
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Grade: B-
Stats
13 PTS, 10 AST, 2 STL, 3-9 3FG
Analysis
Despite hitting a 3-pointer listed at 28 feet in the opening minute, Young couldn't find his shooting touch much of the night, needing 13 shots to score as many points. He was far more effective as a playmaker, handing out a game-high 10 assists, including one where he memorably went over his back.
RESERVES
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Grade: A
Stats
18 PTS, 3 AST, 3 REB, 3 STL, 4-8 3PG
Analysis
An injury replacement and the youngest player in the game, Ball more than proved he belonged with 18 points off the bench. Ball helped Team Durant win the second quarter with 10 points and two assists in the period, including a lob to Dejounte Murray.
His driving layup put his team up 45-43 late in the third quarter, and Ball was trusted to play the final period, where he closed out well against Curry and had another nice dime to set up Zach LaVine.
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs
Grade: A-
Stats
17 PTS, 5 AST, 5 REB
Analysis
Murray came off the bench hot, quickly making a corner 3 in his All-Star debut and finishing with 13 of his 17 points (with five assists) in Team Durant's second-quarter win. He delivered a behind-the-back bounce pass to set up a Gobert dunk and delivered a self-oop off the backboard that didn't officially count as an assist.
Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls
Grade: B+
Stats
12 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 2-4 3FG
Analysis
LaVine gave Team Durant a chance to win by making a pull-up 3-pointer to get within three points of the target score the possession before James ended things. That gave LaVine 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, also highlighted by a 360 dunk and a stepback 3. He also got the better of Chicago teammate DeMar DeRozan defending a post-up, forcing DeRozan to miss.
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Grade: B
Stats
6 PTS, 6 REB
Analysis
With Embiid going off, Gobert played limited minutes as his backup. He made the most of them, grabbing six rebounds and scoring six points on three dunks. One of them came lefty after a steal in the backcourt.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Grade: B
Stats
9 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST
Analysis
Saturday night's 3-point contest winner missed three of his four attempts from long distance but went end-to-end for a transition dunk and also had a double-pump reverse finish. Towns pulled down an offensive rebound to secure Team Durant's second-quarter win.
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Grade: C+
Stats
20 PTS, 5 REB, 4 STL, 2-9 3FG
Analysis
Booker showcased his off hand in the All-Star Game, making a nice lefty reverse layup and also using his left hand to dunk home a Khris Middleton alley-oop. Booker had less success outside the arc, shooting 2-of-9, and committed a game-high-tying five turnovers -- one of them off a trap by both of the hometown Cavaliers.
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Grade: D
Stats
5 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST
Analysis
Somehow Middleton ended up with the final shots of both the first and third quarters with a chance to win them for his team. It's hard to blame Middleton from missing a 60-footer at the first buzzer, but he dribbled out the quarter in the third with the score tied and ended up with a contested fadeaway. Middleton finished the night 1-of-8 from the field.