Last night's 61st annual NBA All Star wrapped up a weekend that was lackluster at best, but resulted in one of the best games in recent memory. As the East staged a Lebron-led comeback in the 4th quarter, a costly turnover in the final seconds sealed the victory for the West. Kevin Durant added to his mantle collection by winning the MVP award with 36 points.
Now, before I go into all the problems of All Star Weekend I have to talk about how great this game was. In the 1st quarter both conferences put on a show that put every dunk contest of the past ten years to shame. Led by Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin, almost all of these dunks would have earned a 50 in Saturday's contest; especially this dunk by the King. The 2nd quarter showed how much the game has evolved with point guards Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose stealing the show. It's amazing how point guards are considered some of the best dunkers in the league now. The second half of the game was dominated by the many records that were broken. Both Durant and Lebron were knocking on Wilt Chamberlain's all time single game All Star scoring record as they both racked up 36 points, just six points away from Mr. 10,000's 42 point mark. Dwyane Wade recorded the game's third triple double, joining Michael Jordan and Lebron James as the only players to do so. The greatest record broken was Kobe Bryant passing Michael Jordan's all time All Star scoring record. The Black Mamba even did the MJ travel as he passed His Airness. In the 4th quarter Lebron James single handedly brought the East Squad back by hitting nine straight, including six 3's as the Eastern Conference got within one point. As amazing as the actual game was, it almost doesn't make up for how bad the rest of the weekend was.
After that fiasco that was the dunk contest (with four people you have never heard of), I could honestly care less if they cancelled it. It's a shame when the D-League dunk contest it better than the NBA's. One of my personal solutions is to invite players from outside the NBA to participate such as Kenny Dobbs, Air Up There, and James White. Those three together would be a hell of a show, but we all know what needs to happen. LEBRON JAMES IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN BRING THE DUNK CONTEST BACK. Last night I found myself agreeing with Reggie Miller for the first time when he said the league has to do something to make Lebron do it. It's unfair to the fans and the game for Lebron James to never participate in a dunk contest. When asked what would make him change his mind, he responded that if the prize was $1 million he may reconsider. Now, as much as I defend Lebron there's no way I can defend that. It shouldn't be about the money, it should be about the fans and showcasing your talent. Lebron is the best dunker since Vince Carter, and it still amazes me how he has not done it just once.
The 2012 All Star Game in Orlando was both a success and a failure at the same time. The game will go down as one of the best ever, but all most people will remember is the decline of the dunk contest. It used to be about superstars coming up with the most creative dunks, now it has transitioned into who can ride a motorcycle into the arena or strapping an eye-cam to you. As talented as other dunkers such as Westbrook, Rose, and John Wall are, the King has to get off his throne and bring the excitement back into All Star Weekend. Whether he likes it or not, he's the face of the league, and all of the burdens are on his shoulders. While no one has there hopes up, we can only dream that Lebron will finally step up and save the dunk contest. If he doesn't it may go down as one of the greatest tragedies in sports.
Highlights and box score of the game can be found on here.
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