Jayson Tatum’s record enhances Salt Lake City’s All-Star a bit

Luckily the incentives came at the end because, if not, the bodies would have been left wanting much more. With how well this All-Star Game format has been going since it was introduced, it was rare to see such a low level in the first half this Sunday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. It was necessary to wait until the second to amortize the follow-up of this event. The 2023 All-Star crowned Jayson Tatum MVP in a matchup between Team Giannis and Team LeBron that didn’t go from less to more, it went from nothing to something, which settled 184-175.

The Celtics forward, who had his usual coach (Joe Mazzulla) on the bench, broke the record for points in a match of these characteristics: 55. His statistical line was this: 10/18 on three-pointers, 12/ 13 in shots of two and 1/2 in free throws, being not only curious that he was fouled but that it was there where he broke the previous mark. Anthony Davis disappears from the lead in that section, having placed himself there in 2017 with 53. Tatum had also achieved, in his climb towards eternity, the record for points in a single quarter: in the third act he reached 27.

There were three significant casualties, of which they give luster for the talent they treasure on a day like this. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Zion Williamson They could not play the All-Star due to their various injuries. But the worst came with the two captains having to reserve because they also had physical problems. Giannis Antetokounmpowho had already missed the Skills Contest with his brothers the day before, was in the first play of the game, in which he scored a simple dunk, and did not return to the track because he has a sprained right wrist. Lebron James, after scoring 13 points in 14 minutes, was absent in the second half, either because of ankle problems or because he hurt his little finger hitting the rim. All this did not help to see the best show.

It is the first loss for LeBron James since this new All-Star format was introduced in 2018, in which two captains choose their players. But on that occasion the choice came before the match for the first time. Giannis was wrong to choose Morant as a substitute when he was a starter. Jaren Jackson was chosen last. And, as a moment that was remembered all night, Nikola Jokic, two-time NBA MVP, was the second last among the starting players on the day of his 28th birthday although he downplayed it in the press conference.

Little time to heat up so the time was lengthened draft of players. It was noticed. They took two quarters to gain some strength and desire. The only remarkable thing about those minutes was a block from LeBron like the one against Iguodala in the 2016 Finals. This format usually gives importance to the last minutes of the quarters because winning each one brings more money to the causes that are defended. But not like that. The first period was tied at 46 and the money was shared. The second and third were for Giannis’s. In none of them was the fight expected by that partial score maintained. Red carpet in the penetrations, one on one in a lukewarm way… The change came after the break, peppered with a three-way performance to value African music -which was presented by Pascal Siakam- and a tribute to LeBron by the record broken in the normal season of the NBA in which he was flanked by Kareem, Malone and his friend Dwyane Wade, who is a shareholder of the local Utah Jazz here. A triple waterfall opened the eyes of the spectators. Irving (32), Mitchell (40), Embiid (32) and a fiery Lillard (26), with the hot hand of Saturday’s contest, got into a beautiful fight that raised the score to a level of importance. There came the Tatum brand, which also contributed. Jaylen Brown, his teammate in Boston and today a rival as he is in LeBron’s team, brought out his defense to try to stop him, an attitude he did not regret later. “That was not basketball”he said in reference to the game being developed. A stronghold among so many lost souls. Because Jokic, Doncic, Fox or Adebayo were rarely seen. The thread was picked up by the most prominent in that third sleeve and the final was reached knowing that the first to reach 182 would win. Team Giannis dominated by 17 and not only scored those 24 (the Elam Ending in honor of Kobe Bryant’s number, those points are added to the best score before playing a last quarter without a time limit) but there were two more . After several attempts from far away, looking for the moment for the cameras, Damian Lillard, and it was not going to be any other way than with a triple, put an end to this irregular All-Star.