NBA All-Star Game 2015: Russell Westbrook, James Harden lead West past East

The All-Star Game Sunday night was a perfect example. Westbrook went for an insane 41 points in 25 minutes and 33 seconds of playing time off the bench, earning him the game’s Most Valuable Player. He finished just one point shy of Wilt Chamberlain’s 53-year-old 42-point All-Star Game scoring record that was set in 1962, instead becoming just the third player in NBA history to score 40 or more points in the contest, joining Chamberlain and Michael Jordan, who had 40 points in 1988.

“It’s definitely an honor to be grouped with those two guys,” Westbrook said, via Sports Illustrated, later adding, via The Oklahoman, “I missed about six or seven layups. I definitely could have had (the scoring record).”

Westbrook was out looking for his own early, scoring an All-Star record 27 first-half points on 15 shots in just 11 minutes of action. He kept going from there, putting up another 13 shots in the second half, though he cooled down and ultimately fell a point short of Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 42 points, set in 1962.

That’s okay, though, because Westbrook’s overall line is still pretty spectacular. The guard finished with five rebounds and three steals in addition to his 41 points, and committed just one turnover in a game absolutely riddled with them. It was truly a Westbrook showcase throughout, and his choice as MVP wasn’t remotely surprising after the display he put on.

He also leads all scorers in the early going with 15 points, including three threes. The All-Star Game is weird.

First in intros:

Then again in the moments before the two went for the opening tip:

Craig Sager appeared on TNT’s pregame show for the NBA All-Star Game and gave us the much-desired info that he’ll return to work on March 1 after beating cancer, just in time for the playoffs. He spoke with Carmelo Anthony and it wouldn’t be a Craig Sager interview without some outlandish attire, which he delivered.

Drink it in.

“You guys really don’t know s***,” Durant told reporters on Saturday of All-Star weekend.

Durant eventually echoed Marshawn Lynch, saying, “I’m only here talking to y’all because I have to.” He cited the hypocritical nature of the media, praising an athlete one day before skewering them the next.

The Western Conference starting lineup voted by fans had Stephen Curry and Kobe Bryant in the back court, and Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin and Marc Gasol in the front court.

Warriors rookie head coach Steve Kerr, coaching the West, has tabbed Klay Thompson and James Harden to replace Bryant and Griffin in the starting lineup, but has yet to announce who will be starting in place of Davis.

The 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend comes to its conclusion Sunday, but the league has a busy day planned before leaving New York City. Prior to the main event, which begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT, there’s a day full of festivities for those hoping to get their hoops fix.

The day technically starts with the Legends Brunch, a special event hosted by the Players Association each year, although that’s not broadcast on TV. The real start to things comes with the D-League All-Star Game, which begins at 2:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBA TV.

NEW YORK -- Paul George is in New York City, but he’s far from the spotlight that nearly swallowed him whole 12 months ago.

The Indiana Pacer sits on a stool at a nightclub near Madison Square Park in Manhattan. He’s here to explain why he became the second NBA player to design his own custom line of New Era Caps (James Harden is the other). A designer walks the room through several prototypes before creating one on the spot on his laptop. George watches intently, intrigued that someone could replicate his new PG-13 moniker on a hat.

Nowitzki is having another fine season in Dallas at age 36. He’s averaging 18.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while posting a PER of 20.72. Nowitzki is still very much the face of the Mavericks, who are fifth in the Western Conference standings at 36-19 this year.

“It is always an honor to represent the Mavs at the All-Star Game,” Nowtizki said in a statement released by the team on Wednesday night. “This year it threw a little bit of a wrench into my plans, but I am very excited. Even though it was unexpected I am looking forward to being a part of the festivities in New York.”

Davis is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season. He’s averaging 24.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. He turned in a masterful performance last week, scoring 41 points and hitting a contested three-pointer for the win. He took a big fall off a dunk the next night, however, and suffered the sprained shoulder that will keep him from participating in the All Star game in New York.

The Western Conference’s starting lineup in the All-Star Game is finally set. Warriors coach Steve Kerr has picked Klay Thompson, his shooting guard in Golden State, to start in place of the injured Blake Griffin when the NBA’s best converge on New York on Sunday.

Thompson and teammate Steph Curry become the first pair of Warriors players to start the All-Star Game together since Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond did it in 1967. Golden State has the best record in basketball at 42-9 and the “Splash Brothers” are a big reason why.

Thompson is their assassin, a star who never met a shot he didn’t like and is ready to erupt like a volcano at a moment’s notice. You know, like 37 points in a quarter. (Really: 37 points in nine and a half minutes.)

A lesser player would wilt under Mychal’s harsh eye. Instead, Klay has found a way to flip the script. Via Grantland:

Anthony Davis is like if one of the Walkers from Star Wars decided to start putting Jedis in the post. His gangling arms feel like someone attached back-scratchers to normal arms and made them work. Guards trying to see over him is like looking for a silver lining on a Monday morning.

There was a graphic recently that showed Davis’ growth through the years:

The Grizzlies are 38-13 and would be even better if Zach Randolph didn’t miss a couple weeks due to injury. That’s good for the third-best record in the NBA. They’re rising, too: after defeating the East-leading Hawks on Sunday, they’re 9-1 in their last 10 games.

Yet the Grizzlies only have one All-Star: center Marc Gasol, seen by everyone as the cornerstone of their team. Randolph and Mike Conley weren’t named as All-Star reserves, then were passed over when Kobe Bryant and Blake Griffin needed to bow out due to injury.