(REUTERS) - Sacramento Kings guard and Bahamas native Buddy Hield scored a team-high 29 points in 26 minutes, and the World team cruised to a 155-124 win over the United States team on Friday (Feb 16) night in the NBA Rising Stars game at Staples Centre in Los Angeles.
Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 26 points on 9-for-16 shooting, including 7-for-13 from three-point range, and was named the game's most valuable player.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray scored 21 points for the World team, while Ben Simmons (11 points, 13 rebounds) of the Philadelphia 76ers and Domantas Sabonis (13 points, 11 rebounds) of the Indiana Pacers each recorded a double-double.
The Sixers' Joel Embiid played just nine minutes in the contest, recording five points.
Boston Celtics second-year forward Jaylen Brown led the US team with 35 points on 14-for-21 shooting in 24 minutes. Brown grabbed 10 rebounds and showed off his athleticism with a between-the-legs slam dunk in the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles Lakers rookie forward Kyle Kuzma added 20 points and seven rebounds for the US team. Celtics rookie forward Jayson Tatum finished with 15 points.
The US team faced a 30-point deficit entering the fourth quarter. Embiid contributed to the 118-88 advantage when he dribbled the ball from the top of the key, spun past Brown at the free-throw line and finished with a two-handed slam.
By half-time, the World team surged to a 78-59 lead. Bogdanovic and Hield led the team with 14 points apiece in the first half as they combined to hit eight of 11 shots from beyond the arc.
The side led 40-32 at the end of the first quarter. Utah Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell provided a highlight-reel play when he lobbed a pass to himself off the top of the backboard and threw down a one-handed slam dunk for the US.
The game featured 10 first- and second-year players from the US against the same number of first-and second-year players from the rest of the world. The players were selected by the National Basketball Association's assistant coaches, who collaborated for one vote per team.
Houston Rockets assistant Roy Rogers coached the US team. Toronto Raptors assistant Rex Kalamian coached the World team.
