Basketball: Jayson Tatum's record 55 points lifts Team Giannis to victory over Team LeBron in All-Star game

Team Giannis forward Jayson Tatum earned Most Valuable Player honours. PHOTO: REUTERS

SALT LAKE CITY – Jayson Tatum never anticipated becoming the record holder for most points in the National Basketball Association All-Star Game.

But the Boston Celtics star noticed he was hotter than lava during his stellar third quarter and he was not about to stop shooting.

He finished with 55 points, knocked down 10 three-pointers and earned Most Valuable Player honours while leading Team Giannis to a 184-175 victory over Team LeBron on Sunday in the annual showcase game at Salt Lake City.

Tatum surpassed the 52 points set by Anthony Davis in 2017. He also set a record for points in a quarter when he scored 27 in the third.

“It means the world,” Tatum said of breaking Davis’ mark. “You think of all the legends and great players that have played this game... I’ll hold it as long as I can but I’m certain somebody will come along in a couple (of) years and try to break it.”

He shot 22-of-31 from the floor and also contributed 10 rebounds and six assists. His 10 treys are the second-highest in All-Star history, behind the 16 by Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors in last season’s game.

Tatum also received stiff competition from Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The former Utah Jazz star was pumped up to play in his former home arena and made eight three-pointers while delivering 40 points and 10 assists for Team Giannis.

But Tatum got so hot that Mitchell could only watch in amazement.

“He caught fire... It is one of those things you’ve really got to appreciate,” said Mitchell.

Tatum split two free throws to get point No. 53 and make it 177-162. Davis played for the New Orleans Pelicans when he set the record.

Tatum became the eighth different player in Celtics history to win All-Star MVP honours but the first since Larry Bird in 1982. The list includes two-time winner Bob Cousy (1954, 1957) and Bill Russell (1963).

Despite all his heroics, it was not Tatum who knocked down the final shot.

It was Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers who drained the decisive three-pointer, enabling Team Giannis to surpass the target score of 182. Lillard also made eight three-pointers while scoring 26 points.

Jaylen Brown of the Celtics led Team LeBron with 35 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks had 32 points and 15 assists and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers also scored 32 points for Team LeBron.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers missed the second half after injuring his right hand. James hit his pinky finger on the rim while trying to block a shot by Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors.

Said James: “I don’t think it is too much to worry about. But, for precautionary reasons, I had to take the rest of the night off.”

James, who scored 13 points in 14-plus minutes, shares the All-Star selection record of 19 with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He fell to 5-1 as an All-Star captain.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored the game’s first points on a dunk 15 seconds into the contest and then exited for the night.

He sprained his right wrist in Milwaukee’s final regular-season game before the break on Thursday night. He is now 1-2 as a captain.

“I’d be lying if I thought I was going to get 55,” Tatum said. “But I got hot in that third quarter and kept going.”

Another third-quarter highlight was Lillard stopping just short of the half-court line and swishing the long-range shot to make it 142-125 with 4min 10sec left.

There was not much defence played in the contest – except for late in the third quarter when Tatum and Brown went one-on-one multiple times.

“Going up against my brother Jayson, going back and forth, it was like nobody was in (the arena) at all, just me and him,” Brown said. REUTERS

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