INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With youth on its side, USA Stars outlasted all challengers to come out on top during the new-look NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.
Tyrese Maxey scored nine points and Anthony Edwards added eight as USA Stars earned an easy 47-21 championship victory over USA Stripes.
The three-team round-robin tournament of short 12-minute games also included Team World, made up of international stars, and was the latest incarnation of the ever-changing All-Star Game format that went with four teams in a tournament-style bracket last year.
“Yeah, I think they ain’t really going to take in what I’m saying, but I like this format,” said Edwards, who was named MVP. “I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes, and the three different teams of separate guys. I think it was really good.”
Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder also scored eight points and Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons added six as the younger USA Stars avenged an earlier 42-40 defeat to the veteran USA Stripes in the three-game round robin.
“We wanted to play hard,” Maxey said. “It doesn’t matter what the format was, I came in, I’m going to play some defense. I’ll score when I can, but I want to play hard, bring energy, get some steals, and have fun.”
The Philadelphia 76ers’ standout went 4 of 8 from the floor in the 12-minute title game and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Edwards went 3 of 5 with a pair of 3-pointers. Edwards scored 32 total points in his teams’ three games.
“Before we walked out (for the final), Cade (Cunningham) said we got to get our lick back,” Edwards said of the earlier loss to USA Stars. “So we came out and stomped on them.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell scored six points and the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James added five for USA Stripes. In his record 23rd NBA season James was making his 22nd All-Star Game appearance.
USA Stars took control early in the title game by grabbing an 12-1 lead, with Maxey scoring seven of the points. Team Stripes was within 18-9 with 7:03 remaining after consecutive 3-pointers from James and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, but USA Stars dominated from there.
A 15-0 run eliminated any potential drama as USA Stars led 33-9 with 4:19 remaining.
The Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard scored just one point in the title game, going 0-of-4 from the floor. It came after he dominated the final round-robin game with 31 points in 12 minutes of a 48-45 victory over Team World to advance his side to the final.
“Just having fun out there, making shots,” Leonard said. “Obviously these guys aren’t competing at a regular-season game, but it’s always fun to go out and compete with those guys and just cherish the court (time) with them. They’re all legends, and they’re playing great basketball.”
In the opening game of the three-team round robin, USA Stars defeated Team World 37-35 in overtime on a 3-pointer from the Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes.
Even though Team World lost both of its games with Victor Wembanyama, Edwards credited the San Antonio Spurs star for getting the day off to a competitive start.
“Yeah, he set the tone, man, and it woke me up, for sure,” Edwards said.
The French 7-foot-4 French star scored 33 points in 20 minutes across Team World’s two games.
–Doug Padilla, Field Level Media
