Deborah Walker
Feb 19, 2024 - 05:05

NBA All-Star Game 2024: East Dominates West with Record-Breaking 211-186 Victory

The NBA All-Star Game broke records with the Eastern Conference beating the West 211-186, with a flurry of highlights and offense.

The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night saw the Eastern Conference beat the Western Conference 211-186, setting a new record for the most points scored in the game's 73-year history. This surpassed the previous record of 196 points by the West in 2016.

It was an offensive showcase from both sides, with a flurry of records being broken. The total points of 397 broke the previous record of 374 set in 2017, and the East made 42 3-pointers, surpassing the mark of 35 set by Team LeBron in 2019. The first half alone saw 193 points, breaking the previous record of 191 set last year, with the East scoring 104 points by halftime, tying the record for most points in any half.

All-Star MVP Damian Lillard led the East with 39 points, followed by Jaylen Brown with 36 and Tyrese Haliburton with 32. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 50 points for the West in just 28 minutes, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31.

The game was filled with highlights, including long-range shots from Lillard and Doncic, and even an alley-oop from Towns to Curry. Defense was not a priority, with Haliburton making five 3-pointers in a 1:32 span in the first quarter to help the East take an early lead.

The NBA had sought a more competitive All-Star Game after last year's matchup was criticized for lacking intensity, and television ratings suffered as a result. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and other league executives wanted to see players take the game more seriously.

Hall of Famer Larry Bird, who was honored at the NBA Legends Brunch, emphasized the importance of players competing and playing hard in the All-Star Game to showcase their skills to the fans.

While the game had a big-game atmosphere, it did not have the same level of intensity as a playoff game. The All-Star Game featured unconventional plays, such as long inbounds passes and unique pregame rituals from players.