Someone actually tried to defend Kobe Bryant in his final All-Star game, refusing to step aside and yield one last magical moment. Well, sort of.
LeBron James lightheartedly slapped the court as Bryant dribbled on the perimeter in the second quarter, commencing a one-on-one, bring-it-on battle that ended with Bryant’s turnaround jumper bouncing off the front of the rim. It also resulted in smiles from both players.
“When you get that opportunity versus a great man,” James said, “you just have fun with it.”
Playfulness was as plentiful as points during the NBA’s highest-scoring All-Star game Sunday at the Air Canada Centre, the West’s 196-173 victory making Bryant a winner even though he was far from the best player on the court.
“I had a blast playing with those guys,” Bryant said of his teammates, “laughing and joking with them on the bench.”
This was Bryant’s 15th All-Star game, and the 20-year NBA veteran finished with a record-tying four All-Star most-valuable-player awards and 290 points, the latter figure ranking second all-time after James’ 13 points allowed him to overtake Bryant on the scoring list.
Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook became the first player to be selected MVP outright in back-to-back seasons after collecting 31 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals for the West. Indiana’s Paul George scored 41 points for the East, one short of Wilt Chamberlain’s All-Star game record.
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook is congratulated by teammate Kevin Durant after winning the All-Star game MVP award.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Lakers guard Kobe Bryant acknowledges the crowd as he exits his final NBA All-Star game in the fourth quarter Sunday.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Lakers guard Kobe Bryant of the West and Cavaliers forward LeBron James of the East share a laugh during the second half of the NBA All-Star game on Sunday in Toronto.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Raprots guard DeMar DeRozan of the East elevates for a dunk against the West during the second half.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Clippers guard Chris Paul collects a pass on a fastbreak before scoring between Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (3) and Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) in the second half.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard of the West tries to block a shot by Cavaliers forward LeBron James of the East during the second half.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Warriors guard Stephen Curry of the West brings the ball up court against Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas during the second half.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)Bulls center Pau Gasol of the East gets tangled with Kings center DeMarcus Cousins during first-half action.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan of the East throws down a dunk against the West in the first half.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Thunder guard Russell Westbrook of the West hangs on the rim after dunking against the East during the first half of the NBA All-Star game.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Cavaliers forward LeBron James of the East is all smiles as he defends Lakers guard Kobe Bryant of the West during the first half.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)Bulls center Pau Gasol puts away a dunk against the West during the first half.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Lakers guard Kobe Bryant warms up for the NBA All-Star game with Chris Paul Jr. on Sunday in Toronto.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine attempts a reverse dunk during the contest Saturday in Toronto.
(Warren Toda / EPA)Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine and Toronto native Drake check out the score after one of LaVine’s efforts in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Minnesota guard Zach LaVine puts down a reverse dunk during the contest Saturday night in Toronto.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)Magic forward Aaron Gordon throws down a reverse windmill dunk after snatching the ball from the claw of the Magic mascot Saturday.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Orlando forward Aaron Gordon reacts, along with the Magic’s mascot, after making a reverse windmill dunk on Saturday.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Former NBA star Steve Nash, right, kicks the ball back to Pistons forward Andre Drummond during Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine goes between his legs with the ball as he elevates to basket after taking off from just inside the free-throw line. The right-handed dunk clinched his victory in the Slam Dunk Contest.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Minnesota guard Zach LaVine is presented the Slam Dunk Contest winner’s trophy on Saturday in Toronto.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Golden State guard Klay Thompson takes aim during the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest on Saturday night.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Warriors point guard Stephen Curry takes a shot during the Three-Point Contest on Saturday. The defending champion would be beaten by teammate Klay Thompson.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)Golden State guard Klay Thompson is congratulated by teammate Stephen Curry after winning the Three-Point Contest on Saturday.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) receives his trophy after winning the Three-Point Shooting Competition on Saturday in Toronto.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson shares a laugh with Pelicans forward Anthony Davis and Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns during the Skills Challenge on Saturday.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Minnesota forward Karl-Anthony Towns weaves his way through the Skills Challenge course on Saturday.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) and Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) compete during the NBA All-Star Skills Competition in Toronto on Saturday.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns holds his Skills Challenge trophy while taking a photo with (from left) Warriors forward Draymond Green, Pelicans forward Anthony Davis and Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.
(Warren Toda / EPA)Timberolves guard Zach LaVine of the U.S. team holds aloft the MVP trophy after the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday in Toronto.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Timberwolves teammates Zach LaVine of the U.S. and Andrew Wiggins of the World embrace after the NBA All-Star Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night in Toronto.
(Elsa / Getty Images)76ers forward Jabari Parker throws down a reverse dunk against the World team during the first half of the Rising Stars Challenge.
(Mark Blinch / Canadian Press)Bucks forward Jabari Parker of the U.S. team after finishing off a dunk against the World team in the Rising Stars Challenge.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell of the U.S. team drives around Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay of the World team during the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night in Toronto.
(WAarren Toda / EPA)Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) and Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) helped the U.S. team defeat the World team, 157-154, in the Rising Stars Challenge.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Forward Kristaps Porzingis of the World team is congratulated by Knicks teammate Carmelo Anthony during the first half of the Rising Stars Challenge.
(Elsa / Getty Images)76ers forward Jahlil Okafor of the U.S. team tries to block a shot by Timberwolves forward Andrew Wigging of the World team during the Rising Stars Challenge.
(Elsa / EPA)Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) and Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins (22) celebrate after a score during the Rising Stars Challenge.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Win Butler of Arcade Fire holds the MVP trophy after Canada defeated the United States in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday in Toronto.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Canada’s Win Butler drives past American Joel David Moore during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Canada’s Tracy McGrady jokingly removes the United States’ Muggsy Bogues from the court during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday night in Toronto.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Canadian tennis stars Milos Raonic and Eugenie Bouchard take the court during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Canada’s Stephan James tries to get a shot off between the United States’ Joel David Moore (22) and Nick Cannon (2) during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)Canada Coach Drake, left, hugs it out with U.S. player Kevin Hart at the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry greets students at a Jr. NBA Day event Friday, part of the All-Star festivities in Toronto.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Stephen Curry guides students through a shooting drill at a Jr. NBA Day event in Toronto on Friday.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Raptors stars Demar DeRozan, second from left, and Kyle Lowry, second from right, are joined by DeRozan’s wife Kiara and daughter Diar as well as Lowry’s son Karter as they sort food donations at The Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto on Friday.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Miami Heat All-Star Dwyane Wade, center, helps sort food donations at The Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto on Friday.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Detroit Pistons All-Star Andre Drummond, left, greets NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after helping sort food donations at The Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto on Friday.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)Kobe Bryant listens to a question from a reporter during his media session Friday at NBA All-Star weekend.
(Larry W. Smith / EPA)Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is engulfed by members of the media for his interview session Friday in Toronto.
(Larry W. Smith / EPA)San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard fields a question during his NBA All-Star game media session on Friday.
(Larry W. Smith / EPA)Toronto Mayor John Tory hands Drake the key to the city before the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday.
(Chris Young / Canadian Press)All of the defensive battles involving Bryant were warmhearted. Clippers guard Chris Paul’s 7-year-old son got the best of Bryant in warmups before the second half, his active hands swiping the ball as Bryant dribbled low to the floor.
“He probably doesn’t realize it now, because he’s kind of sort of used to seeing Kobe and stuff like that,” Paul said of the moment involving his son, “but when he gets a little older, it’ll probably hit him a little bit.”
Bryant stepped in front of Pau Gasol, his former Lakers teammate, in the fourth quarter, on a play that ended in Gasol’s missed turnaround jumper. Then Bryant backed down Gasol and missed his own turnaround jumper.
“I got a chance to stop Pau in the post, redeem myself from what he did to me when Chicago came to town,” Bryant said. “But all those things are just fun. I had a great time. I had a great, great time.”
Bryant even paid homage of sorts to Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the third quarter with a baseline skyhook. It didn’t go so well, the ball flying all the way over the rim.
Two video tributes were shown, one featuring career highlights and another including footage narrated by Bryant and praise from his basketball peers.
There were also brief addresses by Bryant and Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who told the crowd, “There will never be another Kobe Bryant.”
Bryant ended his address by saying, “Now I have to go get loose.” He won an awkwardly contested jump ball against James and registered his first statistic on an assist to San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard.
Early in the game it was vintage Bryant . . . as in 2016.
Ultimately, it was Bryant’s presence, and not his performance, that mattered to those around him.
“To see him now, it’s like the passing of a generation,” said San Antonio Coach Gregg Popovich, who guided the West. “He’s been such an iconic figure for so long, and he passes it on to that other group of young guys that you saw out there tonight.”
Twitter: @latbbolch
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