Damian Lillard ensures 2024 All-Star weekend ticks to Dame Time

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INDIANAPOLIS — For one dizzying night, when everything seemed a blur, the famous moniker of the fastest event in this town adopted an honorary change of name and sport:

The Indianapolis 397.

That’s how many combined points were scored, with 211 for the winner, good for most in the history of this showpiece game. Yes, the 73rd edition of the NBA All-Star Game took on a rapid pace, befitting a city accustomed to speed — and a league currently caught in a scoring spree.

It was East 211, West 186 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and while the suspense ended somewhat early, the buckets did not. Three players on the East broke 30 points, led by Damian Lillard’s 39, and he claimed the Kobe Bryant Trophy as the Kia NBA All-Star Game MVP.

“The shot-making from the East was incredible,” said Kevin Durant. “Hard to play defense when somebody is shooting 30-, 40-footers. Great display of shooting tonight. Like I said, record-setting points was pretty cool.”

The East wanted a 200-piece. Once they hit 104 points for the half and especially 160 through three quarters, there was only one thing left to accomplish.

A quick vote among East players resulted in a unanimous chase for 200, which would be an All-Star first, and aim for the game record of 196 by the West in 2016. Missions accomplished.

So in that sense, the All-Star Game became a micro of the season, if we can use that word to describe a swelling in scoring.

And does a game fortified by buckets need to be dialed back, or kept as is?

LeBron James said: “I think it’s something we need to figure out. Where is the median? This is what a lot of the games are starting to look like, too. It’s a deeper dive into a conversation of how we can shore up this game. Obviously, from a player’s perspective, it’s fun to get up and down, but at the end of the day, our competitive nature don’t like to have free-flowing scoring like that.”

Lillard said: “People who are fans of the game love it. They want to be entertained.”

Dame Time lasted 48 hours. Longer than even Lillard probably expected. What a weekend. On Saturday, he collected the Starry 3-Point Contest title. Next, the All-Star Game MVP trophy, his first.

His experience goes even deeper — this was his first time in the starting lineup of an All-Star Game. To recap, then, the last several months were career-altering: He got traded from Portland to Milwaukee last summer, deals with a midseason coaching change this month, has an inconsistent honeymoon in Milwaukee, and now this.

Lillard became the second player (after Michael Jordan) to win a trophy Saturday and Sunday. In 1988, Jordan claimed a dunk title to go along with game MVP honors.

“When I knew I was going to do the 3-point (contest), I’m going to try to win,” he said. “I’m not going to be casual and cool about it. And I’m an All-Star starter. Why not go and try to get an MVP? It’s just something I put my mind on, and that’s going to be what my intentions are this weekend, and I was able to do it.”

The MVP chase became an “arms wrestle.” This was perhaps unprecedented in All-Star Game history: three teammates had a legitimate argument for the trophy in the final four minutes.

That’s when East coach Doc Rivers called timeout and re-inserted Lillard, Tyrese Haliburton and Jaylen Brown despite a 22-point lead to let them hash it out.

A quick rewind: Haliburton, the obvious crowd favorite, had a quick start, with 15 points in the first quarter. Lillard followed with a firm answer and had 22 by halftime. Then Brown threatened to overtake both of them in the second half when he scored 24 of his 36 points (just three off Lillard’s total).

By the late fourth quarter, it was a three-sided coin flip.

Haliburton scored six points in 27 seconds to create drama. This was getting uncomfortable — nobody wanted to be selfish. The issue was settled when Lillard swished a pair of 3s in the last 34 seconds, the last from halfcourt.

Pacers fans weren’t happy with the post-game announcement, as expected. Of the 12 votes, Lillard edged Haliburton, 7-5.

Bucks guard Damian Lillard (Eastern Conference) is the recipient of The Kobe Bryant Trophy as the #KiaAllStarMVP.

Nine media members were part of the voting panel. In addition, NBA fans counted for three votes by voting via the NBA App.

The voting results are below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KOPD9KbxJR

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 19, 2024

LeBron James, with a record-breaking 20th appearance, may not be done. His playing time Sunday was limited to 14 minutes because of a bum ankle that had sidelined him in the Lakers’ last game.

LeBron did stay long enough in the All-Star Game to deliver a few entertaining dunks — the ankle was good enough for that, and besides, LeBron felt an obligation, as usual, to the fans.

What about an extended obligation beyond this season to the game? And to the Lakers? He can become a free agent this summer.

“I have not mapped out how many seasons I have left,” he said. “I know it’s not that many … I don’t know. I am a Laker, and I am happy and been very happy being a Laker the last six years, and hopefully it stays that way.

“But I don’t have the answer to how long it is or which uniform I’ll be in. Hopefully it is with the Lakers. It’s a great organization and so many greats. But we’ll see. I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it’s coming. It’s coming, for sure.”

One, two, not-so-free. One of the biggest crowd reactions came with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the free-throw line. But first, a backstory:

The Pacers and Bucks have had a, shall we say, history this season. There was added spice in December with the Game Ball Controversy involving Giannis. And the contests have been one-sided, in favor of the Pacers, who eliminated the Bucks during the In-Season Tournament semis.

All told, the teams played five times in 54 days with the Pacers winning four.

In their last meeting, Pacers fans loudly counted Giannis’ time at the line. So this time, he egged them on — friendlier fire this time — and promptly missed the shot. To big cheers.

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