Last year’s NBA All-Star Game was widely panned as unwatchable. Players were pulling up at halfcourt to attempt 3s over and over again, and the Elam Ending (with a defined number that ended the game when it was reached) remained confusing to fans.

This season, changes have been made. We are back to East vs. West, so no more team captains making picks right before tipoff.

Also, no more Elam ending. They will play four quarters of 12 minutes apiece, and overtime if necessary. Everyone who is deserving will be there, with the exception of Domantas Sabonis, the NBA’s leading rebounder who keeps dropping triple-doubles for the Sacramento Kings.

Tatum scored 55 last season, breaking the record of 52 set by Anthony Davis in 2017. Tatum made 10 3-point shots and 21 shots overall, and the teams combined to shoot 126 3-pointers. Yes, 126. That is not a misprint. Damian Lillard attempted 20, Donovan Mitchell attempted 18, and Jaylen Brown attempted 12 as the teams combined for 359 points.

Will we see any All-Star records fall this Sunday night in Indianapolis? With the game returning to a 48-minute format, we could see one or both teams top 200 points because nobody plays defense in All-Star games unless the game is tight in the final minute. This is the NBA’s showcase event, and whatever is the defining moment of the NBA All-Star Weekend has yet to be determined.

What are the most points scored in a single NBA All-Star game?

Jayson Tatum scored a record 55 points in last year’s All-Star game. Tatum was sitting on 49 points midway through the fourth quarter last February in Salt Lake City when Damian Lillard informed him of Davis’ record and encouraged him to break it. Tatum took home the MVP award named after Kobe Bryant, who was his childhood idol.

Who has the most 3 pointers in the NBA All-Star game?

Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors made 16 of his 27 attempts at the 2022 game and scored 50, the third-highest total ever recorded in an All-Star game.

Top 10 Players with the most points in the NBA All-Star Game

8 (tie). Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-Charlotte)

Points scored: 38

Kevin Durant scored 31 points and captain LeBron James added 19 points as Team LeBron overcame an 18-point deficit to defeat Team Giannis. Durant was named All-Star Game MVP for the second time. Antetokounmpo finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds. Special All-Star additions Dirk Nowitzki of Team Giannis (nine points) and Dwyane Wade of Team LeBron (seven points) both made appearances in their final NBA seasons.

8 (tie). Blake Griffin (2014-New Orleans)

Points scored: 38

This was Griffin’s final moment of relevance in the NBA. MVP Kyrie Irving had 31 points and 14 assists and Carmelo Anthony made eight 3-pointers and scored 30 points as the East rallied from an 18-point deficit to snap a three-game losing streak. Irving scored 15 points in the fourth quarter for the East, which closed the game on a 10-0 run.

8 (tie). Kevin Durant (2014-New Orleans)

Points scored: 38

Durant and Griffin tied for high-scoring honors but the West lost. But in the following three All-Star games, the West won, and then the NBA changed the format and the captains picked the team beginning in 2018. That means this was the last time the East defeated the West, and you can make a couple bucks on a side bet with your buddies asking how long it has been since the East won an All-Star game (10 years is the correct answer).

5 (tie). Russell Westbrook (2015-New York)

Points scored: 41

Westbrook scored 27 in the first half at Madison Square Garden, and James Harden added 29 points for the West, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with four minutes left that gave the West the lead for good. LeBron James led the East with 30 points. The Gasol brothers went head-to-head as Marc Gasol (6 points) started for the West and Pau Gasol (10 points) started for the East.

5 (tie). Paul George (2016-Toronto)

Points scored: 41

In the first NBA All-Star Game played outside the United States, Russell Westbrook had 31 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals to lead the West. He became the first player to be named All-Star MVP outright in consecutive games. George made a then-record nine 3-pointers and led all scorers with 41 points. Kobe Bryant had 10 points in his 15th and final All-Star appearance. LeBron James (291 points) passed Bryant (290) as the top scorer in All-Star Game history.

5 (tie). Russell Westbrook (2017-New Orleans)

Points scored: 41

In the NBA’s highest-scoring All-Star Game, Anthony Davis earned MVP honors at his home arena while Westbrook, the MVP in each of the previous two All-Star Games, added 41 points for the West. Giannis Antetokounmpo, making his All-Star debut, led the East with 30 points on 14-of-17 shooting from the field.

4. Wilt Chamberlain (1962-St. Louis)

Points scored: 42

Chamberlain set an All-Star Game scoring record at the time with 42 points and grabbed 24 rebounds, but his East team fell short. Elgin Baylor paced the West with 32 points, while MVP Bob Pettit finished with 25 points and 27 rebounds. This was Chamberlain’s highest point total in 13 All-Star games, a number of appearances that has since been topped by Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.

3. Steph Curry (2022-Cleveland)

Points scored: 50

Curry made a record 16 3-pointers and scored 50 points, and teammate LeBron James hit the game-winning shot for Team LeBron. Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 30 points and 12 rebounds for Team LeBron, while Joel Embiid led Team Durant with 36 points. Curry became the All-Star Game’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (47) and set an All-Star Game record for most three-pointers made in a quarter (7, third quarter) and half (8, twice – both halves).

2. Anthony Davis (2017-New Orleans)

Points scored: 52

Back when the Pelicans had a dream of building a championship-winning team around Davis (who eventually asked out and was dealt to the Lakers), he had a breakout performance that showed the NBA-watching world just how proficient of an offense-defense player he is. This was the last West vs. East game before the format changed to having the captains pick their teams playground-style, one of many changes instituted after Adam Silver succeeded David Stern as commissioner.

1. Jayson Tatum (2023-Salt Lake City)

Points scored: 55

The guy who is conspicuously absent from this year’s MVP debate, despite being the best player on the team with the best record, had a breakout performance in what was otherwise regarded as a very bad All-Star game. It prompted changes for this year’s game that include a return to East vs. West and the removal of the Elam Ending, in which the first team to a targeted number (set after three quarters) wins the game.

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