20 February 2017•Update: 20 February 2017
By Ovunc Kutlu
NEW YORK
Anthony Davis has led the West to victory with a 192-182 win over the East with a record performance in the NBA’s 66th All-Star game on Sunday in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Both teams started the game with a showcase of slam dunks and alley oops as the East closed the first quarter with a 53 to 48 lead. The West, however, came back to end the first half ahead 97 to 92.
The third quarter turned into a 3-point shootout, and the fourth quarter was a feeding frenzy when the West players assisted Davis of New Orleans Pelicans over and over again under the rim.
At his home court, Davis ended the game with a record 52 points to surpass NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain's 42 points scored in the 1962 All-Star game.
"I came to the third quarter with 32 [points] and told the guys that I wanted to get to 50," Davis said at the end of the game as he received the most valuable player (MVP) award in his fourth appearance in an All-Star game.
The Pelicans’ center made 26 field goals in 39 attempts, both marking most field goal attempts and makes in an All-Star game.
The game also marked several other records for an All-Star competition.
The combined 101 points in the first quarter, 189 in the first half, and 374 total were the most on record for scored points in a single quarter, a single half, and in total during the history of All-Star games.
The West and the East also made a combined 162 field goals out of 280 attempts -- marking the highest combined field goal percentage in an All-Star game with 57.9 percent.
Kevin Durant of Golden State Warriors scored 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished 10 assists to finish the game as the fourth player in All-Star history with a triple-double.
Durant, who had an on-court verbal altercation with his former teammate Russell Westbrook a week ago, made an assist to him during the first quarter, which was cheered on the West bench.
Oklahoma City Thunder star Westbrook finished the game with 41 points, the same as 2015 NBA All-Star Game when he was one point shy of tying Chamberlain's record.
