All Star: MVP Curry led Team Saquille to victory

Shaquille O’Neal’s team, dubbed the OG (Classics), emerged as the first-ever winner of the NBA's mini All-Star Championship, the latest innovation aimed at enhancing the spectacle of the league. Stephen Curry claimed his second MVP award, this time in front of his home crowd in San Francisco, marking the first time in 21 years that LeBron James was absent from the event.

The Golden State Warriors' point guard, who earned his second career MVP, led the “Shaq Boys” to a 41-25 victory over Charles Barkley’s "Global Stars" team. The powerful lineup featured Serbian Nikola Jokic, Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and French phenom Victor Wembanyama, who was making his All-Star Game debut.

Lebron James, absent for the first time in 21 years

The notable absence was LeBron James, the veteran leader of the Los Angeles Lakers. Having not missed an event since his second year in the NBA in 2005, he announced his withdrawal shortly before the game due to foot and ankle discomfort.

After a failed attempt to bring back the classic East-West conference duel in 2024, the NBA experimented with a four-team format this time. Three teams were selected by former stars Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith, a popular trio of current television commentators, while the fourth team consisted of players new to the league.

The first team to score 40 points

The four teams competed in two semifinals and a final, with the winner being the first to reach 40 points. This year’s NBA All-Star event brought more intensity than in previous years, when the league had criticized the players' lack of effort and interest had plummeted to record-low ratings.

"I think today wasa little more competitive than previous years and that's the main thing," point guard Damian Lillard said after the game. To keep things exciting, the NBA introduced various distractions this year, including a three-point challenge. Lillard, last year's MVP, lost to a fan in the contest, much to the delight of the cheering crowd.

More intensity, fewer spectacular plays

However, the frequent interruptions and fast-paced nature of the games had the unintended consequence of fewer spectacular plays that would linger in the spectators' memories. The standout moment of the night came from the inimitable Stephen Curry, who shot a stunning three-pointer from mid court.

Veterans overcome newcomers’ enthusiasm 

In the first semifinal, Charles Barkley’s Global Stars team defeated Kenny Smith’s Young Stars 41-32, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 14 points and Nikola Jokic adding 11. In his six minutes on the court, Victor Wembanyama scored four points and delivered a monumental block on Cade Cunningham’s dunk attempt. Tyler Herro, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley each scored six points for the Young Stars, who were missing Anthony Edwards at the last minute due to groin issues.

In the second semifinal, O'Neal's OGs defeated a combined team of rookie and second-year players, who had won Thursday's Rising Stars event, with a 42-35 victory. Stephen Curry scored eight points but struggled with his shooting, making just 2 of 8 three-pointers. The top scorers for the OGs were Damian Lillard and James Harden, each contributing 10 points.

Curry's performance

Undoubtedly, the star of the night was the local hero, Stephen Curry. The veteran point guard electrified the crowd at the start of the final with an acrobatic three-pointer, jumping on one leg, followed by another impressive shot from midcourt.

Jayson Tatum supported Curry with eight straight points, giving O'Neal's team an early 11-0 lead. The Global team responded with two quick baskets from Wembanyama, who finished as his team's leading scorer with 11 points. However, Curry had already found his rhythm, sealing the victory with two more three-pointers to finish with a total of 12 points.

His performance in the grand (or mini) finals earned the point guard the second MVP award of his career after the one he received in 2022. "I'm very thankful to have played with these guys as long as we have," he said. "We had an obligation to put on a good show and I appreciate them helping me do that in Golden State, a lot of history has happened here," Curry said after hugging Kevin Durant.