Bryant leaves an All-Star Game winner, West rolls 196-173

James was mostly a bystander in the NBA’s 65 All-Star Game, won by the West 196-173 scoring just 13 points in 20 minutes. The 196 points by the West was an NBA All-Star Game record, and the teams’ combined point total of 369 set a record, too.

Russell Westbrook from Oklahoma City was named MVP for the second consecutive year, scoring 31 points with eight rebounds and five assists. Bob Pettit won the 1958 award and shared it the next year with Elgin Baylor.

Bryant played almost 15 minutes in the first half and scored 10 points, including a patented fadeaway late in the opening quarter that drew loud cheers from a celebrity-dotted crowd.

Kobe Bryant scored 10 on 4-of-11 shooting while playing in his 18th and final All-Star Game.

He checked out with 1:06 left to cheers and hugs from his fellow All-Stars who now put up points in bunches the way Bryant did for so long with the Lakers.

“To see him now, it’s like the passing of a generation”, West coach Gregg Popovich said.

His nine three-pointers was an All-Star Game record.

Kobe Bryant was never a threat to win a fifth All-Star Game MVP award on Sunday night.

With the National Basketball Association calling his career brilliant, there was first a video that showed clips of some of Bryant’s best moments – starting with his draft-night selection, an array of dunks, a famous lob to Shaquille O’Neal in a playoff win over the Trail Blazers, some winning shots, his defensive intensity and even some images of his Olympic play. He finished with 22 points, three assists and three rebounds.

Bryant announced last November that this would be his final season and was made the leading vote-getter for his 18th and final All-Star appearance by fans. Neither Naismith nor anyone who saw that game would recognize the way it looked Sunday.

“I’m just trying to stay as loose as possible”, Bryant smiled and told TNT on his way into the locker room. “So I think KD (Kevin Durant) wanted it at one point, and then the crowd got into it and wanted me to shoot”.

At half-time, British singer Sting took to the stage to entertain the fans while American football players Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. together with baseball player Justin Verlander, actress Kate Upton, director Spike Lee and musician Drake were at the Air Canada Centre watching the game court side. Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade took Bryant to dinner Saturday night, paying homage to the Lakers’ guard and sharing stories from their competitions.

“It was fun. I had a blast playing with those guys, laughing and joking with them on the bench”.

“It’s special just to pick his brain”, Thompson said of Bryant, whom he idolized while living in Southern California. I really do. He’s great – flawed, but great.

A couple of notable items from the annual NBA All-Star game, the game being held outside of the USA for the first time ever, as Toronto played host.

“Definitely, being able to talk to him and get knowledge and just hear him talking about different things he’s done for himself, for the game, his family”, Westbrook said.