LeBron James proved his worth as the King of the NBA once again, as he led Team LeBron to a victory over Team Durant in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game held in Atlanta, Georgia on March 7th. James earned his fifth All-Star Game MVP award with an impressive 16-point, 4-rebound, and 3-assist performance, cementing his status as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The All-Star Game was marked by a host of exciting moments, including a three-point barrage by Steph Curry, impressive dunks by Zion Williamson and Jaylen Brown, and a record-breaking performance by Damian Lillard shooting from beyond the arc.
However, it was James who stole the show, as he led his team to a comeback victory in the second half. The NBA implemented several changes to the All-Star Game format this year, including a new rule that allowed the team with the highest score after three quarters to pick a charity for a $500,000 donation. In addition, the “Elam Ending” was introduced, which meant that instead of playing for a fixed amount of time, the game ended with a target score of 170 points, which was set following the third quarter.
This led to an exciting finish, as each team tried to reach the target score before the other. Although many criticized the All-Star Game being held during a pandemic, the NBA took several precautions to ensure the safety of players and staff. All participants were required to undergo daily testing and quarantine protocols, and no fans were in attendance. However, the players themselves admitted that the All-Star Game provided a much-needed break from the grueling NBA schedule.
Aside from the All-Star Game, there were several other major sports news stories this week. In soccer, Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the English Premier League with a 3-0 win over Fulham, National Post Today and Bayern Munich cruised to a 5-1 victory over Cologne in the German Bundesliga. Meanwhile, in tennis, Rafael Nadal beat Stefanos Tsitsipas to win his first tournament of the year at the Mexico Open, while Iga Swiatek defeated Belinda Bencic to win the Adelaide International.
