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The
2020 NBA All-Star Game is in the books and the new format change has seemingly transformed the contest from a friendly showcase of talent to one worth tuning in for. Fans on social media praised the All-Star game for actually being competitive, especially in the intense fourth quarter.
This year’s All-Star game pitted Team LeBron against Team Giannis, and each quarter won by a squad earned a Chicago-based charity a $100,000 donation. With each team winning one quarter each in the first two quarters, the third ended in a tie which carried over the $100,000 for the quarter to the fourth.
It was then that players began running plays, talking trash, taking charges, and putting on some stingy defensive sets. On top of it, players on the sideline were calling out sets and directing traffic. End the end, Team LeBron vanquished Team Giannis by the score of 157-155 with Kawhi Leonard winning the Kia NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP, which was recently renamed in honor of the late Hall of Fame player.
On Twitter, fans heaped praise on the dedication to winning displayed by both squads, although some weren’t thrilled in how the game eventually ended. Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry has been catching some of the criticism for fans for Team Giannis losing, but truthfully, it was anyone’s game up until the very end.
Throughout NBA All-Star Weekend and for the game itself, Bryant’s presence was felt and his legacy loomed largely overall. The game opened with eight seconds of silence to honor his jersey number, and Jennifer Hudson sang her heart out by way of a moving rendition of “For All We Know (We May Meet Again)” in tribute to both Bryant and his daughter Gianna ahead of the game.
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Check out the reactions from Twitter regarding the 2020 NBA All-Star Game below.
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Photo: Getty
