Jayson Tatum Has Quiet But Solid Showing; Stephen Curry Scores 50, Earns All-Star Game MVP; Elam Ending Produces Another Fantastic Finish

Once again, the decision made in 2020 to switch to the Elam Ending produced a fantastic finish to the All-Star Game.
As opposed to playing a traditional 12-minute fourth quarter, the change to play to a target score, using the leading team's total points after three quarters and adding 24, honoring Kobe Bryant, to determine that figure, made for an All-Star Game that came down to the wire. LeBron James closed out the exhibition by burying a turnaround jumper to give his team the win.
"It's only fitting, right?"
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
LeBron James lifts #TeamLeBron to victory in Cleveland 💯#NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/wYdAVrQRP7
While James clinched the victory for his squad, Stephen Curry's the one who took home the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award. The eight-time All-Star captivated spectators, knocking down shots from the logo and turning his back to the rim, facing the crowd as one of his threes swished through the net.
Stephen Curry is heat checking like no one ever has in an #NBAAllStar Game.
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
He's got 13 threes.
Get to TNT & TBS now. pic.twitter.com/Fvj2Ep3fjB
Drive. Give it up. Relocate. Get it back.
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
Stephen Curry is playing his brand of basketball in the #NBAAllStar Game...
Oh, and he's made 15 threes 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/FC6cQcdp0p
Curry finished with 50 points, two shy of the record set by Anthony Davis in 2017. However, he went 16/27 from beyond the arc, making the most threes in All-Star Game history.
As for Jayson Tatum, who was on Team Durant, starting in place of KD for the second year in a row, the three-time All-Star finished with eight points, dished out five assists, grabbed four rebounds, and had a steal.
JT two-handed jam 🔨 pic.twitter.com/jZEYl6g7hp
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 21, 2022
.@jaytatum0 on the attack for 2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/8tLOUSCGrN
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 21, 2022
The Celtics return to action on Thursday. They'll be in Brooklyn to take on the Nets. The game tips off at 7:30 ET. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
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The Latest Intel About Gary Harris
Celtics Sign Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet to Standard Contracts, Can Now Add Players Via 10-Day Deals

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.
Follow @BobbyKrivitsky