The Hindu : Sport : Bryant sizzles, West whips East in All-Star game

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Tuesday, Feb 20, 2007
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Bryant sizzles, West whips East in All-Star game

LAS VEGAS: Kobe Bryant scored 31 points to win his second MVP award and lead the West to a 153-132 victory over the East in the NBA All-Star game at the Thomas and Mack Arena on Sunday.

The West had a 20-point lead by half-time and was never threatened in the annual affair that saw a lot of dunks and fast breaks but little defence.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James scored 28 points to lead the East, which trailed 119-88 after three quarters and saw its two-game winning streak snapped in convincing fashion.

Bryant hit 13 of 24 shots and three of nine from beyond the arc to lead the West.

The Los Angeles Lakers guard also had 31 when he was MVP in the 2002 All-Star game in Philadelphia.

Phoenix Suns centre Amare Stoudemire scored 29 for the West, hitting 14 of 22 shots from the floor, while Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony added 20.

Sizeable lead

The West rolled to a 79-59 lead by half-time behind 17 points from Bryant and 12 by Anthony.

Bryant hit eight of 14 shots by intermission as the West hit 57 per cent from the floor in the opening two quarters, while the East connected on only 43 per cent.

The results: West 153 (Kobe Bryant 31, Amare Stoudemire 29, Carmelo Anthony 20, Shawn Marion 18, Ray Allen 12) bt East 132 (LeBron James 28, Dwight Howard 20, Joe Johnson 12, Chris Bosh 11). — Agencies

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