Damian Lillard ended the NBA All-Star Game in typical style by drilling a half-court shot to give Team LeBron the 170-150 victory over Team Durant.
They don’t call it Dame Time for no reason, even when a clock isn’t running.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard hit the game-winning shot in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game by pulling up from half-court with Team LeBron leading Team Durant 167-150.
Of course, he hit the shot from that range. It wouldn’t have been Lillard if he didn’t make it look extra clutch. After all, he has a highlight reel of game-winning shots against pretty much everyone in the NBA.
His 3-pointer was the final play of the game, which was set to be determined by score instead of time. At the start of the fourth quarter, the clock was turned off and the target score was set at 24 more than the leading team’s output through three quarters in tribute to Kobe Bryant. Thus, the first to 170 won the game.
As a result, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund took home an extra $300,000 on top of an initial donation of $500,000.
Damian Lillard was a long-range assassin in the NBA All-Star Game
That wasn’t even the first half-court shot Lillard hit in the game. He was true from that range in the first half as well.
When you can hit that kind of shot regularly, every shot is a good shot.
Lillard finished with 32 points, including eight 3-pointers, tying Stephen Curry’s tally. He also had 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 21 minutes.
The game-winner didn’t put Lillard over the top in MVP voting. Giannis Antetokounmpo took home that honor with 35 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.
Meanwhile, Chris Paul had 16 assists for Team LeBron.
Bradley Beal’s 26 points led team Durant while Kyrie Irving produced 24 points and 12 assists.