NBA teams
Kevin Pelton, ESPN Senior Writer 6y

The grades from Team LeBron, Team Stephen

NBA All-Star Game

The captain format that gave us a 148-145 Team LeBron win over Team Stephen featured never-before-seen lineups, a fourth-quarter comeback and game-saving defense. Here's how every player graded out:

Team LeBron

LeBron James
Cleveland Cavaliers
Forward | Grade: A-plus

Game stats
29 points, 12-17 FGs, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 4-8 3s

Even when his team trailed, James was the best player on the court throughout the evening. James finished two assists shy of a triple-double, tying for a game high with 10 rebounds in addition to leading all scorers with 29 points. He was an obvious MVP choice when his team rallied for the win. James himself supplied the winning points on a well-designed, after-timeout play by head coach Dwane Casey, having previously tied the game with a pull-up 3. He then helped that score stand up by helping keep Team Stephen from getting off a shot attempt in the closing seconds. James' MVP honor was the third of his highly decorated career, joining five other players with at least that many.


Anthony Davis
New Orleans Pelicans
Forward | Grade: B-minus

Game stats
12 points, 6-9 FGs

Because Casey opted to finish without a center, Davis' 17 minutes were the fewest for any starter on either team. During that span, Davis scored 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting wearing both his own jersey and the No. 0 of injured teammate DeMarcus Cousins (as tribute). But Davis pulled down just two rebounds as Team LeBron struggled on the defensive glass.


Kevin Durant
Golden State Warriors
Forward | Grade: A-minus

Game stats
19 points, 7-13 FGs, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3-8 3s

In a well-rounded effort, Durant handed out five assists and made big plays on defense -- including his key role in stymieing Team Steph's attempts to tie the game with a 3 on their final possession. Durant also had three steals, a block and, oh yes, 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting.


Kyrie Irving
Boston Celtics
Guard | Grade: B-plus

Game stats
13 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal

With just 13 points on 16 shot attempts, this wasn't a particularly efficient game for Irving, who missed four of his five 3-point attempts. Nonetheless, he played a crucial role down the stretch as he teamed up with LeBron James for the first time since last year's NBA Finals. A dribbling exhibition by Irving led to an over-the-shoulder pass for a George 3, and Irving followed that with a layup on the next trip. He also assisted James' go-ahead basket, among nine on the night -- four of them in the final 6:30.


LaMarcus Aldridge
San Antonio Spurs
Forward | Grade: Incomplete

Game stats
0 points, 1 block

Gregg Popovich would appreciate how Casey managed his star player's minutes. Aldridge did not return to the game after halftime and played just four minutes total, missing his only shot attempt and going scoreless.


Bradley Beal
Washington Wizards
Guard | Grade: B

Game stats
14 points, 5-10 FGs, 1 steal, 4-8 3s

Late in the third quarter, Beal made back-to-back 3-pointers to give Team LeBron the lead. He finished 4-of-8 overall beyond the arc, accounting for 12 of his 14 points. Beal's only other box score contribution was a steal in the closing seconds of the third period, too late for him to get off a shot before the buzzer.


Victor Oladipo
Indiana Pacers
Guard | Grade: B-minus

Game stats
7 points, 3 assists, 3 steals

A night after losing in the opening round of the dunk contest, Oladipo delivered one of the night's best above-the-rim finishes when he deflected and stole a pass (one of three steals on the night) and turned it into a reverse dunk at the other end. Oladipo, who is shooting 38 percent on 3s this season, made just one of his six tries beyond the arc.


Russell Westbrook
Oklahoma City Thunder
Guard | Grade: B-plus

Game stats
11 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists

The two-time All-Star MVP started this game slowly, missing a shot and turning the ball over on Team LeBron's first two possessions. Through late in the fourth quarter, Westbrook was 1-of-6 on 3s -- that make being his only score. From then on, Westbrook was terrific, scoring eight points in the final 3:03, including a crucial tip-in and a breakaway layup to push the lead to three in the final seconds. Westbrook also finished through a hard Joel Embiid foul before missing the chance at an and-1.


Paul George
Oklahoma City Thunder
Guard | Grade: B

Game stats
16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 4-10 3s

After drawing some boos for his poor showing in Saturday's 3-point contest, the native son redeemed himself with four 3s in 10 attempts, including a stepback. He also handed out four assists, highlighted by an alley-oop lob for Drummond. However, George was no more accurate inside the arc, shooting 2-of-5 on 2s to limit his efficiency.


Andre Drummond
Detroit Pistons
Center | Grade: A-minus

Game stats
14 points, 7-7 FGs, 1 block

Playing primarily out of the pick-and-roll instead of at the high post, as he often operates in Detroit, Drummond shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the field. Most of his attempts were high percentage, including several powerful dunk finishes, though Drummond also added a nice post-move finish with his left hand and a high floater. Drummond's rebounding (three in 18 minutes) was the lone blemish on his performance.


Goran Dragic
Miami Heat
Guard | Grade: C-minus

Game stats
2 points, 4 rebounds

The long-awaited All-Star debut for Dragic, chosen as an injury replacement for his first appearance, at age 31, was mostly uneventful. He scored just two points on 1-of-3 shooting and handed out a single assist in 11 minutes.


Kemba Walker
Charlotte Hornets
Guard | Grade: B-minus

Game stats
11 points, 5-10 FGs

The last of four injury replacements on the winning Team LeBron, Walker missed four of his five 3-point attempts in an otherwise solid performance. His lone assist was a memorable one, an alley-oop to James.

Team Stephen

Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors
Guard | Grade: D

Game stats
11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal

Team Stephen didn't get enough production from its namesake and captain. Shown eating popcorn on the bench early in the third quarter, Curry treated the game as an exhibition and turned the ball over on an attempt to throw a long, over-the-back pass in the fourth quarter -- one of six turnovers on the night. (Somewhere, Steve Kerr winced.) Curry did have six rebounds and five assists but shot 3-of-11 from 3-point range and wasn't able to pass out of a double-team in the closing seconds to create a tying 3-point attempt.


Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks
Forward | Grade: B

Game stats
16 points, 4-6 FTs

Perhaps settling for too many jumpers, Antetokounmpo shot 6-of-12 on 2-point attempts and missed both tries from 3-point range. Working closer to the basket, Antetokounmpo beat a helping Kevin Durant off the dribble and finished way above the rim. He also might have been robbed of his most impressive highlight, a block from behind on Kemba Walker that looked on replay like it was incorrectly called goaltending.


DeMar DeRozan
Toronto Raptors
Guard | Grade: B-plus

Game stats
21 points, 7-13 FGs, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 6-7 FTs

Fittingly, given DeRozan's improved shooting this season, his first score of the night was a 3-pointer -- the first he has ever made in an All-Star Game. DeRozan missed his other two 3-point attempts but had a game-high six free throws (more than Team LeBron had collectively) to tie for a team high with 21 points. DeRozan had less success late in the game, splitting two free throws with the score tied and 40.2 seconds left. The following possession, with Team Steph down one, DeRozan was able to get into the paint but put too much mustard on his pass for a crucial turnover. The ball was in DeRozan's hands as the game ended, though Curry put him in a difficult spot to get up a shot.


Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers
Center | Grade: A

Game stats
19 points, 8-13 FGs, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2-4 3s

Playing hard from the start, Embiid scored the game's first five points, including an and-1. Embiid also made a pair of 3s, one of them a stepback, finished over LeBron James on a late post-up and scored facing away from the basket as he totaled 19 points in 20 minutes of action. Embiid shined on defense, too, blocking a Russell Westbrook attempt and later swatting away Paul George's shot attempt when George attacked him on a perceived mismatch.


James Harden
Houston Rockets
Guard | Grade: B-minus

Game stats
12 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Harden's prolific 3-point shooting, so key to the Rockets' taking the league's best record into the All-Star break, was ineffective in this game. Harden missed 11 of his 13 attempts beyond the arc and needed 19 shot attempts to score 12 points. He even air-balled a stepback 3. Harden had better moments that did not involve shooting, including a play late in the third quarter in which he stripped Bradley Beal while he was going up for a block and then set up Curry for a 3 -- one of eight assists on the night.


Jimmy Butler
Minnesota Timberwolves
Guard | Grade: Incomplete

Game stats
DNP-CD

Butler saw no action in the game, as he was reportedly fatigued. Butler's 37.3 mpg so far this season leads the NBA.


Draymond Green
Golden State Warriors
Forward | Grade: B

Game stats
3 points, 1 steal, 2 blocks

In 18 minutes of action, Green did not attempt a field goal, scoring all three points at the free throw line. Green saved his energy for the defensive end, coming up with one of the stops of the night when he stoned Kyrie Irving on a drive in the paint, one of his two blocks.


Al Horford
Boston Celtics
Center | Grade: C

Game stats
6 points, 1 steal

This isn't the right setting for Horford's team-based game. He did briefly get going early in the fourth quarter, scoring all six of his points in a 1:35 span. Included was a dunk off a Kyle Lowry feed.


Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers
Guard | Grade: A-minus

Game stats
21 points, 9-14 FGs, 3-8 3s

Despite tying for a team-high 21 points, Lillard wasn't involved down the stretch. He left with 6:36 left and Team Stephen up 13, never to return. Lillard made three triples, including one with a high degree of difficulty with Kevin Durant draped all over him. Though Lillard didn't contribute much else, his scoring would have put him in the mix for MVP had Team Stephen hung on to win.


Kyle Lowry
Toronto Raptors
Guard | Grade: C-plus

Game stats
4 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 steals

Participating in Saturday night's 3-point shootout didn't help Lowry find the range at Staples Center, as he missed all eight of his 3-point attempts. Lowry did score two buckets inside the arc, including a running layup past Goran Dragic. He also handed out a game-high 11 assists, setting up DeRozan for an and-1.


Klay Thompson
Golden State Warriors
Guard | Grade: B

Game stats
15 points, 4 rebounds, 5-10 3s

Surprisingly, Thompson wasn't on the court to finish the game for Team Stephen after making a game-high five 3-pointers. The most impressive of those makes was when Thompson pump-faked a defender, then quickly pulled up for the triple.


Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves
Center | Grade: A

Game stats
17 points, 7-11 FGs, 10 rebounds

The only player on his team to record a double-double, Towns had 17 points and a game-high-tying 10 rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. Towns made a pull-up 3 off the dribble, though he missed his other three attempts from beyond the arc. He also did well to catch a poorly thrown alley-oop before finishing over Andre Drummond.


^ Back to Top ^