Bryant leads West to huge win

LAS VEGAS – Kobe Bryant scored 31 points to capture his second MVP award and lead the West to a 153-132 victory over the East in the NBA All-Star game on Sunday.

The West had a 20-point lead by halftime 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, who trailed 119-88 after three quarters and saw its two-game winning streak snapped in convincing fashion.”We had lost two in a row, so we all made it a point to come out and go for it,” Bryant told reporters.”Nobody wants to lose three in a row.”Bryant hit 13 of 24 shots and had six steals and six assists in the game, played just off the glittery gambling mecca known as “The Strip.”The Los Angeles Lakers guard also had 31 points 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, while Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony added 20 in the Las Vegas debut for the All-Star game.The West rolled to a 79-59 lead by halftime behind 17 points from Bryant and 12 by Anthony.Bryant hit eight of 14 shots by intermission as the West hit 57 percent from the floor in the opening two quarters.James had 16 in the opening half on six of 10 shooting but despite a 23-12 lead in fast-break points, the East could not keep pace with the West’s torrid shooting.Last year, James was the MVP of the All-Star game after leading the East to a come-from-behind 122-120 victory.He said they dug themselves too big a hole on Sunday.Bryant scored 11 in the second quarter to key a 40-28 West advantage and give the winners their comfortable 20-point cushion at the half.The West, which led by 33 points before the East staged a modest fourth quarter comeback, hit 55 percent of its shots for the game and had an All-Star game record 52 assists.Tracy McGrady had 11 assists and Tony Parker added 10 for the West.Nampa-ReutersCleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James scored 28 points to lead the East, who trailed 119-88 after three quarters and saw its two-game winning streak snapped in convincing fashion.”We had lost two in a row, so we all made it a point to come out and go for it,” Bryant told reporters.”Nobody wants to lose three in a row.”Bryant hit 13 of 24 shots and had six steals and six assists in the game, played just off the glittery gambling mecca known as “The Strip.”The Los Angeles Lakers guard also had 31 points 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, while Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony added 20 in the Las Vegas debut for the All-Star game.The West rolled to a 79-59 lead by halftime behind 17 points from Bryant and 12 by Anthony.Bryant hit eight of 14 shots by intermission as the West hit 57 percent from the floor in the opening two quarters.James had 16 in the opening half on six of 10 shooting but despite a 23-12 lead in fast-break points, the East could not keep pace with the West’s torrid shooting.Last year, James was the MVP of the All-Star game after leading the East to a come-from-behind 122-120 victory.He said they dug themselves too big a hole on Sunday.Bryant scored 11 in the second quarter to key a 40-28 West advantage and give the winners their comfortable 20-point cushion at the half.The West, which led by 33 points before the East staged a modest fourth quarter comeback, hit 55 percent of its shots for the game and had an All-Star game record 52 assists.Tracy McGrady had 11 assists and Tony Parker added 10 for the West.Nampa-Reuters