Tatum gives an exhibition at the NBA All Star and defeats LeBron's team

The NBA All Stars have become a high-flying party.

With the competition between East and West eliminated, the game has been reduced to an exhibition of offensive talent against defenses that almost make the attackers a corridor.

In the middle of that was a man who took the game seriously and managed to defeat Team LeBron for the first time, which had won the previous five editions with that format in which the captains choose their teammates.

Jayson Tatum became the top scorer and was named player of the all-star game.

Tatum scored 55 points, proving that he is one of the fittest players in the American professional basketball league.

With Antetokounmpo absent through injury, the team was more Team Jayson than Team Giannis.

With his performance, he guided his team to a comfortable 184-175 victory.

The day before, Tatum had done poorly in the triple contest and this Sunday he was between eyebrows to be the protagonist of the game, above LeBron James.

He has broken scoring records, with 55 points in the game and 27 in the third quarter.

Tatum seemed ready from the beginning to be chosen MVP, but when he raised the level it was in the third quarter, after the long break for musical performances at halftime.

The all-star party is looking more and more like one of the Harlem Globetrotters, with more talent, but less choreography.

To animate the show, ingredients have been added, although the passion and competitiveness of a top-level match is lacking.

Among the novelties of this exercise has been that the selection of the teams has been made just moments before starting the game.

The players have come to the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City (Utah) without knowing which shirt they would wear.

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo (he has only participated in the game in a testimonial way) have been choosing their teammates.

The first two elections

In the game Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson, who had initially been chosen as starters, have been absent due to injury.

His place in the starting five has been taken by Ja Morant, Joel Embiid and Lauri Markkanen.

LeBron James is the all-star game leader in minutes played, points scored, field goals made and field goals attempted.

Just by taking the field, he has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was elected 19 times between 1979 and 1989, but missed the 1973 game. With his selection, he has also broken Kobe Bryant's record of 18 consecutive elections (Bryant missed then one of the parties).

Plus, with 19 straight starts, he'll be six behind the next, Bob Cousy.

The number 6 of the Lakers has repeated as captain for the sixth consecutive time, the six that this format has been used.

In the previous five, his team had won.

Antetokounmpo, who was already captain in 2019 and 2020, has taken over from Kevin Durant in the East.

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