NBA All-Star Weekend live updates and results: Damian Lillard on fire as East vs. West format returns

The NBA returned to a traditional format to encourage a more competitive game. Instead, fans were treated to a 211-186 East rout in a game decided by the fourth quarter.

Law Murray, David Aldridge and more

February 18, 2024 at 11:24 PM EST

Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS — Right now, the janitorial staff at the NBA office in New York is wheeling the dry-erase board out of the closet and giving it a once over with a wet rag. It’s time to draw up yet another new idea to save the league’s All-Star Game.

On Sunday night in Indianapolis, the 73rd edition of the NBA’s annual February classic reverted back to the traditional format of East versus West and four, 12-minute quarters. The changes, switching back from years of team captains picking sides, and an untimed, targeted scoring system in the fourth quarter to determine the winner – didn’t work.

The game, won by the East, 211-186, was still a listless walk-through of less than no defense and mindless chucking of 3s from as far away as behind the half-court line.

Read more here.

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The NBA says it had 10 million unique viewers for All-Star Saturday across TNT, truTV and BR Sports on Max — up 54 percent from last year. It says last night was most watched All-Star Saturday in four years. I’m curious if and how much ratings are up tonight as NBA makes its effort to make the All-Star Game more competitive.

Last night peaked with 5.4 million viewers during the 10-10:15 p.m. ET window, during the Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu showdown. The whole night averaged 4.6 million viewers (which TNT says is up 31 percent on last year).

Chris Finch grew up in Pennsylvania and would spend many of his Sundays at the Philadelphia Spectrum watching the 76ers play. His favorite player was Julius Erving, so it had to be a cool moment for him before the game when he led the West team onto the floor and there, sitting right by the West bench, was Dr. J himself. Finch grabbed a photo with his boyhood hero before the game started, no doubt a highlight in what has been a big weekend for one of the league’s under-the-radar coaches.

We also have a new All-Star record for total points in a half (193), breaking the old record of 191 points that lasted…one calendar year.

The East tied an All-Star record with 104 points in the first half (2016)

104-89, an appropriate final score when Reggie Miller was playing for the Pacers.

It is the halftime score in the 2024 All-Star Game. The East team has 22 3s. The West team has 50 paint points, but “only” 10 threes.

One major plus tonight: The jerseys

Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images

There’s at least one reason this game is already better than in recent years: the jerseys. They’re actually decent. The NBA had gone through a long fallow period sartorially for its All-Star Games. The jerseys have been rough at times, decent at others. But these are nice. The vertical stripes are a cool touch in Indianapolis. It just makes the game easier to watch when the unis are good.

But nothing will ever match what we saw in 1995 and 1996. Those ’96 jerseys, when the game was in San Antonio, remain the best ever.

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Joe Murphy / NBAE via Getty Images

Another stepback 3 from Damian Lillard. And he follows it up with a finger roll as Karl-Anthony Towns closes him out too far up the floor.

Lillard now leads all scorers with 22 points. He has hit six 3-pointers.

With only 2:50 left in the first half, the only player on either team that has not yet made a field goal is Luka Doncic, who is scoreless on 0/2 FGs, 0/1 3s, and no free throw attempts. Doncic does have 3 assists, though.

Cool moment here as Pacers greats were being recognized. Metta Sandiford-Artest was clearly emotional as he heard the cheers from the crowd.

All eyes on LeBron. Seems fitting.

The West was down 19, so now would be a good time for their side to introduce defense to tonight’s festivities.

Hometown hero

Las Vegas Aces star Jackie Young is back in her home state for the 73rd NBA All-Star Game. The former Princeton Community High School standout scored an Indiana-record (boys or girls) 3,268 points during her preps career. She won a high school state championship in 2015, a national championship at Notre Dame in 2018 and is eyeing a three-peat after winning back-to-back WNBA championships with the Aces.

There’s been a recent push to expand the All-Star rosters to 15 players, since there’s more talent in the league and actual NBA teams have 15 roster spots. But this stretch — late in the first quarter, early in the second quarter — shows how hard it is already to get 12 players enough time on the court. Stretching the roster to 15 would make that effort even tougher.

Plus, NBA teams are only allowed to dress 13 players each game, not 15.

Tyrese Haliburton made as many 3s (5) as the entire West team in that first quarter.

My annual All-Star Game ask: I would like one team to score 200 points. All the East needs to do is hit their first quarter three more times and we’re golden.

Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images

I don’t know what’s cooler: this picture, or what it must feel like to stare at all your trailing opponents while you throw down a dunk.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for this bulletin. With 2:22 left in the first quarter, an actual foul was called in the All-Star Game. Repeating our top story, a foul has been called in the All-Star Game. Stay tuned for further updates.

It’s an all-second unit group with 3 minutes left in 1st quarter. West looks more traditional with Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis. East a little smaller: Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, Paolo Banchero.

The last subs in for either team will be Paul George and Karl-Anthony Towns for the West and Scottie Barnes and Trae Young for the East.

Kawhi Leonard missed the Clippers last regular season game at Golden State with an adductor strain. But he acted like the injury didn’t exist Saturday, he’s in the game tonight, and he pulled up and hit a 3. Crisis averted.

Just realized the East has three No. 0 in the starting lineup. I hope the refs just make all the foul calls on East No. 0 and Dame, Hali, and Tatum have to fight over who gets stuck with the foul.