Anthony Davis breaks Wilt's All-Star scoring record, named MVP

ByJUSTIN VERRIER
February 19, 2017, 11:11 PM

— -- NEW ORLEANS -- Pelicans?star Anthony Davis openly proclaimed ahead of Sunday's All-Star Game that he was going after the MVP award, and didn't make his master plans on how to do so much of a secret.

"Coach Gentry already told me every time I catch it to put it up," said Davis upon being selected to his fourth straight spot on the Western Conference team.

The Western Conference All-Stars seemed to have no problems feeding him on his home floor at the Smoothie King Center.

Davis took an All-Star record 39 shots and finished with 52 points to lead the West over the East at the 66th All-Star Game, 192-182 -- the highest-scoring game in league history.

The 23-year-old's point total smashed the previous record of 42, set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.

The honor became the first NBA trophy for Davis, who finished fifth in regular-season MVP voting in the 2014-15 season.

"It was a lot of fun,'' Davis said. "My teammates did a great job of looking for me.''

Davis, who also had 10 rebounds, held off a late charge by Russell Westbrook, who ended the night 41 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the East with 30 points.

Westbrook checked in for the first time with 6:07 to play in the first quarter, joining Durant, a West starter, on the court as a teammate for the first time since last season's Western Conference finals.

A minute into their time together, Westbrook drove the ball into the lane and hit Durant, positioned in the paint, with a pass. Durant quickly lobbed the ball in the air toward the basket while in mid-air and Westbrook slammed it in to finish off the alley-oop.

The West All-Stars celebrated the connection at the next called timeout, with clapping and smiles abound.

Draymond Green called the play "cute,'' and Westbrook and Durant seemed happy with it as well.

"It was a nice give-and-go, man,'' Westbrook said. "Good give-and-go. Made a good pass. I barely got over the rim, but it was a nice give-and-go.''

Added Durant: "It was a great basketball play. He was open so I threw him the lob. He can jump really high so yeah, good play.''

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.