Grades: When All-Star Game became dunk contest

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The league's best lit up the scoreboard in New Orleans when East met West in the 66th NBA All-Star Game. We're handing out grades to every player who hit the court in the Big Easy.

WEST ALL-STARS

Anthony Davis
Pelicans | Forward
Grade: A

Game stats
52 PTS | 26-of-39 FG | 18 Dunks

Analysis
From the early stages, Steve Kerr and his Western Conference teammates made an effort to win Davis the MVP in front of his home fans. The result: Davis scored 52 points on 23-of-39 shooting, smashing the 55-year-old All-Star record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain the season he averaged better than 50 points per game. Davis threw down an incredible 18 dunks, most of them alley-oops that showcased his leaping ability. When he strayed from the paint, Davis missed all four of his 3-point attempts. But on the first play of the game, Davis served as point guard and hit a jumper over Kyrie Irving after drawing a switch. That set the tone for a historic night.

Kevin Durant
Warriors | Forward
Grade: A-minus

Game stats
21 PTS | 10 REB | 10 AST

Analysis
Durant's inability to knock down 3-pointers (2-of-8 beyond the arc) was the only blemish on an otherwise impressively versatile stat line. Durant added 10 rebounds and 10 assists to his 21 points for a triple-double. But all anyone will be talking about is the alley-oop he threw former teammate Russell Westbrook as part of a give-and-go.

Kawhi Leonard
San Antonio Spurs | Forward
Grade: C-minus

Game stats
4 PTS | 2 REB | 2 AST

Analysis
The All-Star Game will never be a good format for Leonard's unspectacular style, as his 15-minute stint -- entirely in the first half -- reminded. Leonard did have a steal and a runaway dunk, but that was the only memorable moment of his shift.

Stephen Curry
Warriors | Guard
Grade: B

Game stats
21 PTS | 5-of-11 3PT | 6 AST

Analysis

Curry had some impressive highlights, throwing a half-court alley-oop to DeAndre Jordan and going off the backboard to MVP Anthony Davis for another dunk in transition. He also threw down a rare dunk of his own. Curry also made five of his 11 3-point attempts, punctuating one of them by twirling around. Still, it was a relatively quiet night for the two-time defending MVP.

James Harden
Rockets | Guard
Grade: C

Game stats
12 PTS | 12 AST | 10 TO

Analysis
The NBA's second-leading scorer took a surprising backseat in the All-Star Game, handing out as many assists (12, a team high) as he scored points. All nine of Harden's shot attempts came from beyond the arc, of which he made four. Yet Harden's attempts to make the spectacular play also resulted in 10 turnovers, more than all his West teammates combined (seven). And one of his 3s was actually an errant alley-oop pass.

DeMarcus Cousins
Kings | Forward
Grade: Incomplete

Game stats
3 PTS | 1-of-3 3PT | 2 MIN

Analysis
With trade rumors swirling before he was traded to New Orleans, Cousins got the Jahlil Okafor treatment on the All-Star stage, playing just two minutes early in the game. He made a fairly deep 3 but missed his two other attempts from beyond the arc.

Marc Gasol
Grizzlies | Center
Grade: B-plus

Game stats
10 PTS | 10 REB | 8 AST

Analysis
Gasol took advantage of Cousins and Kawhi Leonard sitting after halftime, starting and finishing the second half at center and playing the most minutes (21) of any West reserve. Gasol was two assists away from joining Durant with a triple-double, including setting up several highlight dunks, and he hit a Dirk Nowitzki-esque fadeaway when Kerr called his number after a late timeout.

Draymond Green
Warriors | Forward
Grade: B

Game stats
2 PTS | 7 REB | 6 AST

Analysis
Of all the All-Stars, Green probably saw the least change in his typical role. As usual, Green focused less on scoring -- attempting just two shots in 17 minutes -- and more on setting up his teammates, defending and rebounding. His pass led to Curry's dunk, and a pair of Westbrook dunks were also among Green's six assists.

Gordon Hayward
Jazz | Forward
Grade: B

Game stats
8 PTS | 4 STL | 2 AST

Analysis

Though he missed all three of his attempts from downtown, Hayward had a solid All-Star debut, scoring eight points and tying for game-high honors with four steals. Hayward's alley-oop in transition set up one of Davis' dunks.

DeAndre Jordan
Clippers | Center
Grade: C

Game stats
6 PTS | 3 REB | 0 BLK

Analysis
Continuing the tradition set by Shaquille O'Neal, Jordan used the All-Star Game as an opportunity to showcase heretofore unseen skills -- 3-pointers in Jordan's case. Alas, his two ugly misses gave little indication Jordan will become a stretch-5 anytime soon. Jordan ought to stay around the basket, where he was a target of alley-oops.

Klay Thompson
Warriors | Guard
Grade: B

Game stats
12 PTS | 5 AST | 2 REB

Analysis
The Smoothie King Center might not be the best venue for Thompson's shooting stroke. After getting eliminated in the first round of the 3-Point Contest on Saturday, Thompson shot 2-of-6 from downtown in the All-Star Game. (Alternatively, maybe it's just that 3-pointers are especially random.) Thompson did make all three of his attempts inside the arc and handed out five assists.

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

Game stats
41 PTS | 16-of-26 FG | 7 AST

Analysis
(Looks around for Pelicans fans.) (Whispers) OK, look, Davis may have set the scoring record and won MVP, but if we're being honest with ourselves, Westbrook was the best player on the court. It took Davis 32 minutes and 39 shot attempts to score his 52 points. Westbrook scored 41 in 20 minutes on just 26 shots (plus two free-throw attempts). See, he can be efficient! And while Davis was mostly set up by teammates, Westbrook had seven assists.

From the moment he stepped on the court, Westbrook was a ball of kinetic energy, starting with blocking a Kyrie Irving layup attempt. In the second half, he went nuts with pull-up 3s, making three in a 31-second span in the third quarter. So while Westbrook didn't become the first player ever to win three consecutive MVP awards, he does earn my highest grade.

EAST ALL-STARS

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks | Forward
Grade: A

Game stats
30 PTS | 14-of-17 FG | 12 Dunks

Analysis
Through three periods, Antetokounmpo's 28 points led the East and were third overall behind Davis and Westbrook, giving him a shot at winning MVP in his All-Star debut. Sadly, by the time he got back on the court, there was just 1:15 remaining. Twelve of Antetokounmpo's 14 field goals were dunks, including several steals he turned into pick-sixes (one of them with Curry memorably laying down instead of risking getting posterized). Later, Curry couldn't avoid getting dunked on when Antetokounmpo went over him for a tip. The Greek Freak also blocked Davis, the eventual MVP, from behind early in the game.

Jimmy Butler
Bulls | Forward
Grade: C-plus

Game stats
6 PTS | 3 REB | 2 AST

Analysis
An All-Star starter for the first time, Butler had a quiet evening, putting up six points, three rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes. He scored a pull-up over Jordan and set up Antetokounmpo with an alley-oop.

LeBron James
Cavaliers | Forward
Grade: A-minus

Game stats
23 PTS | 10-of-17 FG | 3 AST

Analysis
Like Antetokounmpo, James was nowhere to be found on the court in the fourth quarter as the West pulled away. He didn't even get off the bench. James had some lowlights, missing a layup and having an alley-oop he tried to bounce off the ground stolen. But he also made one of his two 3-point attempts from very deep and had several impressive dunks, including one in which he went off the backboard to himself with power.

Kyrie Irving
Cavaliers | Guard
Grade: A

Game stats
22 PTS | 7 REB | 14 AST

Analysis
On this night, Irving struck the perfect balance between distributor and scorer, handing out a game-high 14 assists without sacrificing the threat he poses as a scorer. Irving connected with teammate James on a pair of impressive alley-oops (one of them off the backboard) and scored 22 points on just 12 shot attempts thanks to 6-of-8 3-point shooting.

DeMar DeRozan
Raptors | Guard
Grade: B

Game stats
16 PTS | 5 REB | 6 AST

Analysis
DeRozan's 24 minutes were the most for any East player as Brad Stevens employed a democratic rotation. On a night dominated by 3s and dunks, DeRozan was an exception, using his midrange game. He also salvaged a play before the halftime buzzer in which Irving and James both passed up dunks.

Carmelo Anthony
Knicks | Forward
Grade: C

Game stats
10 PTS | 3 REB | 0 AST

Analysis
For much of the night, it looked like Anthony might have just as well gone on vacation as planned instead of being the replacement for the injured Kevin Love. Anthony did make a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, finishing with 10 points.

Paul George
Pacers | Forward
Grade: C

Game stats
12 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST

Analysis
Not only did George miss all seven of his 3-point attempts, he wasn't particularly close, demonstrating poor shot selection by pulling off the dribble. George was better around the basket, lobbing the ball to himself for a dunk and twice dunking on after-timeout plays designed for him.

Kyle Lowry
Raptors | Guard
Grade: B-plus

Game stats
19 PTS | 3 REB | 2 STL

Analysis
On a night that surely featured more pull-up 3-pointers than any All-Star Game in NBA history (and probably more than any regular-season game), Lowry was a major contributor. He went 5-of-9 from beyond the arc (including back-to-back 3s at one point) and made both of his 2-point attempts to score 19 points, but did not have an assist and turned the ball over three times.

Paul Millsap
Hawks | Forward
Grade: B

Game stats
5 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST

Analysis
A workmanlike performance saw Millsap score five points, grab five rebounds and hand out three assists in 13 minutes, the lowest total for any East player. Millsap's evening was punctuated by a pair of highlights -- a left-hand outlet pass to set up a fast break and a play won which here he faked a defender at the 3-point line and drove for a scoop layup.

Isaiah Thomas
Celtics | Guard
Grade: B

Game stats
20 PTS | 1 REB | 3 AST

Analysis

As expected, Thomas was looking to shoot early and often in his second All-Star Game. Thomas briefly engaged in a personal duel with Westbrook that saw him split a pair of 3-point attempts when Westbrook shot over him at the other end. Ultimately, Thomas' four 3-pointers in 10 attempts -- including one he made to salvage a missed dunk attempt -- powered a 20-point outing.

Kemba Walker
Hornets | Guard
Grade: B

Game stats
7 PTS | 3 REB | 6 AST

Analysis
Often part of three-point-guard lineups with Thomas and Lowry, Walker served as the distributor of the group, handing out six assists while attempting just six shots. Most memorably, Walker made a pull-up 3 in the fourth quarter.

John Wall
Wizards | Guard
Grade: B-minus

Game stats
12 PTS | 6 REB | 4 STL

Analysis
Three years ago in New Orleans, Wall was "dunker of the night" under the short-lived team format for All-Star Saturday night that replaced the usual head-to-head competition. On Sunday, he was better off sticking to dunks. Wall had three of his trademark left-hand flushes, including one that saw him dribble through traffic, but missed a pair of layups. Wall also had a game-high four steals.