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Whenever the dates are announced for an NBA season, one of the first things fans look for is the NBA All-Star Weekend dates.
The weekend is packed with exciting matchups and events like the three-point shooting contest that culminates with the All-Star Game. An exclusive list of players are invited for the game, featuring largely the 24 best players in the league.
These games generally tend to be less physical, and are more focused on putting on a show for fans as the players do not risk getting injured and derailing their season. However, the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, after the passing of the late great Kobe Bryant, embodied everything Bryant stood for.
There have been some incredible individual performances in All-Star games over the years from the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook. On that note, here's a look at the five best NBA All-Star performances of the last decade:
#5 Russell Westbrook - 2017 NBA All-Star Game
One of the biggest highlights of Russell Westbrook's illustrious career is his performances at the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.
Coming into the weekend, Westbrook was left out as a starter, despite being a prohibitive favorite to win the MVP after averaging a triple double for the season. Fast forward to the game, and Westbrook put on a show.
He played like a man possessed, dropping 41 points, collecting five rebounds and dishing out seven assists. He shot the ball at nearly 54% from beyond the arc and more than 61% from the field, doing so in just under 20 minutes of action.
Westbrook certainly took it personally after not being included as a starter. He would go on to win the MVP award that season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and averaged a triple double for the campaign.
#4 Kawhi Leonard - 2020 NBA All-Star Game
The first recipient of the Kobe Bryant MVP award, Kawhi Leonard, had the best performance in arguably the greatest All-Star Game ever.
Playing with vigor and passion, the game encapsulated everything the late great Bryant stood for. The stars put on an absolute show, with Team LeBron winning the game.
Leonard dropped 30 points, collected seven boards, dished out four assists, and recorded two steals. He shot the ball at better than 61% from the field and more than 57% from the perimeter.
Leonard converted eight three-pointers from 14 attempts on the night. With the game going down to the wire, he maintained his cool, and led the scoring for both teams.
#3 Anthony Davis - 2017 NBA All-Star Game
At just 23, Anthony Davis took the All-Star Game by storm with his incredible performance in the 2017 edition of the event.
Davis dropped a mammoth 52 points and collected ten rebounds, including four offensive boards. He did so at better than 66% shooting from the field, and he did not attempt a single shot from range.
It was a record-breaking night for Davis, as he officially held the record for the most points by a player in the history of the NBA All-Star Game. Playing for the New Orleans Pelicans at the time, Davis was awarded his fourth selection in 2017, where he put the NBA on notice with this performance.
#2 LeBron James - 2018 NBA All-Star Game
This list of the best NBA All-Star performances would have been incomplete without LeBron James. He is the best player of his generation, and arguably the best ever.
James produced an incredible performance in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. The game had abandoned its previous tradition of pitting the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference.
James dropped 29 points, collected ten rebounds, and dished out eight assists. He shot the ball at better than 70% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc while also managing one steal on the night.
Team LeBron won by three points in a tight contest, with James getting awarded the All-Star Game MVP award for the third time in his career.
#1 Kobe Bryant - 2011 NBA All-Star Game
One of the greatest players of all time, Kobe Bryant produced a scintillating performance at the 2011 NBA All-Star Game.
The shooting guard dropped 37 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three steals while shooting the ball at nearly 54% from the field. He went to the line eight times, converting seven of them.
This was arguably the last year of Kobe Bryant being anywhere close to his peak. However, he once again showed the NBA that he could still produce the goods when it mattered. This was his 13th selection; Bryant ended his career with 18 All-Star Game selections.
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