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Anthony Davis scores 52 as West takes All-Star Game

NEW ORLEANS - Anthony Davis showed the NBA all-stars how things are done in the Big Easy. The New Orleans Pelicans forward finished with an All-Star Game record 52 points to go with 10 rebounds Sunday night. His efforts helped the Western Conference All-Stars defeat the Eastern Conference stars, 192-182, at the Smoothie King Center.

NEW ORLEANS - Anthony Davis showed the NBA all-stars how things are done in the Big Easy.

The New Orleans Pelicans forward finished with an All-Star Game record 52 points to go with 10 rebounds Sunday night. His efforts helped the Western Conference All-Stars defeat the Eastern Conference stars, 192-182, at the Smoothie King Center.

He broke the record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. Folks in the crowd were chanting "MVP" for Davis late in the fourth quarter.

"When I came out in the third quarter, I had 32 [points]," Davis said. "I wanted to get 50. Russell [Westbrook] told me the record was 42."

That's when he was determined to break the record, scoring 20 fourth-quarter points.

"It's amazing," Davis said after he picked up the game's MVP award. "That's what I wanted to do. I stressed that more than enough to the guys in the locker room before the game that I wanted to get MVP for the city."

He said the West all-stars did a good job of finding him and getting him the basketball. He added that several teammates also wanted him to score 50 points.

Westbrook also stood out. The Oklahoma City point guard finished with 41 points while making 7 of 13 three-pointers for the West squad. Westbrook was named MVP of the previous two All-Star Games.

Kevin Durant finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for a triple-double. Steph Curry (21 points), James Harden (12 points) and Klay Thompson (12) were the West's other double-figure scorers.

DeMarcus Cousins played only two minutes for the West squad. The Sacramento Kings post player was the subject of advanced trade talks, and Yahoo.com reported that a deal was in place with the Pelicans. Cousins was traded for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and future first-and second-round picks after the game, according to reports. Evans is a Chester native. Galloway was a standout at St. Joseph's University.

New Orleans would get Cousins in exchange for shooting guard Buddy Hield and two first-round draft picks, according to the report.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the East squad with 30 points. LeBron James added 23 while Kyrie Irving had 22. Isaiah Thomas added 20 points and North Philly native Kyle Lowry had 19. Irving also had 14 assists and seven rebounds.

The teams shattered several All-Star Game scoring records.

They combined for the most points (374) in All-Star Game history. The old record of 369 was set last season.

The West stars also led, 53-48, after one quarter to tie the record for the most points scored in a quarter that they set last season. They also tied their record field goals in a quarter (22) that they also set in the 2016 game in the first. And the 101 points that the West and East squads combined for in the first quarter shattered the record of 99 points they recorded last season.

And the combined 189 points (West 97, East 92) for the half is also a record. The teams eclipsed the record for the most assists in a half at 57 (West 34, East 23) and a game at 103 (West 60, East 43).

One of the highlights was Durant's assist to Westbrook on a dunk with five minutes left in the first quarter. The former Thunder teammates had stopped speaking to each other after Durant signed with Golden State Warriors this past summer. Their feud was one of the top story lines of the all-star weekend.

But after the assist, a timeout was called and West players applauded vigorously.

kpompey@phillynews.com

@PompeyOnSixers

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