2012 NBA ALL-STAR GAME
WEST 152 - EAST 149
Kevin Durant: 36 Points, 7 Rebounds, 3 Assists
NBA All-Star Game MVP: Kevin Durant
2012 NBA All-Star Game Recap
The 61st NBA All-Star Game was played on February 26, 2012, at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 152-149 in front of 17,125 spectators. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant earned his first NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award after scoring 36 points and helping the West survive a furious fourth-quarter comeback.
Durant made 14 of 25 field goal attempts, including three three-pointers, and finished with seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. The 23-year-old forward scored 34 of his 36 points during the first three quarters, helping the Western Conference establish a commanding lead.
The Western Conference took control early, outscoring the East 39-28 in the first quarter. The West added 49 points in the second period, building an 88-69 halftime advantage. At the time, the 88 first-half points established a new NBA All-Star Game record.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, while Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin contributed 22 points and eight rebounds. Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook scored 21 points off the bench, giving the Thunder a combined 57 points from Durant and Westbrook.
Although the Western Conference led by as many as 21 points, the Eastern Conference began closing the gap during the third quarter. The East outscored the West 43-36 in that period and entered the fourth trailing 124-112.
Miami Heat forward LeBron James led the comeback with 36 points, six rebounds and seven assists. James made 15 of 23 field goal attempts and connected on six of eight three-pointers. His outside shooting helped transform what had appeared to be a comfortable Western Conference victory into a dramatic finish.
James' Miami teammate Dwyane Wade produced one of the game's most impressive all-around performances, recording 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Wade became the third player in NBA All-Star Game history to record a triple-double, following Michael Jordan in 1997 and James in 2011.
New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams scored 20 points for the Eastern Conference, making four three-pointers and handing out four assists. New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony added 19 points and nine rebounds, while Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose contributed 14 points.
With 1:44 remaining, Williams stole an inbounds pass and scored a layup to cut the Western Conference lead to 148-147. The East had erased nearly all of its 21-point deficit and had an opportunity to complete one of the greatest comebacks in All-Star Game history.
In the closing seconds, the East trailed 151-149 and had possession with a chance to tie or take the lead. James attempted to pass the ball, but Griffin intercepted it. Griffin was fouled and made one of two free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining, giving the West its final 152-149 margin.
Chris Paul, playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, finished with eight points and a game-high 12 assists. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love added 17 points and seven rebounds. Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol scored four points in his first All-Star appearance, and Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge also made his All-Star debut.
The game featured another significant milestone for Kobe Bryant. With his 27-point performance, Bryant surpassed Michael Jordan's career NBA All-Star Game scoring total, becoming the competition's all-time leading scorer at the time.
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was the leading vote-getter and represented the host city as the Eastern Conference's starting center. Howard finished with nine points and 10 rebounds in what became his final All-Star appearance as a member of the Magic.
The 2012 All-Star Game was particularly memorable for its high-scoring first half, Durant's first MVP award, Wade's triple-double, Bryant's scoring milestone and a comeback that nearly erased a 21-point Western Conference advantage.
2012 NBA All-Star Game Information
Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Orlando, Florida
Arena: Amway Center
Attendance: 17,125
Final Score: Western Conference 152, Eastern Conference 149
Most Valuable Player: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Western Conference Coach: Scott Brooks, Oklahoma City Thunder
Eastern Conference Coach: Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls
Leading Scorers: Kevin Durant and LeBron James, 36 points each
Leading Rebounders: Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade, 10 rebounds each
Leading Assists: Chris Paul, 12
Leading Vote-Getter: Dwight Howard, 1,600,390 votes
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Scott Wall and Leroy Richardson
2012 NBA All-Star Game Score by Quarter
| Conference | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|
| Western Conference | 39 | 49 | 36 | 28 | 152 |
| Eastern Conference | 28 | 41 | 43 | 37 | 149 |
Western Conference Box Score - 152 Points
Head Coach: Scott Brooks, Oklahoma City Thunder
| Player | Team | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| Starters |
| Kevin Durant (MVP) | Oklahoma City Thunder | 37:23 | 14-25 | 3-8 | 5-7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 |
| Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | 34:48 | 9-17 | 2-5 | 7-8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27 |
| Blake Griffin | Los Angeles Clippers | 31:26 | 9-12 | 1-2 | 3-6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 22 |
| Chris Paul | Los Angeles Clippers | 30:57 | 3-7 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Andrew Bynum | Los Angeles Lakers | 5:31 | 0-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reserves |
| Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder | 27:31 | 10-17 | 1-4 | 0-2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 21 |
| Kevin Love | Minnesota Timberwolves | 18:24 | 7-12 | 2-4 | 1-3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | Dallas Mavericks | 13:44 | 3-8 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Marc Gasol | Memphis Grizzlies | 13:32 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Tony Parker | San Antonio Spurs | 12:16 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | Portland Trail Blazers | 9:48 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Steve Nash | Phoenix Suns | 4:40 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 62-116 | 12-34 | 16-26 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 33 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 152 |
Eastern Conference Box Score - 149 Points
Head Coach: Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls
| Player | Team | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS |
| Starters |
| Dwyane Wade | Miami Heat | 32:54 | 11-15 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 24 |
| LeBron James | Miami Heat | 32:09 | 15-23 | 6-8 | 0-0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 36 |
| Dwight Howard | Orlando Magic | 31:10 | 4-9 | 0-4 | 1-2 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Carmelo Anthony | New York Knicks | 30:20 | 7-15 | 0-3 | 5-7 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Derrick Rose | Chicago Bulls | 18:17 | 6-8 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| Reserves |
| Chris Bosh | Miami Heat | 20:08 | 3-9 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Deron Williams | New Jersey Nets | 18:08 | 8-11 | 4-7 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 |
| Rajon Rondo | Boston Celtics | 15:34 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Andre Iguodala | Philadelphia 76ers | 14:11 | 6-7 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Paul Pierce | Boston Celtics | 11:07 | 1-8 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Roy Hibbert | Indiana Pacers | 10:11 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Luol Deng | Chicago Bulls | 5:51 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Selected but Did Not Play |
| Joe Johnson | Atlanta Hawks | Did not play due to injury; replaced by Rajon Rondo. |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 63-113 | 14-32 | 9-12 | 18 | 34 | 52 | 40 | 8 | 4 | 19 | 17 | 149 |
Statistical abbreviations: MIN = Minutes; FG = Field Goals Made-Attempted; 3PT = Three-Pointers Made-Attempted; FT = Free Throws Made-Attempted; OREB = Offensive Rebounds; DREB = Defensive Rebounds; REB = Total Rebounds; AST = Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; TO = Turnovers; PF = Personal Fouls; PTS = Points.
Player rebounding totals do not include additional team rebounds.
2012 NBA All-Star Game Team Statistics
| Statistic | West | East |
|---|
| Final Score | 152 | 149 |
| Field Goals | 62-116 | 63-113 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 53.4% | 55.8% |
| Three-Point Field Goals | 12-34 | 14-32 |
| Three-Point Percentage | 35.3% | 43.8% |
| Free Throws | 16-26 | 9-12 |
| Free-Throw Percentage | 61.5% | 75.0% |
| Offensive Rebounds | 18 | 18 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 28 | 34 |
| Individual Player Rebounds | 46 | 52 |
| Team Rebounds | 12 | 7 |
| Assists | 33 | 40 |
| Steals | 14 | 8 |
| Blocked Shots | 1 | 4 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 19 |
| Personal Fouls | 12 | 17 |
| Points in the Paint | 80 | 90 |
| Fast Break Points | 32 | 55 |
| Bench Points | 59 | 47 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 30 | 16 |
| Largest Lead | 21 | 0 |
2012 NBA All-Star Game Roster Notes
Joe Johnson - Injury Replacement
Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson was selected as an Eastern Conference reserve but withdrew because of a knee injury. Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo was selected to replace him and finished with two points and eight assists.
Dwight Howard - Host City Representative
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard received the most fan votes and started for the Eastern Conference. He scored nine points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin - Los Angeles Clippers
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both started for the Western Conference. Paul recorded 12 assists, while Griffin scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge - All-Star Debuts
Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol and Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge made their first NBA All-Star Game appearances.
Deron Williams - New Jersey Nets
Williams scored 20 points and made four three-pointers. His fourth-quarter steal and layup helped the East cut the deficit to one point.
2012 NBA All-Star Game Historical Notes
Kevin Durant Wins His First All-Star MVP
Durant scored 36 points, grabbed seven rebounds and collected three steals. His performance earned him the first All-Star Game MVP award of his career.
Kobe Bryant Passes Michael Jordan
Bryant scored 27 points and surpassed Michael Jordan as the NBA All-Star Game's career scoring leader at the time. Bryant finished the game with 271 career All-Star points, passing Jordan's 262.
Dwyane Wade Records a Triple-Double
Wade finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He became the third player in All-Star Game history to record a triple-double.
LeBron James Scores 36 Points
James matched Durant for the game-high scoring total with 36 points, making six of eight three-point attempts. His shooting was central to the Eastern Conference's second-half comeback.
The West Scores 88 Points in the First Half
The Western Conference scored 39 points in the first quarter and 49 in the second, setting an All-Star Game record at the time with 88 first-half points.
Oklahoma City Teammates Combine for 57 Points
Durant scored 36 points and Russell Westbrook added 21, combining for 57 points for the Western Conference. Thunder head coach Scott Brooks also coached the West.
Chris Paul Records 12 Assists
Paul led all players with 12 assists while committing just two turnovers. His passing helped create numerous scoring opportunities for the Western Conference.
The Eastern Conference Nearly Erases a 21-Point Deficit
The West led by as many as 21 points, but the East closed within one point during the fourth quarter. Blake Griffin's late interception helped preserve the Western Conference victory.
Dwight Howard's Final All-Star Game with Orlando
Howard represented the Orlando Magic in the team's home arena. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers later in 2012.
The NBA Returns to Orlando
Orlando hosted the NBA All-Star Game for the second time. The city's first All-Star Game took place in 1992, when Magic Johnson won MVP honors.
2012 NBA All-Star Game FAQ
Who won the 2012 NBA All-Star Game?
The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 152-149.
Who was the 2012 NBA All-Star Game MVP?
Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder won MVP honors after scoring 36 points.
Where was the 2012 NBA All-Star Game played?
The game was played at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, on February 26, 2012.
How many fans attended?
The announced attendance was 17,125.
Who scored the most points?
Kevin Durant and LeBron James each scored 36 points.
Who recorded a triple-double?
Dwyane Wade recorded 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
What record did Kobe Bryant break?
Bryant passed Michael Jordan's career NBA All-Star Game scoring total, becoming the event's all-time leading scorer at the time.
Who had the most assists?
Chris Paul led all players with 12 assists.
Who coached the two conferences?
Scott Brooks coached the Western Conference, while Tom Thibodeau coached the Eastern Conference.
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