USA Stars Triumph as Deni Avdija, Team World Fall in All-Star Game
Deni Avdija of the Portland Trail Blazers made his NBA All-Star Game debut, representing Team World in an exciting series of matches. This event marked the first time a Trail Blazers player participated in an All-Star game since Damian Lillard’s appearance in 2023. Avdija contributed 5 points, 4 assists, and 1 rebound over two games, even as Team World faced a challenging series against Team USA.
All-Star Game Format and Results
This year’s All-Star Game featured a unique structure with two USA teams, Team USA Stars and Team USA Stripes, and one World team comprised of international players. The schedule included four games:
- Game 1: Team World vs. Team USA Stars
- Game 2: Winning team of Game 1 (USA Stars) vs. Team USA Stripes
- Game 3: Losing team of Game 1 (Team World) vs. Team USA Stripes
- Game 4: All-Star Championship: Team USA Stars vs. Team USA Stripes
Game 1: Team World vs. Team USA Stars
In the opening match, Victor Wembanyama set a strong tone for Team World with an early dunk. Team World established a brief lead, but USA Stars fought back. Avdija, in the starting lineup, turned in his best performance with multiple assists. However, the game culminated in a narrow 37-35 defeat for Team World, extending the match into overtime. Ultimately, Team World’s effort fell short when Karl-Anthony Towns missed a critical defensive assignment.
Game 2: USA Stars vs. USA Stripes
The second game featured Team USA Stars facing Team USA Stripes, featuring superstars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant. High energy fueled both teams, with Stripes initially gaining a lead. Despite a late-game surge from Team USA Stars, LeBron’s deep three helped maintain Stripes’ edge, culminating in a 42-40 victory.
Game 3: USA Stripes vs. Team World
In a crucial match for Team World, Avdija again started strong. The team required a victory by at least three points to contend for the championship. Wembanyama’s performance initially propelled Team World ahead, but Stripes fought back, leveraging powerful shots from Kawhi Leonard. In a decisive moment, Leonard hit a late three-pointer, ending Team World’s championship aspirations as they lost by a narrow margin.
Championship Game Recap
The final game featured Team USA Stars and Team USA Stripes. Team Stars dominated early, surging to a commanding 12-1 lead, with Anthony Edwards leading the charge. Ultimately, Team USA Stars overwhelmed Team Stripes with a final score of 47-21, with Edwards securing the MVP with a total of 32 points across all games.
The NBA now takes a brief break before resuming its regular schedule on February 19. Deni Avdija and the Trail Blazers will return to action on February 20 against the Denver Nuggets at the Moda Center.
