Damian Lillard Named NBA All-Star Game MVP

- The game marked a return to the traditional Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format, which had not been used since 2017. The Eastern Conference won with a final score of 211-186. - The Eastern Conference's 211 points set a new record for the most points scored by a team in an All-Star Game. The combined 397 points also established a new record for the most total points in the game's history. - Lillard is the first player in NBA history to win the Three-Point Contest and be named All-Star Game MVP in the same weekend. The only other player to win a Saturday night event and the MVP award in the same weekend was Michael Jordan in 1988, who won the Slam Dunk Contest. - This was Lillard's first time being named the All-Star Game MVP. He is in his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks after being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers. - The MVP award was officially renamed the NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award in February 2020, following the basketball legend's death. Bryant and Bob Pettit hold the record for the most All-Star Game MVP wins, with four each. - The Kobe Bryant MVP trophy, designed by artist Victor Solomon, is rich with symbolism. For instance, its eight-sided base represents the eight decades of the All-Star Game and Bryant's original jersey number, while the 18 stars around the base signify his 18 All-Star selections. - Karl-Anthony Towns of the Western Conference was the game's leading scorer, putting up 50 points in the loss. Hometown hero Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers contributed 32 points for the victorious Eastern Conference.