The Elam Ending led to an intense All-Star fourth quarter

The Elam Ending led to an intense All-Star fourth quarter

The 69th NBA All-Star Game was bound to be delightful. There were 10 first-time All-Stars, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo served as captains for the second straight season, and it was in Chicago for the first time in 32 years.

New changes to the format of a game constantly wrought with questionable defense and effort would ensure a unique experience, and those changes were made in honor of the late Kobe Bryant.

The new format featured a revamped fourth quarter in which the teams play to a final target score, first introduced in The Basketball Tournament as the Elam Ending. The final target score was determined by taking the leading team’s total cumulative score through three quarters and adding 24 points — the 24 representing Bryant’s jersey number. The first team to reach the final target score during the untimed fourth quarter wins the game.

That number was 157 after Team Giannis led Team LeBron 133-124 at the end of three quarters. Fifty-one minutes of commercial-free chaos ensued in the form of charges, coach’s challenges, fouls and defense — and the people ate it all up:

Ultimately, the game was decided when Anthony Davis went to the free throw line with his Team LeBron squad leading Team Giannis 156-155. Davis missed the first shot of the pair but made the second to end the game at 157-155. Kawhi Leonard (game-high 30 points) was named the first winner of the Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP award. But we will always remember Kyle Lowry taking two charges.

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Kyle Lowry takes the charge from Kawhi Leonard and smiles while being picked up by his teammates.

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