Steph Curry put on an inspirational performance alongside LeBron James to steer Team LeBron to a 163-160 victory over Team Durant in the NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland.
Curry scooped the MVP award after totalling a half-century of points in the night - including 16 three-pointers - while James emulated the Michael Jordan fadeaway to make the game-winning shot.
Team LeBron have now marched to five consecutive All-Star victories, and Curry took the time to pay tribute to his Akron roots after his remarkable display.
"I told him [LeBron] on the court after the game it was kind of a perfect ending," Curry told the press. "I was chasing that extra two or three points. I think DeMar [DeRozan] hit a big shot, and then [James] came out and hit the game-winner.
"It was kind of a perfect ending. Obviously I got the MVP; I played well the whole night. He hit the game-winner. All the history of our series and the Akron ties, and all that kind of going into how the night went, so it was pretty -- can't really draw it up any other way. It's right on the nose of how it should go."
Game-winner James added: "I could not have dreamed of that moment any better than the actuality that just happened. For me to be back here, like I keep stating, 35 minutes [north] of where I grew up here in Akron, Ohio, to hit the game-winner in the All-Star Game where me and my guys back in the back, we used to watch the All-Star Game.
"I remember 25 years ago we were 12, 11, wishing that we had the opportunity or the means to come up to Cleveland and see some of the greatest basketball players of all time because they inspired us so much."
Giannis Antetokounmpo also posted 12 rebounds for Team LeBron, while Joel Embiid led the way for Team Durant with 36 points.
Ben Knapton
