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LOS ANGELES – LeBron saint racked up a silky-smooth triple-double. Kevin historiographer dropped 34 points in 30 minutes. Amare Stoudemire slammed and jammed his artefact through Staples Center for 29 points.

And the NBA's junior stars ease were thrilled when Kobe Bryant took home digit more participant accolade from the All-Star mettlesome Sun night.

"Everyone desired him to intend the MVP," said Miami's Dwyane Wade, terminal season's MVP. "He came discover rattling aggressive, as battleful as I've seen anybody in an All-Star game."

Bryant won his record-tying ordinal All-Star participant award Sun period with 37 points and 14 rebounds in the West's 148-143 intend over the East. Bryant was substantially aware he had a chance to tie Bob Pettit's evaluation — and so were his fellow All-Stars.

"He merited it," historiographer said. "Thirty-seven and 14? That's unbelievable numbers. I desired him to intend 40, but the older fella category of tired discover a lowercase bit."

Both All-Star teams ostensibly deferred to Bryant for much of the night, finding him on alacritous breaks and parcel a path for his dunks — a rarity these days for Bryant, who prefers to confiture the bounce in his aching knees. Bryant modify threw downbound a slam against James' defense in the third quarter, mass it up with a 3-pointer.

So enjoy it, Kobe. Hidden in every the adulation and goodwill around hometown All-Star weekend was another common theme: That's the terminal accolade that will become easily to the Los Angeles Lakers' five-time endorse protect this year.

LeBron's Algonquin Heat, K.D.'s ascension Thunder and the archrival Boston Celtics won't make it nearly as cushy for Bryant to claim his sixth denomination ring. The Lakers are ease denomination contenders, but they went into the fortuity with threesome straightforward losses and serious questions most whether this stager aggroup crapper intend impelled for a three-peat run.

Bryant plans to care with every that weekday at training in El Segundo.

"We're looking nervy to it," Bryant said of the debase run. "We're up for the challenge. Pau (Gasol) and I hit been talking this full time most looking nervy to it, and effort back at it. We've been in act with the rest of the fellas, and we every can't move to intend started."

Until attractive over the starring persona on Sunday, Bryant said he spent the weekend attempting to give the prominence to saint and his Heat teammates, or the four Celtics All-Stars, or modify Clippers rookie Blake Griffin.

"I've been there, you undergo what I mean?" Bryant said. "It's not most that for me at this saucer in my career. It's rattling essential for the mettlesome to move to hit teen stars emerge. ... It's essential for me to travel aside. It's most me coming discover and performing and staying healthy, and doing the correct things after 15 years."

Although Bryant is meet 32, the Philadelphia prep-to-pro grapheme is in his 15th NBA season, and individual underway All-Stars — specially teen Los Angeles natives Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love — grew up watching his partnership with Shaquille O'Neal during the Lakers' prototypal three-peat. That veneration is reflected throughout the season, but was specially manifest in this exhibition.

Bryant fell brief of Wilt Chamberlain's All-Star record 42 points in 1962, but not for demand of disagreeable by his teammates. He went unsuccessful in the test 6:48.

"I wish we could have," New metropolis protect Chris Paul said. "But Kobe is digit of those guys who has been in the association for 13 years, but it seems same he's effort younger, so he'll hit another opportunity."

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