Good Game, Bad Dunk Contest
The Highs and Lows of NBA All-Star Weekend 2026
Author: Sergio | Updated: 16.02.2026. | Reading time: 5 min | ✅
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The 75th NBA All-Star Weekend at the Intuit Dome might have finally cracked the code for the All-Star Game, even if the Slam Dunk Contest remains in intensive care. The league's fourth format change in four years—a round-robin tournament featuring USA Stars, USA Stripes, and Team World—brought a level of intensity not seen in years.
The Tournament of Stars
The round-robin format produced high-stakes mini-games that actually felt like basketball. "I think every team honestly wanted to win," said Phoenix's Devin Booker.
The action kicked off with a thriller as USA Stars edged Team World 37–35 in overtime. Despite Victor Wembanyama's 14 points and 6 rebounds, the international squad—missing superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—couldn't close it out. In the second game, USA Stripes beat the Stars 42–40, led by Jaylen Brown's 11 points.
The most spectacular individual performance came in the third game, where Kawhi Leonard went on a tear, scoring 31 of his team's 48 points to beat Team World. However, the youth movement prevailed in the final: the USA Stars dominated the USA Stripes 47–21 to win the title. Anthony Edwards was named the All-Star Game MVP for his scoring dominance throughout the day.
Lebron James: "I want to live... When I know, you'll know. Right now, I don't know,"
"My game isn't going anywhere. It's all the other things; so many factors determine how long I'll play. I don't think my game will ever suffer if I decide to keep going, no matter how long that is. I think it comes down to [my mind]: how long can I stay in love with the process?"
"If I can't stay in love with the process, if the mental side goes, then my body is going to follow. And once my body goes, then it's a wrap.
Highs and lows in Inglewood
Lillard's "Dame Time" Legacy: Portland's Damian Lillard won his third 3-Point Contest, joining legends Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only three-time champions. Returning from a torn Achilles, Lillard outlasted Booker 29–27 in a high-octane final.
Kawhi's Home Cooking: Playing in his home arena, Leonard's 31-point barrage in just 12 minutes was the weekend's peak highlight. "That's probably one of the most special quarters of basketball we've witnessed," Booker noted.
Dismal Dunk Contest: While the game was fixed, the Dunk Contest fell flat. Miami's Keshad Johnson took the title, but the event was marred by misses and a terrifying fall by Orlando's Jase Richardson. The lack of star power and waning creativity continues to plague the once-venerable competition.
Early Tip-off: Due to NBC's Winter Olympics coverage, the events started at 2 p.m. PT. The early start led to many empty seats at tip-off and muted the usual "prime-time" atmosphere of the midseason classic.
Final Scorecard:
Game 1: USA Stars 37–35 Team World (OT)
Game 2: USA Stripes 42–40 USA Stars
Game 3: USA Stripes 48–45 Team World
Final: USA Stars 47–21 USA Stripes