Pre-Game Hype: 2011 marked the 60th year of the spectacle. Kobe Bryant was already boasting three ASG MVP’s, so it was almost a given he would chase a fourth which would tie him with Bob Pettit for most all time. Blake Griffin was having one of the best weekends ever and him hitting his head on the shot clock on an alley oop wasn’t exactly out of reach. And the six million dollar question centered around Tim Duncan and his over/under for minutes played. The number was 10, by the way. Still, more than those, one of the more intriguing storylines heading into the game was East and the fact they had more bad blood with one another than the ’95 Source Awards.

– Amar’e and Al Horford have not exactly seen eye to eye, as recently as last week.

– Let those more in the know than me tell it, Derrick Rose wanted no parts of LeBron James in the backcourt with him this summer.

– The Celtics and Heat have about as good a friendship as O.J. Simpson and Fred Goldman.

So the game would either play out in one or two ways: we’d see a track meet from the Eastern Conference resulting in a good game or a collapse of Enron-type proportions.

Post Game Hype: Even though Kobe told Blake Griffin “he could have” the city of Los Angeles in a pre-game interview, no one actually believed he would relinquish the crown that effortlessly. Kobe came out aggressive showcasing the entire arsenal conjuring memories of a younger self, including catching LeBron slipping on a fast break and putting him on a poster. Kobe’s play carried over, too. Kevin Durant showed no ill effects of a lackluster three point contest going point for point with Bryant by putting up his own 34 points.

For the most part, the West controlled the game for the first three quarters. It was almost the exact opposite what many expected in a weird case of role reversal. The team in red was faster, crashed the boards harder and moved the ball better. Hell, even Kobe played publicist for Carmelo when Craig Sager nearly cracked the case of Melo’s “Am I coming or going?” saga. Then the fourth quarter happened and competitive urges replaced the giggles and sh*t got real (like it does every year about that time).

LeBron James lit a fire under his Eastern Conference teammates offering his best Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men impression. He ripped rebounds and galloped down the court dished out assists when he wasn’t physically assaulting the rim. By the end of game, he had the second overall and most impressive triple double in All-Star Game history with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists (and one three pointer he didn’t take). Amar’e Stoudamire also had 29 points while Derrick Rose and Ray Allen chipped in with 11 and 12 points, respectively. The East’s valiant fourth quarter came in a losing effort as Kevin Durant effectively put the nail in the coffin late in the final minutes of regulation. Ultimately, it was Brandy’s old prom date who ranked as the man of the hour. Kobe’s 37 points and 14 rebounds performance earned him MVP honors and temporarily stopped the rising panic in Laker land.

And just like that, the game was over. We can all go back hating each other – in a sports sense – and not feel bad about it. Oh, and for the record, Tim Duncan played 11 minutes; none of which he looked excited.