Anthony Davis has 52 to lead West to win in All Star Game

NEW ORLEANS — Any awkwardness faded with a perfect Russell Westbrook-Kevin Durant give-and-go. From there, the real dunk contest took over.

The 2017 NBA All-Star Game featured Stephen Curry wearing headband, Giannis Antetokounmpo putting Curry and that headband on a poster and Anthony Davis keeping the game’s MVP award at home. The Pelicans forward finished with an All-Star Game record 52 points as his Western Conference team won 192-182.

"Certainly, I think that, whether it's from a timing standpoint, whatever the case may be, you know, there were a few too many transition baskets allowed," said East coach Brad Stevens. "But I thought that was strictly coaching. And a deficiency on our part."

Kerr chuckled when Stevens said that and added: "As a coach in the All-Star game, you ever seen that movie "Weekend At Bernie's"? They might as well just bring a couple dead bodies on the sidelines. We're not doing anything up there. Just prop us up."

The story line coming in was all about Westbrook and Durant and their seven months of subtle feuding since Durant left the Thunder for the Warriors in free agency. Westbrook entered the game early in the first quarter, and he and Durant were two of the stars of the game, showing that trademark chemistry from eight years together.

But Davis represented the host Pelicans with aplomb. West coach Steve Kerr told Davis before the game that he’d be given any shot he wanted, with seemingly the whole team hoping the 23-year-old would win MVP. He responded with dunks, jumpers and everything in between. The previous record was 42 points by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.

Westbrook had 41 points on 16 -f 26 shooting and 7 of 13 on three-pointers.

"I wish the season was an All-Star game. I'd make some threes during the season," Westbrook said, laughing. "No, I hit a few."

On the Eastern Conference’s side, Antetokounmpo stole the show from even an impressive LeBron James with 30 on 14-for-17 shooting. The Bucks’ 22-year-old first-time All-Star produced the game’s second-most memorable moment by slamming over Curry in a move that drew oohs from even Curry’s teammates.

As high as the scoring was, though, it could have been higher: Neither team shot particularly well on all those uncontested 3-pointers, with Davis’ principle blemish on the evening being his 0-for-4 shooting from behind the arc.

But the All-Star Game is a celebration  of the NBA, and its two youngest players — Davis and Antetokounmpo — showed where the league is headed.