However, this was also to be expected.

Even setting aside Tang Tian and their personal relationships, there was an unwritten rule in the NBA that superstar players with good performances would get more shot opportunities.

Durant was trying hard to find opportunities to shoot, but unfortunately, this wasn't the Thunder's season, and Kobe and Leonard rarely passed him the ball.

Moreover, not to mention Kobe and Leonard in the starting lineup, even Davis, Klay Thompson, and even Westbrook who came off the bench would pass the ball to Tang Tian.

And the coach of the Western Conference team was Stevens.

He openly showed favoritism, allowing Tang Tian to play the entire first quarter.

Tang Tian got 8 shot attempts in the first quarter, the most of anyone on the court.

He also delivered, making 6 of 8 shots for 13 points in a single quarter, also the most on the court.

This kind of performance excited the fans at the arena.

In NBA history, only two people had ever won back-to-back All-Star MVPs.

One was Pettit, who won the honor in 1958 and 1959.

And the other was Tang Tian, who won the All-Star MVP award in both 2014 and 2015.

But if Tang Tian could win this honor again this year, he would become the first and only player in history to win three consecutive All-Star MVPs.

And now this trend was very obvious, so the fans' excitement was understandable.

During the timeout between the first and second quarters, Durant pulled Harden and Westbrook aside and was constantly communicating with them.

Westbrook turned around and spoke to Stevens.

As a result, at the start of the second quarter, the Thunder's former trio of Westbrook, Harden, and Durant took to the court together.

The arena erupted in cheers.

Last year, the Thunder's former trio was also selected for the All-Star Game, but Kerr didn't understand the fans' desires and didn't arrange for them to play together.

This year, Stevens satisfied them.

The former trio was on the court together again, which was the first time since Harden had been traded to the Rockets.

After the three of them came on the court, something interesting happened. Durant and Harden were frequently passing the ball to Westbrook.

Tang Tian was resting on the bench, and after seeing this scene on the court, he quickly knew what they were doing.

Last year's All-Star Game, Tang Tian and Westbrook shared the All-Star MVP.

If Westbrook could win it again this year, he would become the third person in history to win back-to-back All-Star MVPs.

This was something that could be strived for, and could also be achieved.

Especially if the leader Durant proposed it, Harden would definitely cooperate, and Westbrook wouldn't object.

Durant had been suppressed by Tang Tian for too long, and after experiencing the first quarter, he knew that he couldn't compete with him, so he simply changed to spoiling things.

Anyway, Westbrook didn't like Curry, so grabbing onto that point and letting him win would be better than Tang Tian becoming the first person to win three consecutive All-Star MVPs.

Westbrook continuously attacked the paint, and his score kept rising. By the time Stevens subbed him off, his score had reached 12 points.

However, it proved that this method wasn't good, because during this stretch, the Eastern Conference team, led by Irving, had already overtaken the score.

There's a risk to stat-padding, even in the All-Star Game.

Stevens replaced Tang Tian, Leonard, and Curry back on the court.

Tang Tian continuously made mid- and long-range shots, helping the Western Conference team to regain control of the situation.

In terms of scoring stability, Tang Tian was now much stronger than Westbrook.

Westbrook's strongest weapon, the "God Turtle" breakthrough, was just one of the many weapons in Tang Tian's arsenal.

Led by Tang Tian's 23 points in the first half, the Western Conference team finished the first half with a score of 81 to 71, leading the Eastern Conference team.

Facts proved that Tang Tian's All-Star MVP tonight wouldn't be so easy to snatch.

In the second half, the Eastern Conference team launched a chase, led by George, and the pace of both sides was very fast.

Tang Tian's score also continued to rise, and by the end of the third quarter, it had reached 38 points.

But the point difference between the two sides was very close, hovering between 6 and 8 points, and the outcome was still unknown.

With the score so close, Stevens didn't play any more Thunder trio nostalgia.

Although the outcome of the All-Star Game wasn't important, no matter what the game was, the first priority of the head coach was to aim for a win.

Stevens was playing according to this standard.

Curry, Tang Tian, Leonard, Durant, and Davis were his lineup for the final moments.

The Eastern Conference team's Blatt wasn't to be outdone, and Irving, George, James, Anthony, and Howard were also going head-to-head.

George hit a long-range three-pointer, scoring his 33rd point of the game and helping the Eastern Conference team narrow the point difference to 6 points again.

Tang Tian used a triple-threat move to fool George and also hit a contested three-pointer in response.

After this shot went in, his individual score had reached 41 points.

He had been shooting non-stop in the first three quarters, and even though the intensity of the competition wasn't very high, it had helped him get his touch going.

Now that it was time for the decisive moment, he could make his shots.

George's outside three-pointer missed, and Davis secured the defensive rebound.

The Western Conference team launched a fast break, and when Tang Tian's trailing three-pointer went in and then came out, there was a burst of excitement at the arena.

In NBA history, the record holder for the most points in a single All-Star Game was Wilt Chamberlain.

During the 1961-62 season, the Big Dipper scored a record 42 points at the 1962 All-Star Game.

Now Tang Tian was only one point away from this record.

This was why the shot just now brought such a big reaction.

However, the fans didn't have to wait long.

Irving's layup slid off the rim, and after Davis grabbed another defensive rebound, the Western Conference team launched a fast break.

Tang Tian received a long pass from Curry in the frontcourt and directly scored with a two-handed dunk.

This shot ignited the entire arena.

Tang Tian had scored 43 points, officially surpassing Chamberlain and becoming the owner of the NBA All-Star Game's all-time single-game scoring record!

And this wasn't the end.

Because the Eastern Conference team refused to give up, Tang Tian also continued to score.

Until there was one minute left in the game, Tang Tian's turnaround fadeaway shot raised his individual score to 50 points, and also helped the Western Conference team widen the point difference to 11 points, sealing the victory.

In the end, the Western Conference team defeated the Eastern Conference team with a score of 183 to 173, winning this high-scoring battle.

And Tang Tian made 20 of 27 shots, scoring a record-breaking 50 points!

When the game ended, the players on both sides were congratulating Tang Tian.

They were all witnesses to the birth of a new record.

Tang Tian also shared a deep embrace with Kobe at the end.

This should have been Kobe's farewell performance, but Kobe gave up this opportunity and made it Tang Tian's moment.

After the embrace, Tang Tian waved to the fans in Toronto.

"MVP! MVP!"

Although the final selection results hadn't come out yet, the result was actually no longer in suspense, and the fans were already chanting for Tang Tian.

The wait didn't last too long. Shortly after the cheers died down, Adam Silver announced the final outcome of the 2016 All-Star Game MVP.

It was Tang Tian without any suspense.

Tang Tian thanked the fans and these All-Star teammates as always.

When he raised the MVP trophy, the decibels in the arena reached a peak.