On Aug. 5, 2005, then-NBA commissioner David Stern announced the All-Star Game would be held in a city that did not house one of the league’s teams. And so, for the first time in NBA history, Las Vegas served as the backdrop for All-Star Weekend.
While some now look back on the event with mixed emotions because of off-the-court issues, the NBA’s brightest stars did their part to deliver another entertaining game on Feb. 18, 2007. Per usual, a driving force for that was Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
Behind 39 points in the first quarter and 40 points in the second, the Western Conference All-Stars held a 79-59 lead over the East at halftime.