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Somehow not discussed enough in league lore, the greatest NBA All-Star Game matchups is a conversation worth having. Not exactly on the level of playoff battles, the annual weekend event does provide us with matchups we might not otherwise ever see.
The All-Star Game is filled with spectacular moments made possible by only the best players in the NBA. In the annual exhibition, fans get a chance to see their favorite players in the league showcase their skills alongside the league’s best superstars. With this, dream matchups and team-ups can turn into a reality from this star-powered spectacle.
Although the All-Star Game isn’t really a typical NBA game, there were still a lot of moments where players brought out their competitive nature especially when they came face to face with their rivals. For this piece, let’s take a look at the five greatest NBA All-Star Game matchups for the past decade.
5. Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony
When it comes to scoring from the perimeter, not a lot of players can match the hot shooting hands of Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. In fact, they were both two of the greatest small forwards in their time due to their scoring. Because of this, this was a matchup that was a joy to watch during the past decade.
Durant and Melo have faced against each other in the All-Star game on six straight occasions from 2012 to 2017. Although Durant and the Western All-Stars would win five of those games, Melo never failed to put on a scoring show in all of those events, including a 30 point outburst in the 2014 All-Star game which was spiked by eight shots from beyond the arc. In that same game, KD also put up a scoring display by netting in 38 points, spiked by six treys of his own.
It’s hard to tell whether or not these two superstars will ever matchup once again the All-Star stage, given that Melo has not made an All-Star team after the 2017 event. However, if ever these two elite scorers ever meet again, it will certainly be a special treat for NBA fans.
4. Dwight Howard vs. Blake Griffin
Athletic big men are great to watch in the All-Star game, given that they have the ability to finish alley-oop dunks with authority. Because of this, there is no question that Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin were usually on multiple highlight reels during the past decade.
Although these two only appeared together in the All-Star game four times, they did clash against one another in 2011 and 2012, with Griffin starring for the West while Howard with the East. In both of their matchups, Griffin would prevail in all of them with the Western All-Stars prevailing in those tight games.
As an athletic big man for the Clippers back then, Griffin showcased his dunking abilities in the annual showcase. In fact, Griffin became one of the few players to make an All-Star team during his rookie season. Furthermore, during the 2012 edition, he finished with 22 points and eight rebounds, as he often got his points from alley-oop passes or thunderous put-backs.
Howard, on the other hand, was also a receiver of alley-oop passes. He finished with five points and seven rebounds in 2011. During the second matchup against Griffin, Howard put up nine points and 10 rebounds.
Given that the All-Star game is highlighted by high scoring that includes circuit shots and highlight reel dunks, there is no doubt that you can count on these two big men to throw it down. Because of this, their matchup is fourth in this list.
3. Kyrie Irving vs. Stephen Curry
The All-Star game isn’t a competitive game, but more of an exhibition and that isn’t a bad thing at all especially if Kyrie Irving is matched up against Stephen Curry. Irving and Curry are arguably the greatest guards in the NBA today given that they both possess elite ball-handling skills and deadeye shooting. Furthermore, given that these two superstars have a lot of history together in the NBA Finals, there is no question that they are also a treat to watch during the All-Star festivities.
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These two elite guards have met in the All-Star game for at least five times. In the past decade, Irving has emerged superior with three wins to Curry’s two. Uncle Drew also took home the All-Star Game MVP honors in 2014, where he registered 31 points and 14 assists. On the other hand, Curry was never a pushover in his All-Star game clashes against Irving. The three time NBA champion even scored a game high 21 points, spiked by five threes, to help propel the Western All-Stars to victory.
Fortunately, Curry and Irving’s rivalry will go on until the present. In fact, they both made the 2021 All-Star Game, which saw Irving tally 24 points and 12 assists for Team Durant. On the other hand, Curry came away with the victory playing for Team LeBron by putting up 28 points, while making eight of his 16 three point shots. With these two superstars at the top of their game, there will be surely more matchups ahead for Irving and Curry.
2. LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant
When it comes to the best forwards in the league, it is hard to imagine an All-Star game that doesn’t involve Kevin Durant and LeBron James, given that they have outright dominated the league for a great amount of time. For the past decade, we’ve seen the greatness of LBJ and KD, as not do they produce historical numbers when they’re on the court, but they have also brought their teams to championship glory. Because of this, their rivalry has always been a must-watch from the NBA Finals to the All-Star festivities.
For the past decade, James and Durant have gone against each other in the All-Star game eight times. Before the change in the All-Star format, Durant would play for the Western All-Stars, while The King suited up for The East. In their All-Star bouts against each other KD and the West would prevail on six of those occasions.
Although the West may have overpowered the East most of the time, KD and LBJ’s rivalry still continues to go on. In fact, for this year’s All-Star Game both LBJ and KD were named Team Captains to lead their respective All-Star teams. Unfortunately, the latter was pulled out late due to a left hamstring strain. Thus, putting their first All-Star clash since 2017 on hold.
Nevertheless, with LBJ and KD not showing any signs of slowing down, there is no question that these two All-Stars will meet once again under the bright lights of the All-Star Game in the near future.
1. LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant
People dreamed a lot about a seven-game Finals series between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, given that both players were always in the GOAT conversation. Although we never got to see them both go at it in the NBA Finals or in the postseason, we at least got to see the dream matchup in the All-Star Games.
Kobe and LBJ went against each other on four All-Star Games, where Kobe and the Western All-Stars took all the victories. In fact, the late Kobe Bryant was even named the All-Star Game MVP in 2011, where he tallied 37 points and 14 rebounds. On the other hand, James was no push over as The King registered a triple double of 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, which was the first triple double stat-line in the event since Michael Jordan did it in 1997.
The last decade also saw The Black Mamba’s last All-Star Game, on which Bryant and LBJ had multiple possessions against one another, including a poster dunk by Kobe on The King. During that memorable game, LBJ logged in 13 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. Kobe, on the other hand, poured in 10 points, seven assists, and six rebounds for his final All-Star appearance before hanging up his sneakers.
