Top 10 NBA All-Star Game Performances

It takes guts, determination and mad skills to make it into the NBA. It requires superhuman abilities to make it into an All-Star game and shine. Players who perform at the highest levels of the game are in a league of their own. Of the thousands of NBA players over the years, only a select few have been immortalized as legends of the game. Even at the most prestigious tiers of the sport, lackluster performances can relegate you to the annals of history.

We are interested in winners – the sportsmen who put in 110%, day in, day out. We want to pay tribute to the top 10 NBA All-Star game performances, and examine the impact that these games have had on the sport.

Let's check out some of the finest NBA performances over the years, with a special emphasis on legendary players and the divisions they represented.

#10 – Dwayne Wade

Back in 2010, Dwayne Wade put in a super-sized effort as he led the East to a 141-139 victory. He scored an impressive 28 points, with 6 rebounds, and 11 assists. The AT&T stadium was packed to capacity with 108,713 spectators. What a game!

#9 – Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson #3 sure knows how to crank up the heat. He began with the NBA in the 1996/1997 season and ended in the 2009/2010 season. He was an 11X All-Star player, 2X All-Star MVP, and a 7X All-NBA champion. Pretty tough to beat a guy like that. But we pay tribute to the final 9 minutes of an NBA All-Star Game back in 2001, when Iverson scored 15 pts in the last 9 minutes of the game, as the East surged from behind to lead 111-110 during the 50th anniversary of the NBA All-Star Game.

#8 – Tom Chambers

Tom Chambers played a ton of basketball in his career, with 1,107 games and an average of 18.1 points per game. He played as an All-Star 4 times, and was a 2X All-NBA Champ, including a 1986-87 All-Star MVP player. Granted, his glory days were back in the 1980s, but the Seattle Supersonics never forgot how incredibly well he played when he racked up the MVP Honors with 34 pts as the West routed the competition 154-149 back in 1987.

#7 – Rick Barry

When the West met the East back in the 1967 All-Star game, it was Rick Barry who starred with an immaculate 38 points comprising 3 assists and 6 rebounds. The final score was a comprehensive victory for the San Francisco Warriors, with a score line of 135-120. His impressive performances over his career saw him playing 1,020 games, at an average of 24.8 points per game as a small forward. As a basketball Hall of Famer, his list of achievements spans the full spectrum. Rick Barry sure was the real deal!

#6 – Oscar Robertson

It's hard to believe that the 1961 NBA All-Star game with a final score of West 153-131 East was largely due to the heroics of Oscar Robertson of the Cincinnati Royals. He scored 23 points in the game, as he played his way into the history books. After the 1961 performance, he went on to receive an additional 2 X All-Star MVP awards. The crowd attendance was low at just 8016 people, but the game made it into the history books forever!

#5 – LeBron James

Staples Center came alive when LeBron James led the way for his Eastern Conference. The team didn't win in this close-fought contest – 148-143. Thanks to James, the Eastern Conference was able to wipe out most of the 17 point deficit they faced going into the fourth quarter of the game. James and Stoudemire paved the way with 29 points apiece, and it all unfolded at blistering pace. James did superbly with his free-throw attempts (9/10) and his field goals (10/18).

#4 – Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson was a wizard with the basketball, and not even his HIV-positive announcement could dampen his determination to suit up for the 1992 NBA All-Star game. Johnson brought the crowd to its feet, scoring 25 points with 5 rebounds and 9 assists. The West destroyed the East 153-113 and Johnson racked up his second All-Star MVP award. Such was the euphoria surrounding that performance, that players from both teams rushed up to him for a grand sendoff.

#3 – Kobe Bryant

In 2011, Kobe Bryant stunned the crowds with 37 points. It was a remarkable performance for the West, sealing a 148-143 when. This was also the fourth time that the erstwhile Kobe Bryant earned an All-Star MVP award, tying with Bob Pettit. We look back fondly on the sheer genius of Bryant; a man whose outsized impact on the game will be remembered forever.

#2 – Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan needs no introduction to NBA fans. He is the gold standard. Back in 1988, he scored 16 of the game-high 40 points, guaranteeing a rock solid finish for the East of 138-133. That Jordan managed to silence the opposition with 17/23 shooting from the field, racked up 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks, and 4 steals was impressive to boot. Jordan's performance in that game will live on forever.

#1 – Wilt Chamberlain

The year was 1962. Wilt Chamberlain – an incredibly talented basketball player – scored 42 points for his team, even though the East lost 150-130. His free throw line hits were limited, but his field-goal percentage of 73.9 was pretty darn good. Thanks to him, the East managed 24 rebounds – a top a 5 achievement for the All-Star record books. This big man (7'1") had broad shoulders, and he certainly deserves a thunderous round of applause from NBA fans. Throughout his career, he played 1045 games, and averaged 30.1 points.

* Magic Johnson All Star Credit to Al Behrman and AP

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