Damian Lillard scored nine points on three 3-pointers, including the game-ending one, as Team Shaq produced a 42-35 victory over Team Candace in a semifinal contest on Sunday night as part of the NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco.
Team Shaq advances to face Team Chuck in the upcoming championship game. Team Chuck is coached by former NBA star Charles Barkley.
Stephen Curry recorded eight points and six rebounds and Jaylen Brown also scored eight points for Team Shaq, which played without LeBron James (ankle).
Ryan Dunn and Dalton Knecht scored eight points apiece for Team Candace, a team of first and second-year NBA players who played their way into the bracket through Friday’s Rising Stars competition. Candace Parker is a women’s basketball legend.
Team Shaq shot 50 percent from the field, including 6 of 18 from 3-point range.
Team Candace made 45.5 percent of its shots and was 4 of 14 from 3-point range.
After reaching 39 points, one off the target score needed for victory, Team Shaq missed four straight shots before Lillard canned a trey to end it.
The game was tied at 28 before Brown scored three consecutive baskets to give Team Shaq a six-point advantage. The final one was on an alley-oop pass from Kyrie Irving.
A three-point play by Dunn pulled Team Candace within three but Lillard knocked down a trey to give Team Shaq a 37-31 advantage.
Amen Thompson’s dunk pulled Team Candace within four before Kevin Durant’s dunk pushed Team Shaq’s lead back to six.
Stephon Castle’s driving hoop again cut the margin to four but Team Candace couldn’t get any closer prior to Team Shaq finally prevailing on the 3-pointer by Lillard.
Earlier, Team Shaq received consecutive 3-pointers from James Harden and Lillard to take a 15-10 lead.
Team Candace scored the next five to tie the game and later got hoops from Trayce Jackson-Davis, Thompson and Knecht to take a 21-20 edge.
Jayson Tatum and Durant followed with baskets to put Team Shaq ahead by three.
Knecht drilled a trey to tie it at 24 and Castle followed with a basket to give Team Candace a 26-24 lead.
–Field Level Media
