体坛英语新闻：Durant named MVP in West's 152-149 All-Star win

ORLANDO, Florida, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Kevin Durant scored 36 points and won his first All-Star MVP trophy in West's 152-149 victory over the East.

Kobe Bryant had 27 points and overtook Michael Jordan's career scoring record in All-Star in his 14th All-Star appearance.

Durant's Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook finished with 21.

LeBron James, who aslo notched 36 points, helped the East cut a 21-point deficit to one in the closing seconds, but weren't able to move in front. His fellow Heat star Dwyane Wade finished with a triple-double.

"I'm on the right path, back to playing basketball how I play, and that's back to having fun at a high level," said James.

"The best thing about this season so far we're playing some good basketball.

"Our team feels that we are right now, especially with last year under our belt, so we're just going to try to get better every day."

Blake Griffin scored 22 points for the West, which rang up 89 points in the first half, setting an All-Star record. But he won the game with his defense, picking off James' pass when the East had a chance to tie in the final seconds.

"Last year I was aggressive and I felt like I belonged. It was my first time starting. So I felt a little bit more comfortable," said Durant.

"This year I just tried to be myself. You know, taking home the MVP means a lot," he said.

The East was two points behind with 22 seconds remaining, but New Jersey's Deron Williams was short on a 3-pointer, and after the East came up with it, James fired a pass into a crowd that Griffin intercepted.

Griffin drilled one free throw to give the West a three point lead with 1.1 seconds left.

Wade's last three-pointer shot went short to see the East lose the game.

"LeBron is playing at an MVP level. Obviously it takes a while to adjust and I thought he did great last year, and I think he's adjusted now, and more comfortable with the team and just in Miami," said Wade on the season.

"It was very tough last year. It was a different situation, but I think he's doing a great job, and he's playing like LeBron James that won back-to-back MVPs," he said.