The Lakers guard won his fourth-career All-Star Game MVP award in front of the home fans at the Staples Center behind 37 points and 14 rebounds. Bryant and his Western Conference teammates were able to hold off the Eastern Conference squad — highlighted by four Boston Celtics — for a 148-143 win.
A Laker winning the game's MVP with the game in Los Angeles is nothing new. Jerry West won the award in the 1972 game in L.A., and Shaquille O'Neal grabbed the honors in the 2004 showcase from Tinseltown.
The game itself highlighted a weekend full of basketball showing off the game for the world to see. If Bryant stole the show on Sunday night, he took it from Clippers rookie Blake Griffin who dazzled fans on Friday in the Rookie Showcase, Saturday in the Slam Dunk Contest and on Sunday in the All-Star game itself.
And, oh yeah. LeBron James had the second triple-double in the 60-year history of the game.
