Must-see moments from 2019 NBA All-Star Game

This was the second year that the NBA's All-Star Game rosters were hand-selected by team captains, and just like last year, the competition didn't disappoint.

LeBron James' team took down Giannis Antetokounmpo's team, 178-164, after turning it on in the second half, but the game remained close up until the final minutes. 

Kevin Durant of Team LeBron finished with 31 points and was crowned All-Star Game MVP for the second time in his career. Antetokounmpo dropped 38 points with 11 rebounds and five assists in the losing effort.

As can be expected when two-dozen of the top basketball players on the planet come together for a 48-minute pickup game, the night was full of must-see moments — the best of which are listed below.

1. How?

The pass. The finish. The celebration from the bench. This was unreal.

2. Dirk turns back the clock

The 40-year-old Nowitzki, perhaps playing in his final All-Star Game, checked in and immediately drained back-to-back 3-pointers. Needless to say, the rest of the All-Stars were fired up.

He was mic'd up, too, which makes it even better.

3. LeBron links up with former teammates

Dwyane Wade threw an off-the-backboard alley-oop to LeBron to get the second half going, and then Kyrie Irving set him up with a beautiful lob late in the fourth quarter. Talk about nostalgia ...

4. Steph X A.I.

This courtside interaction between Allen Iverson and Steph Curry is guaranteed to make you feel old. Iverson talked about how much he loves Curry’s game, then reminisced about playing against his father, Dell.

5. Things get a little chippy ...

Joel Embiid and Durant got into it a little in the first half, and Embiid’s halftime interview indicated that things were about to get more competitive.

"He had an and-1 on me and he said something. I had to say something back," Embiid said as television footage showed him and Durant jawing at each other. "It's all fun, and when it's time to go at it, I'm gonna be there."

6. Steph throws it down (kind of)

It was only warmups, and it wasn't a clean finish, but still ... this has to be the best dunk of Curry's life.

7. Giannis or Aaron Rodgers?

This full-court pass from the Milwaukee Bucks superstar was right on the money. Shoutout to Nikola Jokic, too, for reeling it in.

8. Steph. Klay. 4-point play

There's something special about the greatest shooter of all-time hitting a rainbow over the second greatest (??) shooter of all-time, who also happens to be his teammate.

9. Anything you can do ...

Paul George gave James Harden a little taste of his own medicine with this step-back 3-pointer in the third quarter.

10. PG360

In case you thought George's only highlight was that step-back ... think again.