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Feb. 19 (UPI) -- LeBron James and other elite players say they want more competition in the NBA All-Star Game after combining for a record 397 points in the latest meeting between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference. Milwaukee Bucks and Eastern Conference guard Damian Lillard scored 39 points en route to MVP honors in the 211-186 victory Sunday in Indianapolis. He sank 11 of the game's 67 made 3-pointers.
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"I think 200 is a lot to be scored," Lillard told reporters. "It just shows that we didn't go out there and compete like I guess you would want us to or whoever would want us to. But I think that's just what it is. Guys are talented and make a lot of shots. We hit a lot of threes, and that was it."
The game featured an obvious lack of defensive intensity because the All-Stars said they were trying to avoid injury.
"Trying to manage everybody, trying to protect yourself and not get injured and take away from what you ultimately want to accomplish," Lillard said. "I think is something we prioritize. But it's a lot that goes on when you come here for this game.
"Usually our preparation to get ready to compete, it looks a lot different than it looks when we come here."
Players from the winning All-Star Game team receive $100,000, while players on the losing team get $25,000 apiece, according to the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Each team also receives money to give to a charity.
The Eastern Conference became the first team in history to eclipse 200 points in an All-Star Game. Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns totaled a game-high 50 points, including an All-Star Game record 31 in the fourth quarter, for the Western Conference.
The Eastern Conference's 42 made 3-pointers and 107 second-half points also were All-Star records. Five players scored at least 30 points, while 15 eclipsed the 10-point plateau. The game featured a total of 289 field goal attempts and just five free throws.
"I think it's something we need to figure out," James said of the non-competitive game. "Where is the median? This is what a lot of the games are starting to look like, too.
"We wanted to get more pace into the games. We wanted to get more shots. We wanted the game to be more free flowing. We stopped letting the game -- be freedom of movement, a lot of freedom of movement now. That's what our games are like in the regular season now.
"They let us tighten up in the postseason. It's a deeper dive into a conversation of how we can shore up this game. Obviously from a player's perspective, it's fun to get up and down. But at the end of the day, our competitive nature don't like to have free-flowing scoring like that."
A total of 17,251 fans attended the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Eastern Conference guard Tyrese Haliburton and forward Jaylen Brown battled with Lillard for MVP honors. Haliburton totaled 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Brown logged 36 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
"Obviously, it wasn't high-intensity at all," said Haliburton, who sank 10 of 14 3-point attempts.
Western Conference guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander totaled 31 points, six assists and four rebounds. Center Nikola Jokic totaled 13 points, nine assists and four rebounds in the loss. James netted just eight points, with four rebounds and three assists for the Western Conference.
NBA teams will return from the All-Star break Thursday to resume the 2023-24 regular season. The annual play-in tournament will tip off April 16. The playoffs will start April 20.
