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 trophy¹ 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 notched² 36 points, helped the East cut a 21-point deficit³ to one in the closing seconds, but weren't able to move in front. His fellow Heat star Dwyane Wade⁴ 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 defense⁵, 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 intercepted⁶.

　　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.

1 trophy   

n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品

参考例句：

• The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。
• He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

2 notched   

a.有凹口的，有缺口的

参考例句：

• Torino notched up a 2-1 win at Lazio. 都灵队以2 比1 赢了拉齐奧队。
• He notched up ten points in the first five minutes of the game. 他在比赛开始后的五分钟里得了十分。

3 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

4 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 intercepted   

拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻

参考例句：

• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave the hotel. 他正要离开旅馆，记者们把他拦截住了。
• Reporters intercepted him as he tried to leave by the rear entrance. 他想从后门溜走，记者把他截住了。