The 2024  NBA All-Star Weekend, held with great anticipation and fanfare, showcased the remarkable talents and competitiveness of the league's top players, culminating in an event filled with record-breaking performances and unforgettable moments.

From the thrilling skills challenge to the historic NBA All-Star game, this year's showcase was a testament to the evolving landscape of basketball.

Saturday Night Recap

The Saturday night events saw electrifying highlights, including amazing shooting displays and unreal dunks.

After a run to the finals of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, which included wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks - four of the best teams in the East all season - Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin edged out a pair of tiebreakers to win Saturday night's Skills Challenge at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mathurin was also the MVP of Friday's Rising Stars Challenge.

Later in the evening, Damian Lillard became a back-to-back 3-point champion after hitting his last shot to edge Trae Young. Lillard got the final rack needing to hit just one shot to secure the title, and after missing his first four attempts, he hit his last shot. He's the first player to win consecutive 3-Point Contests since Jason Kapono did it in 2007 and 2008.

Then, in the first NBA vs. WNBA 3-point contest, Stephen Curry narrowly defeated New York Liberty star Sabrina Lonescu,  who shot first and had 26 points. While that looked like a winnable score for a little bit, Curry got hot late and ended with 29 points to win.

Finally, Mac McClung saved the best for last to become the first player to win back-to-back Slam Dunk Contests since Zach LaVine in 2015 and 2016. McClung scored a 50 by pulling off a reverse windmill dunk over Shaquille O'Neal to beat Jaylen Brown in the finals.

East Defeats West in 2024 NBA All-Star Game

On Sunday, the East beat the West 211-186 in a historic NBA All-Star Game! The teams combined for the most points ever scored in an NBA All-Star Game, and for the first time in history, a team scored over 200 points!

Damian Lillard was named the MVP of the game after dropping 39 points and six assists while hitting 11 3-pointers. Tyrese Haliburton showed out in his first NBA All-Star game start by finishing with 32 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and 10 3-pointers made. Karl-Anthony Towns led the West with 50 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

As the second half of the NBA season is set to get underway, FanDuel North Carolina will come in handy for NBA fans from the Tar Heel State which is the next state in line to legalize online sports betting.

What to Expect in the Second Half of the Season

The Warriors are playing better as of late, going 8-2 in their last 10 games, but they're in 10th place in the West with a mediocre 27-26 record. Their recent run is not a reflection of reality, it's time to realize that this is not a good team.

Bad losses and inconsistent play from the Warriors throughout the season have evidenced the limitations of their roster, forcing them to deal with the fact that their dynasty is over. Golden State might make it to the play-in tournament but it's hard to see them getting out of it.

Unlike the Warriors, the development trajectory of the Thunder signals a bright future ahead. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing at an MVP-caliber level and Chet Holmgren emerging as one of the top rookies in the league, the team's potential has no limits.

Don't be surprised if Gilgeous-Alexander carries the Thunder far in the playoffs. This is a well-coached team with a lot of depth and I expect them to keep proving they belong with the best.

The Timberwolves have also defied expectations, emerging as one of the biggest surprises this season. The skepticism surrounding the Rudy Gobert trade last season is gone, and they've showcased remarkable improvement, led by a healthy Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards' rise into stardom. The Timberwolves will be a formidable force in the playoffs.