James captures another All-Star MVP

LeBron James scored 27 points as East defeated West.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — King James is All-Star royalty again.

LeBron James threw down a powerful dunk for the go-ahead basket with 55 seconds left, punctuating an MVP performance and helping the Eastern Conference beat the West 134-128 Sunday night in the All-Star game.

James finished with 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in capturing his second MVP award in the last three years. He was honored in 2006 in Houston after he sparked the East’s big rally in a 122-120 victory in Houston.

This time, the East blew the big lead, with the West rallying from 16 points down to grab a fourth-quarter lead. But with the game tied at 125, James dribbled the length of the court before soaring for a dunk that put the East back on top for good.

“The East did a great job man, we got a big lead in the first half and we withstood their run in the fourth quarter,” James said after accepting the MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern. We made plays down the stretch.”

In a proud city still restoring its unique beauty, the Eastern Conference repaired its own image.

Ray Allen scored 28 points, making three straight 3-pointers in the final 3:15.

Last year, the West humiliated the East in a 153-132 rout in Las Vegas when Kobe Bryant and Co. rewrote the event’s record books. However, this time led by Allen’s 14 fourth-quarter points and James’ stunning dunk, the East salvaged some pride and can return to the season’s second half with bragging rights.

Amare Stoudemire, Brandon Roy and Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points apiece to lead the West, which trailed by 13 entering the fourth quarter and rallied behind New Orleans’ Chris Paul. The guard’s seventh assist of the final period set up Roy’s layup to give the West a 122-119 lead.

But Boston’s Allen, the final player added to either roster, knocked down his second 3-pointer in 48 seconds to tie it before Paul answered with a 3 of his own, sending the hometown crowd into a frenzy.

Allen finally missed and James poked away the ball, and then came up with the night’s most stirring moment.

Slashing through the lane, he rose and dunked over several West defenders, much like he did in Game 5 of last year’s Eastern Conference finals in Detroit when he scored the Cavaliers’ final 25 points.

“You saw that last dunk by LeBron,” Paul said. “I mean, we had two people on him, but that still wasn’t enough.”

Paul was called for an offensive foul on the West’s next trip. Dwyane Wade hit a layup and Allen scored to make it 131-125. Roy’s 3-pointer with 8.7 seconds brought the West within three, but Allen made three free throws to close it out.

Paul delighted his hometown crowd with the nifty passing and clutch shooting they’ve seen all season.

If only the West had won, he might have had a shot at the MVP award.

Paul’s All-Star debut was a memorable one nonetheless, thanks to a dominant fourth quarter performance that helped the West overcome a double-digit deficit and briefly take the lead.

Paul had 16 points and 14 assists, with nine points and seven assists coming in the fourth quarter alone.