Team LeBron wins new-look All-Star game

LeBron James and his squad featuring Ben Simmons and Kawhi Leonard have hung on to win an NBA All-Star thriller.

Team LeBron beat Team Giannis 157-155 in Chicago on Sunday under a new format designed to eradicate past dull All-Star games.

It worked.

The format set up a titanic final quarter battle with Team LeBron overcoming a nine-point deficit to reach the 157 target score and snatch the game away from Giannis Antetokounmpo's squad.

"We just turned it up," Leonard, who scored a game-high 30 points and was named winner of the inaugural Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP Award, said.

Team LeBron began hot with Melbourne-born Simmons thundering four dunks and Leonard hitting his first four three-point shots to take a 53-41 at the end of the first period.

The first three quarters were full of alley-oop dunks, trick passes, a half-court three-pointer by Team Giannis' Trae Young and little defence but it changed heading into the final period.

The 157 target score was set after Team Giannis led at the end of the third quarter 133-124.

The target was set by adding 24 points to Team Giannis' 133 - Bryant's jersey number for part of his Lakers' career.

James' squad turned up the defensive pressure with Antetokounmpo, who dropped 25 points in the first three quarters, struggling to score in the final period.

Simmons ended the game with 17 points, connecting with eight of nine field goal attempts.

Leonard hit eight of 14 three-point attempts and had seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in his dominant effort.

James added 23 points, five rebounds and six assists.

The game began on a somber note with the 21,000 fans packed into the United Center joining hands to pay tribute to Bryant.

The silence was broken when the crowd chanted "Kobe, Kobe, Kobe".

"Words can't even explain," Leonard, asked about winning the first Kobe Bryant MVP Award, said.

"I want to thank Kobe for everything he did for me - the long talks and workouts.

"This one is for him."