Usually, an exhibition game in late August won’t feature a cache of NBA All-Stars in one building. But because the league is currently on lockout mode, like some online bingo games, players will run with anyone and anywhere at this point.
That’s why Carmelo Anthony’s summer league game at Morgan State became a basketball mecca as his superstar pals Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Chris Paul dropped in to get some run and break a little sweat while David Stern and Billy Hunter try to hammer out a new framework for the league.
Durant has had a busy summer, scoring 66 points one night at New York’s famed Rucker Park and later leading Washington’s Goodman League to a 135-134 victory over the Drew League from Los Angeles with 44 points. “Durant’s gone on a rampage this summer. I told him to ‘Slow down.’ Because every other night I see him in a different city playing,” Anthony told the Washington Post. “But that’s just the love of the game that he’s got, and I respect that. I’m glad he actually showed up and played in this game, too.”
Durant maintained his torrid summer by dropping 59 points at Melo’s exhibition game. It didn’t matter to the Oklahoma City All-Star that Melo unfairly loaded up his team with LeBron, CP3, Eric Bledsoe and rookie Josh Selby, while KD saddled with his buddy Jeff Green, Austin Daye and Roger Mason Jr. Despite the unbalanced rosters, Durant looked sharp and nearly carried his overmatched red team to victory (Melo’s team won, 149-141). Durant even school LeBron on one sick baseline move. Watch the highlights: