Cleverland's LeBron James led an inspired Eastern Conference fightback from a 21-point deficit¹ to edge the Western Conference 122-120 in the 55th NBA All-Star Game last night, Reuters said.

The Cavaliers forward bagged 29 points, including 15 in the third quarter when the East outscored the West 41-27 to get back in the game.

Miami's Dwyane Wade² put back a missed Allen Iverson jumper with 16 seconds left to break a 120-120 tie and give the East the victory. He finished the game with 20 points.

James netted 15 points in the third quarter when the East, down by 21 early in the period, outscored the West 41-27 to get back in a game that featured only a little defense³ and a lot of alley-oop passes and thunderous slam dunks.

He was voted the game's most valuable player to become the youngest to win that honour at 21. "It means a lot. The hard work and dedication⁴ has paid off," said James, who was playing in his second All-Star game. "I was showcasing my talent and we got another win."

Tracy McGrady, the Houston Rockets forward playing on his home court, led the West and all scorers with 36 points. Rockets' center Yao Ming, the leading All-Star vote getter, had five points and two rebounds⁵.

The East won for the second year in a row and leads the series 35-20.

重点词汇

tie  n. 不分胜负，平局           　　　　outscore  v. 得分超过
pay off  v. 还清(债务等)， 赢利