NBA All-Star: De’Aaron Fox beats the buzzer as Stripes slip by Stars

Team Stripes didn’t need overtime. They just needed one clean look and the right guy holding the ball.

De’Aaron Fox buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Team Stripes past Team Stars, 42–40, Sunday night, sending the new All-Star format to its decisive final and adding another genuine moment to what has already been an unexpectedly competitive evening.

Fox’s winner capped a back-and-forth game that featured actual defense, real possessions, and a late-game feel that All-Star events have mostly lacked in recent years. The target-score format kept things tight throughout, and neither side was able to create much separation.

Jaylen Brown led Team Stripes with 11 points, while LeBron James added eight in a short but efficient stint. Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard chipped in across the board, and Donovan Mitchell knocked down a pair of shots during a brief but active stretch off the bench.

Team Stars were paced by Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham, who scored 11 points apiece. Edwards attacked early, while Cunningham steadied the offense late as Stars briefly took the lead before Fox’s answer.

Two games in, the NBA got exactly what it was hoping for — drama, urgency, and finishes that mattered.