DeMar DeRozan eased his way into the interview room Sunday night wearing a black baseball cap backwards, his black backpack slung over his shoulder and his feelings still raw from losing.
He had found some joy in playing in the All-Star game in his backyard at Staples Center, a kid from Compton High and USC showing kids from his neighborhood what is possible.
But being on the Team Stephen team that suffered an agonizing 148-145 loss to Team LeBron was tough for DeRozan to swallow.
And the role he played in his team’s loss made it even more difficult.
He had been voted in as a starter from the Toronto Raptors, an Eastern Conference team.
But in the new All-Star game format, the top two vote-getters in the NBA balloting — Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Cleveland’s LeBron James — were allowed to choose players from any team, no matter if they were from the Eastern or Western conference. DeRozan was chosen for the Team Stephen team.
“Man, first of all, the loss was tough,” said DeRozan, who had 21 points on seven-for-13 shooting. “We are always upset that we lost. Like I said, it felt like a real game. I think for sure, keep this format. I think we laid the foundation tonight how well it works. I think it can’t do nothing but continue to get better.”
DeRozan was in position to put Team Stephen in a comfortable position.
But he made just one of two free throws with 40.2 seconds left, giving his team a 145-144 lead.
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Chris Rock sits courtside at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Actors Chadwick Boseman, center, and Michael B. Jordan, left, sit courtside at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Chance the Rapper bites into a piece of pizza courtside at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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N.E.R.D perform with team mascots on the court at halftime of the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Fergie sings the National Anthem at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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LeBron James laughs as he waits to receive his MVP trophy after leading Team LeBron to a 148-145 win over Team Stephen at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Comedian Tracy Morgan eats a hot dog courtside at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Kevin Hart is center stage during a pregame show at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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LeBron James captains Team LeBron against Team Stephen (Curry) at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Team Stephen center Karl Anthony-Towns pulls down a rebound over Team LeBron center Andre Drummond during second half action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Stephen Curry struggles to dribble past the defense of Victor Oladipo during second half action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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DeMar DeRozan of Team Stephen gets by Kevin Durant of Team LeBron during second half action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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DeMar DeRozan leads Joel Embiid to the court after the starting lineup for Team Stephen is announed at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Team Stephen defender Draymond Green blocks the shot of Team LeBron center Al Horford during second half action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Stephen Curry stays warm on the sideline during a break in the action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Jerry West chats with Bill Russel and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, left, courtside at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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LeBron James knocks Joel Embiid to the floor after losing control of the ball during first half action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Russell Westbrook challenges Team Stephen defender DeMar DeRozan during first half action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Joel Embiid signals after hitting a three-pointer for Team Stephen in the first half at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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DeMar DeRozan is fouled by Paul George during the last minute of play at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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LeBron James is awarded the MVP trophy after leading Team LeBron to a 148-145 win over Team Stephen at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Stephen Curry is trapped by Team LeBron defenders as he tries to attempt a last second shot at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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LeBron James, right, and Kevin Durant celebrate a close win over Team Stephen Curry at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Russell Westbrook reacts after a kicked ball call prevented a fast break for Team LeBron at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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LeBron James yells out after hitting a three-pointer late in the second half at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Russell Westrbrook fouls Giannis Antetokounmpo as LeBron James looks on during first half action in the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Team LeBron captain LeBron James shoots over Draymond Green to tie the score late in the game at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo slams the ball home for two points over Team LeBron player Paul George during second half action at the NBA All Star game at Staples Center.
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Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, sporting a Darrell Griffith jersey, jumps over three people, including comedian Kevin Hart, during the Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night at Staples Center.
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Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. flies to the basket during the Slam Dunk Contest.
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Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oldaipo puts on a “Black Panther” mask given to him by the star of the blockbuster movie, Chadwick Bosman, during the Slam Dunk Contest.
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Pacers guard Victor Oladipo wears a “Black Panther” mask while participating in the Slam Dunk contest.
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Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. wears his father’s Phoenix Suns uniform during the Slam Dunk Contest.
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Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell winds up as he elevates during the Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night at Staples Center.
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Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. throws down a windmill dunk after taking a pass from his father, Larry Nance Sr., who won the first Slam Dunk contest in 1984.
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Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell is congratulated by Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. after winning the Slam Dunk Contest.
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Suns guard’ Devin Booker lines up a shot during the Three-Point Shooting Contest on Saturday night at Staples Center.
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Spencer Dinwiddie poses with the Skills Challenge Trophy after winning the competition on Saturday night at Staples Center.
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Lou Williams competed in the Skills Challenge on Saturday night at Staples Center. He would lose in the first round to eventual champion Spencer Dinwiddie.
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Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic of Team World celebrates after receiving the Rising Stars Challenge MVP Trophy from Chris Webber on Friday night at Staples Center.
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Buddy Hield of Team World is defended by Jaylen Brown of Team USA during the Rising Stars Challenge.
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Team World’s Bogdan Bogdanovic made seven three-pointers to finish with 26 points in the Rising Stars game.
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Dennis Smith Jr., of Team USA elevates for a dunk during the Rising Stars game.
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Lauri Markkanen of Team World finishes off a dunk during the Rising Stars game at Staples Center.
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Team World’s Dillon Brooks is set to throw down a dunk during the Rising Stars game on Friday.
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Team USA forward Kyle Kuzma attempts a reverse layup against Domantas Sabonis of Team World during the Rising Stars game.
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Team World forward Ben Simmons sends a pass ahead to a teammate during the Rising Stars game on Friday night at Staples Center.
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Quavo, center, accepts the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game MVP Trophy on Friday evening.
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Michael B. Jordan and Jason Williams greet each other during the Celebrity Game at Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday.
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Nick Cannon and Justin Bieber watch the Celebrity Game from Team Lakers bench on Friday.
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Actor Jamie Foxx jokes around before the start of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday.
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Rachel DeMita of Team Clippers attempts a shot against Stefanie Dolson of Team Lakers during the 2018 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at Los Angeles Convention Center.
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Team Clippers’ Quavo leads a fast break against Team Lakers’ Justin Bieber during the 2018 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday at Los Angeles Convention Center.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images) After James scored on a layup, DeRozan again was in a situation to help his team.
But he turned the ball over on a bad pass.
That led to Russell Westbrook — another L.A. product who went to Leuzinger High and UCLA — scoring a basket to give Team LeBron a 148-145 lead.
Team Stephen had one last opportunity, but Curry was double teamed and was unable to release a three-pointer. He passed the ball to DeRozan in the corner, but his three-point attempt came after the buzzer sounded.
After the game, DeRozan was reminded that the last two times the All-Star Game was played in L.A., the MVP award was won by Lakers — center Shaquille O’Neal (2004) and guard Kobe Bryant (2011), both of whom were considered de facto L.A. guys.
DeRozan was being mentioned for the most valuable player award for his team. It went to James.
“You just want to break my heart some more, huh?” DeRozan responded when asked that question. “Hey, just being out there was a blessing, man, honestly. Just being able to be part of that. If that would have happened, that would have happened, man. I’m just happy to be out there competing with them guys.”
There was pain for DeRozan in losing a game he wanted to win, but there was triumph in having a “dream come true” playing in an All-Star game in his community.
“This is one of the moments that I’m going to forever live with,” he said. “Being able to be a part of this, to come from where I come from and come out here and be a starter for an All-Star team in my hometown, it definitely was a dream come true.”
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