NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Ray Allen scored half of his 28 points in the last four minutes and LeBron James added 27 points Sunday to lead the East past the West 134-128 in the National Basketball Association All-Star Game.

The West had squandered a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter but Allen, a Boston Celtics guard who was a late substitution in the event for injured Caron Butler of Washington, caught fire from 3-point range when it mattered most.

The East won for the third time in four years after losing to the West last year. The triumph lifted the East's edge in the all-time rivalry to 35-22.

Allen, a reserve, sank three 3-pointers to give the East a 125-122 lead but Chris Paul equalized for the West with a 3-pointer with 96 seconds to play.

James, named the Most Valuable Player with eight rebounds and nine assists in addition to his second-best point total, responded with a driving slam dunk over Dirk Nowitzki to put the East ahead to stay.

"We got a big lead in the first half and we weathered their comeback in the fourth quarter," James said. "It was a good comeback but we were able to pull it out."

Dwyane Wade blocked a Nowitzki shot and made a layup to stretch the East lead and Allen hit a layup and three free throws in the final seconds to secure the victory.

"Ray Allen had a heck of a shooting night," James said. "He kept us in the game."

The East pushed the lead as large as 95-79 in the third quarter before the West rallied in the fourth quarter, taking their first lead at 112-110 with 6:52 remaining on Nowitzki's inside jumper that completed a 17-2 West run.

Dwight Howard added 16 points for the East while Wade and Chris Bosh had 14 each. Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Brandon Roy each scored 18 points to lead the West. Chris Paul added 16 points and 14 assists for the West.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, with a torn tendon and broken bone in his right pinky, started but played only the first 2:52 before being benched for the night, having played only because he risked a suspension not doing so.

"We had an agreement to make sure he played very little and get him out as soon as possible," West coach Byron Scott said. "I just want to make sure he's as healthy as he can be for the second half of the season."

The East never trailed on the way to a 74-65 half-time lead, with James and Dwight Howard each scoring 12 first-half points and powering a second quarter flurry to hold off a West rally.

Brandon Roy's 3-pointer pulled with West within 48-46 before James and Howard combined for all the scoring in a 14-7 East run to build a 62-53 edge, James leading the way with eight points.

James sandwiched a slam dunk between two by Howard on consecutive East possessions during the run, the playmakers taking turns exciting the crowd by slamming down spectacular high-leaping acrobatic jams.