duncan228
02-16-2009, 02:06 AM
Shaq, Kobe share MVP honors in All-Star win (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Shaq_Kobe_share_MVP_honors_in_All-Star_win.html)
Mike Monroe
PHOENIX — NBA All-Star Weekend, which often seemed overshadowed by the disarray of the host city's team, ended Sunday with a game that lacked most of the showmanship basketball fans have come to expect from this annual star-studded game.
An All-Star Game without a single lob-and-dunk until the fourth quarter?
Was it the 2009 All-Star Game, or the 1959 game, when the co-MVPs were Elgin Baylor and Bob Pettit?
There were co-MVPs in this one, too, and the fact they were former Lakers teammates Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant at least provided some postgame intrigue to an event that was otherwise lacking in drama.
The Western Conference scored a 146-119 victory — the sort of blowout that usually sends much of the crowd home long before the final buzzer. It seemed a fitting end to a weekend that NBA fans in the Valley of the Sun will remember most for the negativity around their hometown team.
Could there be some sort of curse hanging over US Airways Center, where the host Suns have played themselves out of playoff contention and are about to fire their head coach, Terry Porter, after less than one full season?
The best thing that happened for the Suns all weekend? O'Neal's All-Star turn.
The Phoenix center, making his 15th All-Star appearance, did his best to add some entertainment value, before, during and after the game.
He showed off his dance moves during pregame introductions and toyed with the crowd during the game, as well.
For that reason alone, he deserved his portion of the game's Most Valuable Player Award, which he shared with Bryant.
Inevitably, the two former teammates were asked if Sunday's game made them wistful, perhaps hoping they could have a full-time reunion in the future.
“We are not going to go back to the room and watch ‘Steel Magnolias' or something like that,” Bryant said. “You know what I'm saying? Crying, all that stuff. We had a good time. That's all.”
O'Neal gave in, ever so slightly, to the melancholy.
“It felt like old times,” he said. “He was really looking for me, especially when we went to a pick-and-roll and they had Rashard Lewis on me.”
In just 11 minutes of court time O'Neal made 8-of-9 shots and scored 17 points, while having more fun than any All-Star.
The 7-foot-1, 325-pound veteran with a “Superman” S tattooed on his biceps danced with the hip-hop dance group “JabbaWockeeZ” during pregame introductions and treated the game as if he were showing off on the playground.
He sparked a 19-0 run for the West in the second quarter and had four dunks in a three-minute stretch of the third quarter.
Bryant had 27 points to lead all scorers.
Spurs guard Tony Parker, playing his third All-Star Game, made 7 of 11 shots and scored 14 points, his best performance in three All-Star appearances.
It was Parker who finally gave the crowd an All-Star type of play to enjoy, a lob pass to Brandon Roy for a dunk with 9:32 left in the third period. He finished with four assists.
“I was trying to bring a little bit of excitement,” Parker said. “I got an alley-oop for Chris Paul, too. I don't get a chance to do any alley-oops all year in San Antonio, so I had to take advantage of my chance.”
Parker credited Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coaches the West, for giving him the green light to create some offense.
“I was just trying to be aggressive,” Parker said. “Phil told me to try some pick-and-rolls, the same thing I do in San Antonio, so that's what I did.”
Spurs forward Tim Duncan, voted a starter for the 10th time, scored six points, on 3-for-5 shooting. He had three rebounds and two assists.
Spurs' showings
Tim Duncan: 18 minutes, six points (3-of-5 shooting), three rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block
Tony Parker: 20 minutes, 14 points (7-of-11 shooting), four rebounds, four assists, two steals
Mike Monroe
PHOENIX — NBA All-Star Weekend, which often seemed overshadowed by the disarray of the host city's team, ended Sunday with a game that lacked most of the showmanship basketball fans have come to expect from this annual star-studded game.
An All-Star Game without a single lob-and-dunk until the fourth quarter?
Was it the 2009 All-Star Game, or the 1959 game, when the co-MVPs were Elgin Baylor and Bob Pettit?
There were co-MVPs in this one, too, and the fact they were former Lakers teammates Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant at least provided some postgame intrigue to an event that was otherwise lacking in drama.
The Western Conference scored a 146-119 victory — the sort of blowout that usually sends much of the crowd home long before the final buzzer. It seemed a fitting end to a weekend that NBA fans in the Valley of the Sun will remember most for the negativity around their hometown team.
Could there be some sort of curse hanging over US Airways Center, where the host Suns have played themselves out of playoff contention and are about to fire their head coach, Terry Porter, after less than one full season?
The best thing that happened for the Suns all weekend? O'Neal's All-Star turn.
The Phoenix center, making his 15th All-Star appearance, did his best to add some entertainment value, before, during and after the game.
He showed off his dance moves during pregame introductions and toyed with the crowd during the game, as well.
For that reason alone, he deserved his portion of the game's Most Valuable Player Award, which he shared with Bryant.
Inevitably, the two former teammates were asked if Sunday's game made them wistful, perhaps hoping they could have a full-time reunion in the future.
“We are not going to go back to the room and watch ‘Steel Magnolias' or something like that,” Bryant said. “You know what I'm saying? Crying, all that stuff. We had a good time. That's all.”
O'Neal gave in, ever so slightly, to the melancholy.
“It felt like old times,” he said. “He was really looking for me, especially when we went to a pick-and-roll and they had Rashard Lewis on me.”
In just 11 minutes of court time O'Neal made 8-of-9 shots and scored 17 points, while having more fun than any All-Star.
The 7-foot-1, 325-pound veteran with a “Superman” S tattooed on his biceps danced with the hip-hop dance group “JabbaWockeeZ” during pregame introductions and treated the game as if he were showing off on the playground.
He sparked a 19-0 run for the West in the second quarter and had four dunks in a three-minute stretch of the third quarter.
Bryant had 27 points to lead all scorers.
Spurs guard Tony Parker, playing his third All-Star Game, made 7 of 11 shots and scored 14 points, his best performance in three All-Star appearances.
It was Parker who finally gave the crowd an All-Star type of play to enjoy, a lob pass to Brandon Roy for a dunk with 9:32 left in the third period. He finished with four assists.
“I was trying to bring a little bit of excitement,” Parker said. “I got an alley-oop for Chris Paul, too. I don't get a chance to do any alley-oops all year in San Antonio, so I had to take advantage of my chance.”
Parker credited Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coaches the West, for giving him the green light to create some offense.
“I was just trying to be aggressive,” Parker said. “Phil told me to try some pick-and-rolls, the same thing I do in San Antonio, so that's what I did.”
Spurs forward Tim Duncan, voted a starter for the 10th time, scored six points, on 3-for-5 shooting. He had three rebounds and two assists.
Spurs' showings
Tim Duncan: 18 minutes, six points (3-of-5 shooting), three rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block
Tony Parker: 20 minutes, 14 points (7-of-11 shooting), four rebounds, four assists, two steals