NBA All-Star Saturday 2011 Results & Winners

If you bet on Derrick Rose, Ray Allen and Blake Griffin to win tonight's All-Star Saturday contests, you were 1 for 3. As predicted, LA Clippers star Blake Griffin took the trophy for the dunk contest, after he leaped over a parked car in a single bound. That car was a brand new Kia and had his teammate Baron Davis inside, tossing the ball out of it from the sunroof.

The dunk contest capped off the night of events for All-Star Weekend 2011, which started with the Haier Shooting Stars contest. Teams of 3 players competed, made up of a WNBA player, current NBA star and legend from NBA past. The winning team was the Atlanta squad composed of Coco Miller, Steve Smith and Al Horford. Horford hit the big half-court three-point shot to help them win in good time. The defending champs, Team Texas, couldn't put that shot away, even with Kenny Smith and Dirk Nowitski on the floor.

Next up, it was the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. Competing in 2011 were Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, John Wall and Chris Paul. Stephen Curry ran through the course featuring dribbling, passing and shooting drills, in excellent time. Nobody was as fast as the young star and he took the trophy while also earning a young female fan a $30,000 scholarship. Not bad!

The Three-Point Shootout was next in line, with all eyes on the new NBA leader in 3's, Ray Allen. Allen would beat out his Celtics teammate, Paul Pierce, and make it to the finals, against James Jones. Jones was not predicted by many to win it, but he was the real deal tonight. The Heat star scored 20 in the finals, while Allen faltered on his final rack, finishing with 15. Congratulations to Jones, although Ray Allen still reigns supreme all-time.

And then there was the dunk contest...People have been sour on this event in year's past, and it did offer some creativity this time around. There was a questionable score of 50 given to Serge Ibaka on his takeoff from behind the FT line. DeMar DeRozan had some impressive slams, but the finals came down to Javal McGee of the Wizards against Blake Griffin of the Clippers. McGee had some interesting dunks, one of which included two basketballs and two rims next to each other. Another included McGee dunking 3 balls into one basket, in succession.

However, Blake Griffin and his hype man coach, Kenny Smith had a master plan. Griffin's final dunk involved a brand new Kia brought to the floor near the basket. Smith had a Crenshaw Choir singing "I Believe I Can Fly" and then Griffin ran, jumped, caught the pass from Davis from the car, and jumped over the hood of the car to dunk. After the recently added idea of fans voting for the finals by text or internet, Griffin had won the event. In an emotional moment, he dedicated the win to his best friend who recently passed away.

Hat's off to all of the competitors on some great contests tonight. Also, a shout to the hilarious commentary of the TNT team with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Reggie Miller. Now we can all look forward to a fun game on Sunday night when East meets West!

NBA All-Star Weekend 2011 Events Schedule & Participants

NBA All-Star Weekend 2011 is here, so it's time to get familiar with which NBA stars will be participating. There's a range of events include the Skills Contest, Three-Point Contest and Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. Stars such as Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin and John Wall will all be featured.

By the way, the Rookies defeated the Sophomores 148-140 on Friday evening, with John Wall capturing the MVP award. DeMarcus Cousins contributed mightily with 33pts and 15rbds, while Wall had 12 points and an amazing 22 assists. Blake Griffin added 14pts, while DeJuan Blair was a standout for the Sophomores with 28pts.

All-Star Saturday kicks off after 8PM EST on TNT.

Haier Shooting Stars 2011:

Team Atlanta: Al Horford (Hawks), Coco Miller (WNBA's Atlanta Dream), Steve Smith (Legend)

Team Chicago: Taj Gibson (Bulls), Cathrine Kraayveld (WNBA's Chicago Sky), Steve Kerr (Legend)

Team Los Angeles: Pau Gasol (Lakers), Tina Thompson (WNBA's L.A. Sparks), Rick Fox (Legend)

Team Texas: Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks), Roneeka Hodges (WNBA's S.A. Silver Stars), Kenny Smith (Legend)

Taco Bell Skills Challenge 2011:

Chris Paul (NO)
Stephen Curry (GS)
Derrick Rose (CHI)
John Wall (WAS)
Russell Westbrook (OKC)

2011 Foot Locker Three-Point Contest:

Ray Allen Boston
Kevin Durant Okla. City
Daniel Gibson Cleveland
James Jones Miami
Paul Pierce Boston
Dorell Wright Golden State

2011 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest:

DeMar DeRozan (Tor)
Blake Griffin (LAC)
Serge Ibaka (OKC)
JaVale McGee (WAS)

This will all be a precursor to the big game Sunday night when East meets West. TNT will air the All-Star game starting at 8PM EST!

Fixing the NBA Slam Dunk Contest

(Gerald Wallace almost can't bear to watch..)

This weekend's 2010 All-Star events and activities made one glaring statement: the Slam Dunk contest needs serious revision. This year's contest was simply lackluster and the looks on the faces of other players and celebs witnessing it had to make David Stern just a bit uneasy about his product. You really have to wonder what former dunk champions Dominique Wilkins and Spudd Webb were thinking as they judged the young guys out there failing to do dunks that everyone's seen before. Even Spike Lee had trouble hiding the frown on his face as he was up close to witness a whole lot of nothing this year. TNT's Charles Barkley said it best before the winner was announced "Maybe no one will win". Spectators surely lost their time.

We all know now that the Knicks Nate Robinson was crowned the winner, via the fan vote, and wisely has announced he will retire from the competition now as its first 3-time winner. Robinson's gimmick was just like Spudd Webb's: he's a small dunker who has the crowd behind him due to his size. Nate didn't exactly bring anything groundbreaking beyond that. In year's past he used more creativity, but faltered in 2010. Now that his gimmick is over with, it's time to overhaul this annual favorite and bring back the prestige of the dunk contest.

1) Guys need to get serious - Several of the competitors looked like they just showed up to show up, but didn't bring it. Gerald Wallace did some powerhouse dunks but nothing new and seemed like he was bored to be there. DeMarcus DeRozan had the only 50 of the bunch, and even his dunk had been seen before. Shannon Brown showed up to the delight of Lakers fans, but then generated the most excitement when Kobe Bryant stood near the basket to toss the ball for an ally-oop. It seems that the use of props is the way to go, and Nate Robinson sort of did that, but it could have been better. Dunkers, bring your A game dunk material. Put a 10 scorecard over the basket, jump up pull the card off and jam. Study up on the previous legendary contest winners and put a new spin on their classic dunks. Much like Hollywood is rebooting and remaking various movie franchises, the NBA guys may need to look deep to generate interest in the contest.

2) Change format a bit- Over the years the format of the dunk contest has seen all sorts of changes, from having them spin a wheel to determine the dunk they had to do, to making them use a teammate, or making them dunk to music. The current time and rounds format aren't so bad, but adding two more dunkers could make it interesting. It's unknown why they've made it just four players, when in the past there were more dunkers to watch do their thing. Also, they had a "Dunk-in" this year to add the fourth guy, but those two guys are relatively unknown to the mainstream. It worked out this year, since DeRozen made the finals, but why not just have a list of ten prospective dunkers, and the fans vote on NBA.com. The six with the highest vote totals are in the contest. And having the fans vote on the finals is ok, but when it's an unknown player versus a major market former dunk winner, who has the advantage there?

3) Add in some non-NBA dunkers? It was recently suggested that they should maybe add in a guy out of the D-League who can do a 720 dunk, or even a street baller, a random fan who has some incredible dunking ability. Good ideas. Let them compete in a dunk-off, and make the prize money worthy. In relation to point #1, if a non-NBA guy is in there and showing his stuff, with prize money and pride on the line an NBA player will want to get serious to represent. Last thing the NBA dunkers want is to lose to "mere mortals" from outside their league. Maybe even add a legend who still has some hops (no not Shawn Kemp).

4) Hold an All-Star caliber dunk contest - Once again, it's time to get serious. As we all see in the All-Star game, that tends to be the real dunk contest on display as Lebron, Wade, Kobe and others woo the crowd with their skills. Over the past several years, the Skills Challenge has featured guys who have those skills and are all-star caliber players. This year's finals came down to Nash and Williams, and past winners have included Derrick Rose and D-Wade. The dunk contest should feature the game's best dunkers. Jason Richardson, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant are just five names that come to mind. Vince Carter is another, but has aged beyond the contest. I'm not sure if they need to prove it, but it would be great for the fans. These are the elite dunkers of the league and they probably feel they have nothing to prove to the rest of the league, outside of winning games and rings. However, the fans are antsy and the dunk contest needs to be re-born. NBA, dunkers, and commish Stern, let's get serious!

Feel free to leave your own ideas on how to fix the slam dunk contest, or comments on whether it even needs fixin'!

NBA All-Star game 2010 results: East outlasts West 141-139

(MVP D-Wade's 28 points gives East the 2 point win)

On Sunday night, the largest crowd ever to witness a basketball game, let alone the All-Star game was on hand in Dallas. The Dallas Cowboy Stadium held 90,000 plus as they watched the 2010 NBA All-Star game. The previous record for a basketball game was back in 2003 with over 78,000 watching Michigan St. battle Kentucky at Ford Field. For an NBA All-Star game, 44,735 packed into the Houston Astrodome in 1989. And to further illustrate the large scale nature of the stadium, an 11,000-plus foot HDTV Jumbotron hung over the court to show the action. The court was set around the 50-yard line and raised up about 30 inches so the coaches and bench players could sit below it on the sides.

Intros were flashy, but nothing like Shaq dancing with the Jabberwockeez at a previous All-star affair. This time around, pop R*B star Usher did a mini-concert on a stage behind the court, then lowered into the set with his dance crew, before each squad was introduced. As guessed, the Mavs Jason Kidd and then Dirk Nowitski received the biggest applause of the bunch, although Kobe and Lebron didn't do so bad.

In the first quarter, the East shot 53% from the floor and closed out with a 37-34 lead. There weren't any particular flashy plays for a surprise start to the game, with both squads seeming to play some tight defense early on. It almost seemed like the absence of AI and Kobe may have made things a bit dry in the earlygoing, as the 90,000 plus crowd didn't seem to wake up much.

In the second half there were plenty more dunks and "ahhh" moments from the crowd, including some fancy passes and breakaways. At halftime, the East had jumped out in front by a score of 76-69 behind double digit scoring from Lebron (11), Howard (11), Wade and Bosh (10 each). Meanwhile, the Western squad was lead by Carmelo Anthony's 17 points with 8 rebounds, as well as 10 points from Kevin Durant off the bench. Hometown favorite Dirk Nowitski had 8 points despite some flat shooting early on. Steve Nash provided his own leadership in the form of 7 assists for the West.

Halftime performances made the Who's Superbowl 44 gig pale in comparison as a sexy Shakira opened with her She Wolf hit in a cage. Kenny Smith called it "sensory overload". Her performance was followed by Miss Alicia Keys who did a medley of hits including a version of "Empire State of Mind" using All-Star in place of "New York".

Dwight Howard's rebound followed by taking it all the way down the court for a one-handed jam, highlighted the third quarter as the East continued with their double digit lead. Lebron had two impressive reverse slams to get the crowd oohing and ahhing heading into a commercial break. At the 7 minute mark, the East was up by 11, after Amare Stoudemire's tip-in. Carmelo Anthony continued his hot-scoring streak to get up to 25 points in the third. TNT's Craig Sager spoke to Kobe Bryant on the sidelines who was out due to his ankle injury. Kobe mentioned it was disappointing to be just watching, and Craig Sager joked how a woman said to Kobe she had payed 8g's for his seat at the All-Star game, then was thrown out. It's unknown exactly what that incident was about. Kevin Durant's 3-point shot as time expired brought the West to within 10. The East lead 118-109.

The West closed the gap significantly in the fourth, as it was as close as 1 point. Down just two points at the final minute, "Mr Big Shot" Chauncey Billups tied it at 137 a piece with his fallaway jumpshot. Lebron lost the ball on the next possession but it went off Melo as Stan Van Gundy called a time out to draw up a play. James missed a catch-and-shoot opportunity, and his possible new teammate Amare Stoudemire fielded the rebound. Thinking the West was down by 2, Derron Williams made a big mistake fouling Dwyane Wade, putting the Heat star at the line with 12.7 to go. Wade hit both to put the East back ahead by 2. Howard fouled Nowitski on the West's play out of a timeout, putting the hometown hero at the line. The 90% shooter tied things up with 7.7 left, making for an exciting potential finish to the game.

In the closing seconds, Chris Bosh was tripped up on the inbounds play, sending him to the line. The Raptors star hit both, and once again the East was up 2. With 5 seconds left, the West gave the ball to Carmelo Anthony for an attempted 3 at the buzzer. Guarded by D-Wade, Melo's shot drew iron and bounced off the rim. The Eastern Conference takes the game 141-139, with the MVP trophy handed out by Commissioner David Stern to Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. Wade's 28 points and 11 rebounds helped the East win the game, and gave the star his first ever All-Star MVP award.

A massive crowd of over 108,000 witnessed tonight's close game in Dallas to set a new attendance record for a basketball game. David Stern noted it was a new Guiness Book of World Records record. They really did it BIG in Dallas, TX for All-Star Sunday night...

See more 2010 NBA All-Star game coverage at NBA.com

All-Star Saturday Night 2010 winners

(Nash, Pierce, Robinson shine on All-Star Saturday)

Dunkers, sharpshooters and skilled ballers all arrived in Dallas for Saturday night. That's when the NBA stars of the past, present and future make their way onto the courts for NBA All-Star Saturday. The annual events include the All-Star Skills Challenge, 3 Point Shootout and the crowning of a new Slam Dunk champion.

Haier Shooting Stars contest

The Haier Shooting Stars contest kicked off the events, where teams of three players from different cities competed in a timed shooting event which required shots from different spots on the court. The teams consisted of a current WNBA player from that city, an NBA player from the city and then a former player as well. This year's teams included Los Angeles (Marie Ferdinand-Harris, Brent Barry & Pau Gasol), Atlanta (Angel McCoughtry, Steve Smith & Joe Johnson), Sacramento (Nicole Powell, Chris Webber & Tyreke Evans) and the hometown Texas squad (Becky Hammon, Kenny Smith & Dirk Nowitski). In the early going of the contest, two former players hit half court shots for their teams (Brent Barry, Steve Smith). LA had the time to beat of 1:00 minute flat in the early round. Team Sacramento had to beat a time of 1:47 and just did so by 1 second on Nicole Powell's half court shot. Kenny Smith's half court shot made the third by a former player/TNT analyst in the opening round. LA & Texas advanced to the finals where the Texas team finished in an impressive 34 seconds behind some sharpshooting including a Dirk Nowitski half court shot. The Dallas fans were definitely pleased with the win.

Taco Bell Skills Challenge

(Nash's pinpoint passing comes in handy for Skills challenge)

In the Taco Bell skills challenge, last year's champion Derrick Rose sat out this year's contest due to a nagging injury. Taking his place was Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Also competing were Phoenix Suns star Steve Nash, the 2005 winner, and Derron Williams, the 2008 winner, which is just the way things worked out for the finals of the challenge. Steve Nash put up a time to beat of 29.9 to open the finals, putting the heat on 2008 champion Derron Williams. Williams messed up one of the final 2 passes that went in and out. It took him several more tries after that to get the pass through the hoop, giving Steve Nash the 2010 Skills Challenge victory.

After an intro from Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, as well as a video message from former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton it was a special halftime performance. Grammy Award-winning recording artist and Dallas native Erykah Badu performed her rendition of the James Taylor classic "You've Got a Friend" at halftime to represent the spirit of the NBA cares program.

Foot Locker Three-Point contest

(Pierce leaves the Dallas arena as 3-Point Champion)

This year's 3-Point contest competitors featured the likes of Paul Pierce, Channing Frye, Danilo Gallinari of the Knicks, Chauncey Billups, rookie Stephan Curry, and the defending-champ Daequan Cook of the Miami Heat. Defending champion Daquean Cook was eliminated early as Stephan Curry put up a score of 18, while Chauncey Billups and Pierce both had 17's. Pierce and Billups had a mini-shootout between the two to determine Curry's opponent for the finals, with Pierce getting a score of 20 to make the it. Curry and Pierce faced off for the crown, with Pierce's scoring of 20 besting Curry's score of 17. The commentators were surprised by Pierce's victory, despite him being the top scorer for Boston as they said he's not generally known for 3-point shooting. Pierce said he feels he's one of the better shooters in NBA history.

2010 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

(Robinson makes 2010 dunk history, 3-time winner)

The main event most years is the Slam Dunk contest. This year the defending champion Nate Robinson looked for a repeate as he battled Gerald Wallace, Shannon Brown of the Lakers, and the first-ever "Dunk-in" winner DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors. The "Dunk-in" was a contest held at halftime of the Rookies vs. Sophomores game between DeRozan and the Clippers Eric Gordon. Each did a variety of dunks and fans were able to text in their votes for whose dunks they preferred with DeRozan getting the nod.

In the dunk contest, each contestant got two minutes for each of their 2 dunks in the first round, with the top two scorers advancing. Dunks were judged by a panel of five judges consisting of former NBA players, several of whom won the dunk contest before. Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Derek Harper, Dominique Wilkins and Spudd Webb were the judges for the 2010 dunk contest. In the final round, fans were able to vote via text message or NBA.com

DeMar Rozan's windmill dunk from his teammate Sonny Weems' bounce pass off the side of the backboard wowed the judges enough to get the first perfect 50 score of the night to move him forward into the next round with a 92. The defending champion and crowd favorite Nate Robinson also advanced with a two round score of 89.

The 2010 dunk contest may not have held too many thrills, but thanks to the fans, Nate Robinson repeated as Slam Dunk champion with 51% of the vote going in his favor. Robinson may have won it with his use of props including the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. After his finals dunk, which was a double clutch reverse dunk, he grabbed a set of pom poms to celebrate, getting the Dallas crowd revved up. Nate posed with his trophy in front of the Cowgirls to celebrate his victory.

See Nate Robinson's winning dunk here

All-Star game 2010 roster changes

Kobe's out. So is AI. Chris Paul's on crutches. So who exactly is playing in Sunday's game? Starting for the Eastern Conference will be Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard and recent addition, Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks. On the Westside of the equation, Dirk Nowitski gets the start in place of the injured Kobe Bryant (sprained ankle). He'll be the hometown hero since the game is to be played in Dallas, Texas. Joining Dirk will be the familiar All-Star faces: Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire and Tim Duncan.

As for reserves we've got Derrick Rose, Chris Bosh, Al Horford, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace and yes last minute replacement, David Lee of the New York Knicks. Lee received a call earlier this past week that he had just 20 minutes to go catch the NBA charter flight to Dallas so he could play in his first ever All-Star game on Sunday.

On the Western bench will be MVP candidate Kevin Durant of the OKC Thunder, Pau Gasol from the Lakers, and the Clippers Chris Kaman replacing the injured Kobe. Other reserves include Derron Williams of the Jazz, Zach Randolph (Memphis), and Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups (replacing Paul).

The big stories are the fact that Kobe and Iverson won't be part of the game. Kobe's got a legitimate injury he's been sitting out with from regular games. Iverson has been missing games recently due to an undisclosed family matter. Some are starting to speculate that Iverson will officially retire soon due to the fact he was a no-show for the big game after the fans voted him to start.

Other news is that Derrick Rose will battle through injury to play because this is a dream of his. There's been some contentions that Jason Kidd doesn't deserve a spot on the reserves with his current stats, while maybe rookie star Tyreke Evans does. The best reasoning for the Kidd inclusion is the fact the game's in Dallas where the fans will root for Kidd, and he's been amongst the All-Stars for several years, with league-leading assist numbers. Also, the Kings aren't exactly getting it done record-wise, while the Mavs are among the playoff contenders in the West. The best case for Tyreke Evans may be the fact he picked up the MVP award in today's Rookie's vs Sophomores game to prove just how good he is as the Rookies actually won.

Could this be the year Dirk picks up the All-Star MVP award? Or will a newcomer like Kevin Durant or Brandon Roy snag the honor? Don't count out the East either with Lebron and the rest of the crew.

Feel free to leave your comments about the new additions to the All-star game lineups, and your predictions on who will win the game and MVP award below.

NBA All-Star 2010 Reserves announced

Reserves for the 2010 NBA All-Star game in Dallas, Texas were announced earlier, with seven first-time players making the cut. These will include Chicago Bull Derrick Rose, Boston's Rajon Rondo, Atlanta's Al Horford, Gerald Wallace of the Bobcats, Kevin Durant of the Thunder, Zach Randolph of Memphis and Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz. Each of these players has earned their first ever spot on the All-Star team, serving as reserve players. All-star reserves are selected by the coaches from the respective Conference, while the starters are voted in by the fans. Here's a look at each conference's full All-star lineups.

Eastern Conference All-Stars

Starters:
Allen Iverson G
Dwyane Wade G
Lebron James F
Kevin Garnett F
Dwight Howard C

Reserves:
Derrick Rose G
Rajon Rondo G
Joe Johnson G
Chris Bosh F
Al Horford F
Gerald Wallace F
Paul Pierce F

Western Conference All-Stars

Starters:
Steve Nash G
Kobe Bryant G
Carmelo Anthony F
Tim Duncan F
Amare Stoudamire C

Reserves:
Kevin Durant F
Pau Gasol F
Dirk Nowitski F
Chris Paul G
Zach Randolph F
Brandon Roy G
Deron Williams G

This will mark Kevin Garnett's 13th appearance in the All-Star game, with Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan each having 12 appearances. Allen Iverson will have his 11th appearance on an All-star team, Dirk Nowitski his 9th, and Paul Pierce will make his 8th appearance on the team. If any player is unfortunately unable to play in the game, NBA Commissioner David Stern selects his choice as replacement.

The 2010 NBA All-Star game goes down on Sunday, February 14, 2010, Valentine's Day, in Dallas, Texas before an expected crowd of more than 80,000 fans.

2010 NBA All-Star starting lineups revealed

According to NBA.com, the Eastern and Western starters have been announced as voted on by the fans for the NBA All Star game 2010 edition. Both teams will feature some familiar faces who have been commonplace on the squads over the past several years, including the return of AI in the East.

This year's Eastern Conference squad will feature a starting lineup which includes guards Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade, forwards Lebron James and Kevin Garnett, and center Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic. Many have questioned the selection of Iverson during his worst campaign of his career, as he's returned to play for the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the fans have spoken and Iverson will be amongst the competitors.

For the West, two Phoenix Suns have been voted onto the starting team, with guard Steve Nash and forward/center Amare Stoudamire. Joining them will be Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, Tim Duncan of the Spurs and Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets. Anthony struggled in year's past to get onto the team, but now seems to have become a fan favorite.

Last year's game went down in Phoenix with a reunion of former teammates, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal sharing the MVP honors, despite their recent feud. The West crushed the East by a score of 146-119, so the East will be looking for some possible revenge out in Dallas.

They're doing it up big for this year's 2010 NBA All-Star game too. The game is to be held in Texas at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Estimates have put the crowd at near 100,000 fans. The game will be played the night of Sunday, February 14, 2010, and most likely with the game in Dallas, Mavs GM Mark Cuban will make sure the night is full of entertainment for all.

See ticket information for NBA All-Star 2010 here.

For more on this year's All-star game visit NBA.com

How the West Won: 146-119 All-Star Game Blowout

(It's a man, it's a mime, it's Shaq-Fu!)

Welcome back, Shaq and Kobe...The dynamic duo teamed up for the first time since their LA Laker days of old glory to lead the West to a big blowout win in the 58th annual NBA All-Star Game Sunday Night. It was the West pounding the East by a final score of 146-119 as the stars came out to shine in Phoenix. Looking on from the crowd were the likes of Chris Tucker, Ludacris, Jay-Z & Beyone, Senator John McCain and his wife, and boxing legend, Muhammad Ali.

Prior to the actual game were the always colorful introductions. In the past we've seen Yao and his starting mates do breakdance moves. This year, Shaq decided to get introduced in grand fashion as he emerged onto the stage wearing his very own white mask (ala Michael Meyers), then proceeded to break it on down with the hip-hop dance group, Jabbawockeez. All that was missing were Shaq's fellow hip hop friends Fu-Schnickens for a surprise rap reunion on stage. Nonetheless, Kobe must have been smiling ear to ear, happy that Shaq wasn't delivering yet another freestyle rap in his direction, and that the two were on the floor together again as teammates. According to NBA.com's game recap there was little interaction between the two, but they claim they've patched things up.

Kobe seemed on a mission early on, as the commentators mentioned he took about 11 or so shot attempts in the first quarter. Then again, the West was coached by his good pal and current coach, Phil Jackson who had no problem leaving his star on the court. Bryant scored a game high 27 while Shaq added 17 to help the West dominate. The two former Lakers alum shared the MVP award honors after the game. Hometown star, Amare Stoudamire chipped in 19 for a West team that avenged its loss against the East last year in New Orleans. The East was lead by posterchild Lebron James' 20, followed by 18 a piece from Dwyane Wade and Paul Pierce. Several newcomers to the game saw action and their first stats in the game, including Devin Harris, Danny Granger and Mo Williams.

The glaring difference amongst the two teams which seems to have plagued the East in the past was the Eastern Conference's lack of size. Even though the East had lead vote-getter and Superman, Dwight Howard on its starting lineup alongside KG, that's where their size ended. The bench held no real help as Chris Bosh was injured, and all that remained were the likes of Danny Granger, Rashard Lewis and Paul Pierce, none of whom really size up with guys like Paul Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki or David West. Note to the NBA coaches and Commish Stern: Try to have some parity in the game before lineups are finalized. It was nice to see Ray Allen get the nod when Jameer Nelson was unable to play due to injury, but the West had several guys capable of playing the PF or C position. The West took control of the boards, outrebounding the East 51-38, once again proving, size matters. So let's make it mandatory that each team must have 2 centers and 2 power forwards on the bench, no matter what. The East has a few of those right?

See the Full game recap and the full boxscore for the All-Star game here.

2009 All-Star Saturday: Skills, 3's & Dunks

Saturday night the stars came out in Phoenix to watch several hot competitions which served as a precursor to the 2009 NBA All-Star Game.

The always anticipated Dunk contest featured a showdown between last year's winner, big man Dwight Howard, and the smaller winner from several years ago, Nate Robinson from the New York Knicks. The battle took on a whole new level as the two finalists donned costumes. Dwight Howard had a second basketball hoop brought in via forklift, then ran to a phone booth in the crowd where he donned his familiar Superman cape. Howard then proceeded to dunk on a hoop that had been raised a lofty 12 feet, displaying his true athletic ability. Howard outdid himself when he did another dunk from the sidelines after tossing the ball off the side of the hoop, catching it, cocking it back and jamming it on the side.

Nate Robinson decided to play arch-enemy to Superman, Lex Luthor, when he emerged from the locker room dressed in the special green Knicks uniform and kicks, resembling Kryptonite. From there, Robinson launched into several impressive dunks. First up was a double-handed reverse. But the dunk that was the icing on the "cape" so to speak, was Robinson calling in his opponent, D-Howard, to stand facing the hoop. Robinson then charged full speed ahead and launched himself up and over Superman. It was a comic book finish to a zany dunk contest, which gave way to Robinson winning his 2nd dunk contest title. Robinson was informed as were fans watching that Lebron James has thrown his name into the contestants for 2010...Just when you thought there's nothing left to do, King Lebron will be ready to innovate in 2010!

Let's not forget about the previous competitions of the night, even though they usually pale in comparison to the dunks. In the skills contest it was Chicago's rookie phenom, Derrick Rose, who took home the victory. Rose even capped off his layup with a sweet dunk of his own...so why no dunk contest Rose? The three point shootout saw a relatively unknown winner in Dacquan Cook of the Miami Heat. He beat out Rashard Lewis in the finals. Detroit's team built of a WNBA star, NBA legend and NBA star took home the title in the team shootout competition.

With the festivities wrapped up on Saturday Night in Phoenix, the stage is set for the 2009 All-Star Game where Lebron, Kobe and the rest of the best will suit up to dazzle and astound the crowd!

2009 All-Star Rosters Set

(2009 All-Star Logo from NBA.com)

The 2009 NBA All-Star rosters are official for this year's game in Phoenix. There will be several first-timers making the trip to play in the mid-season NBA classic, with guards Devin Harris of the Nets and Jameer Nelson of the Magic suiting up in the East along with Forward Danny Granger of the Pacers. The West continues to follow tradition with its lineup which includes all returning players, as well as newcomer to the West, Denver's Chauncey Billups. Billups makes his 4th trip to the game after 3 appearances with the Pistons, while the hometown hero, Steve Nash was not selected for the first time since 2004. Pau Gasol, Chris Paul, Brandon Roy and David West all make just their 2nd appearance in the game, while starters Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan have been at least 10 times each. Phoenix Suns Center Shaquille O'Neal, who was named to the bench, makes his 15th All-Star appearance. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has more trips to the game with 19.

Starting players were voted on by fans via the internet and paper ballots, while the reserves were chosen by the league's 30 head coaches. Coaches were asked to choose two guards, two forwards, one center and two other players regardless of position from their conferences.

Eastern Conference Starters:

Allen Iverson (G) (Detroit)
Dwyane Wade (G) (Miami)
Lebron James (F) (Cleveland)
Kevin Garnett (F) (Boston)
Dwight Howard (C) (Orlando)

Eastern Conference Reserves:

Devin Harris (G) (New Jersey)
Jameer Nelson (G) (Orlando)
Joe Johnson (G) (Atlanta)
Danny Granger (F) (Indiana)
Rashard Lewis (F) (Orlando)
Paul Pierce (F) (Boston)
Chris Bosh (F/C) (Toronto)

Western Conference Starters:

Chris Paul (G) (New Orleans)
Kobe Bryant (G) (Los Angeles)
Tim Duncan (F) (San Antonio)
Amare Stoudamire (F) (Phoenix)
Yao Ming (C) (Houston)

Western Conference Reserves:

Chauncey Billups (G) (Denver)
Pau Gasol (F) (Los Angeles)
Dirk Nowitzki (F) (Dallas)
Tony Parker (G) (San Antonio)
Brandon Roy (G) (Portland)
David West (F) (New Orleans)
Shaquille O'Neal (C) (Phoenix)

Coaching the East squad will either be Mike Brown of the Cavs or Stan Van Gundy of the Magic, depending on which team has the best winning % through this weekend's games. Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson takes charge of the West. The All Star game will be the 58th edition, played in Phoenix at the US Airways Center on February 15th, 2009.

2009 NBA All-Star Jerseys

The new NBA All-Star jerseys by Adidas are available for sale at NBA.com store today, and have a futuristic style to them as seen in the above pictures. According to some reports the new jerseys can also improve your game. Mensfitness.com reports they're made of a material that's 31% lighter than the traditional basketball jerseys are with a tighter fit for improved mobility. Also the conference names and player numbers were bonded using glue rather than layers of twill sewn together.

Other features of the new jersey are a "gripper waist band" which keeps the jersey tucked in at all times, which is a league rule (not that the All-star game is rule heavy). There's also a better ventilation system in place, as Adidas mapped out the body's heat zone areas where players tend to sweat most and put ventilation holes over them. This ventilation system works in conjunction with the TECHFIT compression garments worn underneath jersey.

The 2009 All-Star game will take place in Phoenix, Arizona this year on February 15th. The uniform is said to feature a design with lines resembling Arizona's rock formations and colors "desert red" for the West and sunset blue for the East.

Pricing for the new jerseys: NBA All-Star Authentic Player Jerseys and Customized Jerseys: $200; NBA All-Star Swingman Jersey: $80; NBA All-Star Replica Jersey: $50. Available at NBAStore.com

2009 NBA All-Star Vote Leaders...

The NBA All-Star game arrives in just a month, illustrating how fast time keeps flying by this 200809 NBA season! This year's All-Star game will be held in Phoenix, Arizona on February 15th. That's just a day after Valentine's day, and many NBA players are hoping fans (or the coaches) show them the love. Here's a look at the current vote totals for the Eastern and Western Conferences....

2008-09 NBA All-Star Top Vote-Getters: (1/1/09)

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

GUARDS: Dwyane Wade, Miami, 1,473,225; Allen Iverson, Detroit, 1,027,153;

FORWARDS: LeBron James, Cleveland, 1,521,272; Kevin Garnett, Boston, 1,101,541

CENTERS: Dwight Howard, Orlando, 1,709,088

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WESTERN CONFERENCE:

GUARDS: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers, 1,534,020; Tracy McGrady, Houston, 961,852;

FORWARDS: Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 1,132,095; Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix, 743,639;

CENTERS: Yao Ming, Houston, 1,396,126;

As you can see from the above totals released January 1, 2009, Dwight Howard leads all vote-getters with 1,709,088. In case you're wondering where Portland's rookie center ranks, Greg Oden is 5th amongst Western Conference centers behind Yao, Shaq, Bynum and Mehmet Okur. That should change within a few seasons. As for this past season's top 2 draft picks, Michaels Beasley is 2nd to last for East forwards, while Chicago Bull Derrick Rose is 8th. Two of the guards that Rose has received more votes than are Jose Calderon (TOR) and Jameer Nelson (ORL), who just might find spots on the reserve section for their first appearance.

Also of note, but not shown above is that New Jersey's new addition, Yi Jianlian, is third in votes for Eastern Conference forwards with 959,324 votes. Overall, he's not too far behind Boston's KG, and has a good shot of capturing a spot. Yi is ahead of previous all-stars Chris Bosh and Paul Pierce with the votes, but if he isn't voted in, don't expect him to edge out either of those guys for a reserve spot. Chalk up the Yi vote to the Yao vote as the Chinese have embraced the NBA greatly since Yao's arrival to Houston.

You can see the rest of the 2008-09 NBA All-Star votes here at azcentral.com. Balloting for the 2009 NBA All-Star Game officially ends on January 19th, 2009.

In Honor of Magic Johnson

Today, Love & Basketball NBA blog honors Magic Johnson, All-star, Hall-of-Famer and American hero.

Seventeen years ago to the day, a bombshell announcement was made that shocked not only the NBA world, but the world in general. Lakers guard and All-star player, Magic Johnson, informed the World that he had contracted HIV. The shocking news was delivered with his wife Cookie nearby, who was carrying an unborn child. It was announced that both Cookie and the child did not have HIV, but the fact that a sports hero had it was unfathomable at the time. The news brought quick allegations that Magic was homosexual, and it actually helped to change the stereotype that AIDS/HIV were only contracted by homosexuals. ESPN named Magic's revelation as the 7th most memorable moment in sports, and US President George Bush proclaimed Magic was a "hero". Other players might become discouraged and angry, or even try to hide the news, but Magic overcame the adversity and used it as away to inspire others.

Magic made an early retirement due to having HIV as well as possible concerns from the league and other players. Again due to stereotypes, not too many people were educated on how HIV or AIDS were contracted. There were some concerns over whether or not you could contract HIV from someone else's blood, for example should Magic start bleeding during a game. Despite the retirement, Magic was voted an All-Star by fans in 1992 and ended up being named MVP of the All-Star game. A memorable moment had him and Isiah Thomas embracing on the court.

Magic went on to also be part of the legendary Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics which won Gold. During his time there, he played very little due to knee problems. He still received many ovations from the crowd, and used it as a platform to try to motivate other people with HIV. Magic attempted a comeback in 1992-93, but after several preseason games and practices he put that idea to rest, citing controversy over his decision from some active players. He chose to write a book on safe sex, start running business ventures and touring Asia/Australia with a team of former NBA players.

In 1993-94, Magic took on the role of coach of his beloved Lakers, but after losing his first 6 games, he hung that up, and purchased a 5% stake in the team. Another comeback attempt ensued in 1994-95, with Magic at age 36. He played in the final 32 games of that season averaging about 15 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. The Lakers lost in Round 1 of the playoffs to Houston and Magic decided to retire from the NBA permanently.

Magic Johnson is a true testament to sportsmanship, health and humanity. He's shown the triumph of human spirit to overcome his adversity, to continue living each day as if it's his last, and to cherish all that's good in his life. Magic continues to work as an analyst and correspondent at TNT, and owns several businesses today including movie theaters and TGI Fridays. He's been inducted into Basketball's Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and continues to educate and assist the fight against AIDS/HIV through his Magic Johnson Foundation.

Official Magic Johnson Foundation Website

Magic Johnson Wikipedia

2008 NBA All-Star Game Review

This year's All-star game from New Orleans featured plenty of starpower and playmakers looking to showcase their talents. Prior to the game Kobe Bryant spoke about his injured right pinkie and having to play despite his coach or GM not wanting him to. Kobe has a torn ligament in his finger but will play the remainder of this season and wait to get surgery. Jason Kidd told TNT reporter David Aldrige he expects to be in Dallas within the next 48 hours. TNT's Ernie Johnson added in that Keith Van Horn may be part of the deal and have to come out of retirement to sign a $4 million contract with the Mavs.

First Quarter:
Kobe Bryant came out within the first 3 minutes of the 1st quarter with no points scored. The East squad jumped out to an early lead. Chris Bosh had a ton of dunks early on and J-Kidd threw an impressive lob to Lebron for a throwdown. At one point all three Detroit Pistons were in the lineup along with the lone 2 Bost Celtics. Crowd members shown included Alyssa Milano, Gabrielle Union, Governor Schwarzenegger, Terell Owens and Ludacris.

Second Quarter:
The East continued to maintain its lead thanks to the West's turnovers. Lebron and D-Howard had several alley oop exchanges for dunks. An interesting stat flashed about Dwight Howard as well. He has 145 dunks total this season which is more than 4 different NBA teams have for total dunks. East closes out the first half up 74-65, on pace for one high scoring game.

Third Quarter:
The West narrowed the gap several times, but the East continued its lead by 13. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen of the Celtics scored the last several points of the quarter. During the quarter Chris Paul continued to display why he's such a great floor general in New Orleans.

Fourth Quarter:
This game got good in the 4th Quarter making for one of the better finishes to an all-star game in recent history. Ray Allen had 27 points as did Lebron. Ray hit a flurry of three's in the 4th quarter to help his team out, and Lebron had a strong key jam. There was also a critical foul called on Chris Paul where he caused Ray to hit the deck. Brandon Roy hit a late 3 to bring the West within 3 with under 10 seconds to play, but Ray Allen kept his team ahead with free throws. Allen was 1 shy of tying Mark Price's previous record for 6 three pointers made in an All-star game.

Overall impressions:
A little disappointing to see Lebron win the MVP over Ray Allen. Not that Lebron had a bad performance, but Allen's always been a deadly sharpshooter and three point shooter in the league and should have been rewarded for his great shooting in the game. Still Lebron's performance was just as deserving as he had just about every stat possible excluding popcorn sales.

There didn't seem to be the high flying razzle dazzle that All-star games of the past 5 years may have had. Notably, Kobe Bryant was out with a pinkie injury and high flyers like Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady weren't present. Two other guys missing who add a great deal of personality to the game are Shaq and KG (injury). However it was a great showcase for the Best of the rest of the NBA this year in New Orleans and an exciting fourth quarter finish.

NBA All-Star Saturday Highlights

NBA All-Star Saturday night has become a fan favorite event with all the hoopla and special competitions they have. There's the Skills contest which tests a player's ability and agility around an obstacle course. There's the 3 point shootout where ballers test their accuracy from beyond the arc. And then there's an event where creativity reigns supreme, the Dunk contest.

Team Shooting competition

In the newest of the contests city-teams were made up of 1 retired NBA star, 1 current NBA star and a WNBA star from that city. The Spurs team of David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Becky Hammon beat out the Chicago Bulls squad featuring Chris Duhon, BJ Armstrong and

Skills Contest

As players tried to get through an obstacle course to the basket quickly, Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz edged out hometown hero Chris Paul to take this one.

Foot Locker 3 Point Shootout

In the 3 point shootout, Detroit Piston Rip Hamilton had his score subtracted from, added back to and subtracted from yet again. The reason being RIP stepped on the 3 point line a few times too many. Hamilton ended up with a score of 14 for the first round and was eliminated early.

Daniel "Boobie" Gibson had a record 11 three pointers in last night's Rookies vs. Sophomores Challenge. He continued his performance by getting a score of 17 in Round 1 of the shooutout.

Dirk Nowitski tied Gibson's mark with 17 despite missing a 3 badly. Reggie Miller remarked that Dirk must have been out on Bourbon St. late last night.

Defending champion Jason Kapono came through with a score of 20, even though he now plays for the Raptors and not the Heat. Kapono kept momentum into the finals and tied a record

NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Jamario Moon set the stage early with a top score, but Dwight Howard came with a toss off the back of the backboard, followed by a one handed jam. Impressive stuff. Rudy Gay proved to be more of a "game dunker

But it only got more amazing and creative. Gerald Green enlisted the services of teammate Rashard McCants for the "Birthday cake dunk". McCants placed a cupcake up on the rim and lit the candle. Green then ran, soared and blew out the candle before dunking the ball with both hands. An impressive dunk for creativity's sake.

Dwight Howard followed up his earlier dunk with a "Superman Dunk". Howard ripped off his Magic jersey to reveal the Superman logo on his shirt, then donned a red "S" cape. Howard soared from below the free throw line and basically just threw the ball through the basket. No dunk, but still major creativity by Howard.

Green faced Howard in the finals. Green's obne dunk really made no sense where he signed his sneakers then removed them for a dunk in his green socks. Daryl Dawkins, one of the contest judges, was not impressed as he just pushed the shoes off the table.

Howard was clearly in control of the contest and just needed a simple dunk to win. Instead of simple, Howard had a mini Orlando Magic basketball hoop suction-cupped to the backboard. The NBA basketball was placed on the mini hoop. On attempt #2, Howard grabbed the ball off the mini rim and tomahawked it with both hands through the real hoop. D-Howard is your 2008 Dunk contest winner, after fans made the text message vote official.

A fun NBA All-Star Saturday night should make way for another great All-Star game this Sunday!

NBA All Star Weekend is Here!

This weekend marks the 2008 NBA All-Star festivities from New Orleans, Louisiana! It will be a great time for the love of basketball and the city of New Orleans..Here's a look at what's on tap for the big game, other events, and of course predictions...


The 2008 All-Stars Themselves:

Eastern Conference

Jason Kidd--N.J. Nets
Dwayne Wade--Miami
Kevin Garnet--Boston
LeBron James--Cleveland
Dwight Howard--Orlando

Reserves:
Chauncey Billups--Detroit
Chris Bosh--Toronto
Caron Butler--Washington
Richard Hamilton--Detroit
Antawn Jamison--Washington
Joe Johnson--Atlanta
Paul Pierce--Boston

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Western Conference

Starters:
Kobe Bryant--L.A. Lakers
Allen Iverson--Denver
Carmelo Anthony--Denver
Tim Duncan--San Antonio
Yao Ming--Houston

Reserves:
Carlos Boozer--Utah
Steve Nash--Phoenix
Dirk Nowitzki--Dallas
Chris Paul--New Orleans
Brandon Roy--Portland
Amare Stoudamire--Phoenix
David West--New Orleans

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Event Schedule - TNT

T-Mobile Rookie Challenge 9PM Friday
D-League All Star Game 3PM Saturday
All Star Saturday night 8PM
(Dunk contest, skills, 3pt shootout)
NBA All-Star Game 8PM Sunday

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All-Star Weekend Predictions:

Dunk Contest: Rudy Gay
3Pt Shootout: Peja Stoyakovic
Skills Contest: Chris Paul
Rookie Game: Sophomores
All-Star Game: Western Conference 132-128, MVP: Chris Paul

If you've seen Rudy Gay's various NBA TV highlights then you know he's the real deal here. The 3 point shootout is always tough to pick, but Peja has been deadly almost always from that range and is the hometown hero. Another fan favorite will be Chris Paul in the Skills contest. It will be tough to dethrone guys like D-Wade and Kidd, but Paul may have the spirit of the hometwon crowd and city behind him.

Overall, this is a great time for the city which was hit so hard by Hurricane Katrina a few years back. Now hometown heroes, Chris Paul and David West can dazzle the fans along with the likes of Kobe, Lebron, D-Wade and many others. The West seems to have the power here, as KG is injured, Shaq isn't on the East and looking at the lineups you see how much frontcourt presence the West has. That's not to say this won't be a close and interesting game, as the East has great inside presence with Dwight Howard, and many sharp shooters. Should be a fun game, and these are usually about putting on a show, not playing solid D or any real game plan...Enjoy the events of 2008 NBA All-Star weekend!

To get pumped for the big game, check out this NBA All-star dance off featuring Shaq, D Howard and Lebron James!

Also see NBA.com, the official site for all info on the 2008 NBA All Star Game!

Your 2008 All-Star Reservers

The 2008 All-Star reserves have been announced. Here's who made the teams in each conference.

East Reserves
Chauncey Billips (Detroit)
Chris Bosh (Toronto)
Caron Butler (Washington)
Richard Hamilton (Detroit)
Antawn Jamison (Washington)
Joe Johnson (Atlanta)
Paul Pierce (Boston)

West Reserves
Carlos Boozer (Utah)
Steve Nash (Phoenix)
Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas)
Chris Paul (New Orleans)
Brandon Roy (Portland)
Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix)
David West (New Orleans)

The only noticeable or glaring snub in the East is Ray Allen, since the Celtics have been having a great season thanks to him, but KG and Pierce make sense too. New Orleans will have two hometown heros playing with David West and Chris Paul. Congratulations to all of the all-stars who will play in the 2008 game in Louisiana. All Star Weekend kicks off February 15, 2008.

View the NBA.com All Star section for more info.

2008 NBA All-Star Starters

Tonight TNT will unveil the starters for the 2008 NBA All Star game. According to ESPN Sportscenter, these will be your starters:

Eastern Conference:
G Jason Kidd
G Dwyane Wade
F Lebron James
F Kevin Garnett
C Dwight Howard

Western Conference:
G Kobe Bryant
G Tracy McGrady
F Carmelo Anthony
F Tim Duncan
C Yao Ming

Those are the names as voted on by fans. Analysts on ESPN's NBA team have had their contentions, claiming that names like Ray Allen or Rip Hamilton should be starters in the East. Other points made were that Dirk Nowitski and Amare Stoudamire she be in the West, replacing Carmelo and Yao respectively.

The 2008 NBA All-Star game will be in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 17th 2008. Catch the game on TNT cable TV. You can also visit the official NBA All Star page.

2008 Dunk Contest Entrants

The NBA announced that there will be four contestants in the 2008 NBA Dunk Contest:

Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies
Gerald Green, Boston Celtics
Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
Jamario Moon, Toronto Raptors

According to a recent Sportscenter, Dwight Howard is leading the NBA in terms of total dunks this season. Gerald Green of the Timberwolves is the reigning champion, as he won last year's contest in Vegas against Nate Robinson. This will be the first dunk contest for the Grizzlies' Gay and Raptors' Moon. Jamario Moon would have to be the unknown name to most NBA fans, unless you're in Canada. I'm picking Rudy Gay as the early favorite. A bit biased with the pick but he's had some vicious throwdowns since college and entering the league.

According to Ernie Johnson on TNT's NBA show, fans will be texting in votes to help determine this year's winner. Another first in NBA dunk contest history!

Check out 5 Classic NBA Dunks here.