Top 5 NBA all-star games - Sportsnet.ca
Like other professional league's all-star games, the annual NBA affair is designed to showcase the top players of the season.
Yes, it usually turns into a shootout with scores in the range of 130-150 points, but towards the end of almost every game, defences tighten up and things get a little more intense. On some occasions, an actual game will break out as the two sides try to prove which conference has the NBA's best talent.
With that in mind, (and also with Sunday's annual showdown looming), sportsnet.ca decided to list the five best all-star games in NBA history.
2010 in Arlington -- East 141, West 139
A record-setting crowd of 108,713 fans were in attendance for the game at Cowboys Stadium and the NBA's brightest didn't fail to live up to expectations. Future teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would team up to lead the East to victory with Bosh hitting the game-winning free throws with just five ticks left on the clock (Some say the plan for Miami's Big 3 was launched over the weekend).
Former Denver Nugget and current New York Knick Carmelo Anthony still had enough time to try and win the game at the buzzer but his three-point shot fell short.
Wade was named the game's MVP after he filled the stat-sheet with 28 points, 11 assists and five steals.
1967 in San Francisco - 135 West, East 120
On paper, this may have been the biggest mismatch in all-star history.
The Eastern Conference team featured John Havlicek, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Willis Reed, Hal Greer, Jerry Lucas and Wilt Chamberlain -- seven players who made the cut when the NBA named its' Top 50 players of all time during the league's 50th anniversary in 1996.
The West squad counterpunched with five top-50 members including Rick Barry, Lenny Wilkins, Elgin Baylor, Dave DeBusschere and Jerry West, but the odds were stacked against them as the East had a squad of big men that included two of the three best centres of all time in Chamberlain and Russell.
In the end, it wasn't the size that ruled the day as hometown heroes Nate Thurmond and Barry took over.
Barry scored 38 points and Thurmond pulled down 18 boards as their squad prevailed in what is likely the largest upset in NBA all-star history. Barry was named MVP for his fantastic performance at the Cow Palace.
2003 in Atlanta - West 155, East 145 (2OT)
You know it's an all-star game when a contest goes to double overtime and not a single player fouls out. That being said, the 2003 game in Atlanta remains the only one that went to two extra periods.
It appeared as though the game was over when Michael Jordan, who was playing in his final NBA All-Star game, dropped in a fade-away basket with just 4.8 seconds remaining in the first overtime to give the East a two-point cushion, but the West battled back.
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was handed a chance to close the game out as Jermaine O'Neal fouled him on a three-point attempt. He was only able to sink two of his three from the charity stripe and the game headed for another overtime session.
Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves took over, hitting three straight jumpers over Vince Carter to put the game out of reach. Garnett finished with 37 points and the MVP trophy.
1987 in Seattle - West 154, East 149 (OT)
The 1987 rosters read like a who's who of the decade. Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Moses Malone and Larry Bird started for the East alongside Julius Erving who was playing in his final NBA all-star game.
Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were among the big names on the Western roster but in a game which featured 13 future Hall of Famers, the star of late addition Tom Chambers shone brightest.
In overtime, Magic just kept running pick and rolls with local hero Chambers, a play which the East had no answer for. The Sonics forward was added to the roster in place of Ralph Sampson and ended up scoring 34 points while also snaking four steals on his way to MVP honours.
The game set all-star records for combined points (303) and free throws made (71 -- West 39, East 32).
1992 in Orlando - West 153, East 113
The final score of this game may not be the most impressive, but this game is perhaps the most important in NBA history.
Magic Johnson retired prior to the start of the 1991-92 season after it was discovered that he had contracted HIV. The Lakers star returned to play in the all-star game and put on an impressive show.
Many wondered if Johnson would still be able to play and with all eyes on him, Johnson stepped up and didn't fail to impress.
He finished the game with a flurry, going to-to-toe with Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas on consecutive plays before launching a three-point shot to close out his (at-the-time) farewell performance.
Johnson's finishing statline while being named the game's MVP was 25 points, nine assists and five rebounds.
More importantly, Johnson and his opponents helped calm some of the fears that the general public had about the disease.
-----Original Message----- From: Kevin Nielsen Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 12:19 PM To: Mike Cormack Subject:
Like other professional league's all-star games, the annual NBA affair is designed to showcase the top players of the season.
Yes, it usually turns into a shootout with scores in the range of 130-150 points but toward the end of almost every game, the defences tighten up and things get a little more intense. On some occasions, an actual game will break out as the two sides try to prove which conference has the NBA's best of the best.
With that in mind, (and also with Sunday's annual showdown looming), sportsnet.ca decided to list the five best games in NBA history.
2010 in Arlington -- East 141, West 139
A record-setting crowd of 108,713 fans were in attendance for the game at Cowboys Stadium and the NBA's brightest didn't fail to live up to expectations. Future teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would team up to lead the East to victory with Bosh hitting the game-winning free throws with just five ticks left on the clock. (Some say the plan for Miami's Big 3 was launched over the weekend.)
Former Nugget and current Knick Carmelo Anthony still had enough time to try and win the game at the buzzer but his three-point shot fell short.
Wade was named the game's MVP after he filled the stat-sheet with 28 points, 11 assists and five steals.
1967 in San Francisco - 135 West, East 120
On paper, this may have been the biggest mismatch in all-star history.
The Eastern Conference team featured John Havlicek, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Willis Reed, Hal Greer, Jerry Lucas and Wilt Chamberlain -- seven players who made the cut when the NBA named its' top 50 players of all time during the league's 50th anniversary in 1996.
The West squad counterpunched with five top-50 honourees in Rick Barry, Lenny Wilkens, Elgin Baylor, Dave DeBusschere and Jerry West but the odds were stacked against them as the East had a squad of big men that included two of three best centres of all time in Chamberlain and Russell.
In the end, it wasn't the size that ruled the day as hometown heroes Nate Thurmond and Barry took over.
Barry scored 38 points and Thurmond pulled down 18 boards as their squad prevailed in what is likely the largest upset in NBA all-star history.
Barry was named MVP after his fantastic performance at the Cow Palace.
2003 in Atlanta - West 155, East 145 (2OT)
You know it is an all-star game when a contest goes to double overtime and not a single player fouls out. That being said, the 2003 game in Atlanta remains the only one that went to two extra periods.
It appeared as though the game was over when Michael Jordan, who was playing in his final NBA All-Star game, dropped in a fade-away basket with just 4.8 seconds remaining in the first overtime to give the East a two-point cushion but the West battled back.
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was handed a chance to close the game out as Jermaine O'Neal fouled him on a three-point attempt. He was only able to sink two of his three from the charity stripe and the game headed for another period of overtime.
Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves took over, hitting three straight jumpers over Vince Carter to put the game out of reach. Garnett finished with 37 points and the MVP trophy.
1987 in Seattle - West 154, East 149 (OT)
The 1987 rosters read like a who's who for that decade. Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Moses Malone and Larry Bird started for the East alongside Julius Erving who was playing in his last NBA all-star game.
Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were among the big names on the Western roster but in a game which featured 13 future Hall of Famers, late addition Tom Chambers star shone brightest.
In overtime, Magic just kept running pick and rolls with local hero Chambers, a play which the East had no answer for. The Sonics forward was added to the roster in place of Ralph Sampson and ended up scoring 34 points while also snaking four steals as well on his way to MVP honours.
The game set All-Star records for combined points (303) and free throws made (71 -- West 39, East 32).
1992 in Orlando - West 153, East 113
The final score of this game may not be the most impressive but this game is perhaps the most important in NBA history.
Magic Johnson retired prior to the start of the 1991-92 season after it was discovered that he had contracted the HIV virus. The Lakers star returned to play in the all-star game and put on an impressive show.
Many wondered if Johnson would still be able to play and with all eyes on him, Johnson stepped up and didn't fail to impress.
He finished the game with a flurry, going to-to-toe with Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas on consecutive plays before launching a three-point shot to close out his (at-the-time) farewell performance.
Johnson's finishing statline while being named the game's MVP was 25 points, nine assists and five rebounds.
More importantly, Johnson and his opponents helped calm some of the fears that the general public had about the disease.
24 Feb, 2012
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