And just liking for valued times, they won again. Bryant led all scorers with 27 points, O'Neal partied his respect back onto the All-Star point with 17 in just 11 minutes, and the Western Conference smite the East 146-119 Sunday night. Back on the same side for the inception heyday in nearly five years, the three-time champions shared the recreation MVP award. They helped the West get untracked after an hideous start, then teamed up for a few buckets that helped nor'easter it unseal in the third quarter.
And they did it in the ways that made them so unlike — Bryant with his cold-as-ice fixed and focus, O'Neal as the oversized yokel who made fans and foes exhibiting a resemblance laugh. It was their oldest leisure on the planking as teammates since the 2004 NBA finals. "It felt for example flashbacks," O'Neal said during an assessment on TNT. "It felt delight in '99 to '02." Bryant and O'Neal shared a slim embrace after being announced as MVPs, then playfully fought over the spoils commissioner David Stern handed to them.
New Orleans Hornets bodyguard Chris Paul helped the West's cause with 14 points, seven rebounds and 14 assists in the game. LeBron James led the East with 20 points. Paul Pierce and Dwyane Wade each scored 18. O'Neal missed the All-Star diversion conclusive year after 14 unmixed selections, and he brought back his unmatched amusing abilities.
Players were introduced on a manipulate behind the Jabbawockeez, a hip-hop social group. O'Neal, the final coolness to come out, was wearing one of their masks and boogied along with them before fetching his sight on the court. "That was freestyle," O'Neal said. He later jazzed up a comedy skit in which players sang swain songs for a modify Valentine's Day CD with an dynamic rendering of Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen.
" The weekend festivities were a salutation upset for Phoenix basketball fans, whose poor Suns were manifestly in the proceeding of dismantling their body while the horseplay was prevalent on around them. Phoenix carriage Terry Porter will be fired Monday and replaced by subsidiary Alvin Gentry, a mortal friendly with the outcome told The Associated Press. The child spoke Sunday sunset on circumstance of anonymity because the recognized notice had not been made. The changes may not pack in there.
Stoudemire, who started for the West, is the biggest select complicated in commerce rumors onward of next week's deadline. Just in specimen he won't be seen again for a while, Stoudemire earned a doublet of loud ovations before the play from the celebrity-filled crowd that included Muhammad Ali, added Sen. John McCain sitting four seats away from Spike Lee.
O'Neal also could be moved, and he showed he's still got plenitude of device socialist if big cheese wants him. The East started quickly, while the West missed nine of its original 11 shots and trailed 20-10 when West guide Phil Jackson called timeout and inserted O'Neal with 5:44 surviving in the from the start quarter. The West scored the next 11 points with Shaq and Kobe on the floor, cause of a 19-0 spell that made it 27-20. O'Neal, enjoying a return this condition after an injury-plagued 2007-08, had three baskets and set up another during the run.
There was midget interaction between he and Bryant, who both command they've patched things up, aside from natural basketball plays. O'Neal returned midway through the third location with the West already at the by overlapped digits. Bryant set him up for a layup, then made one himself for a 97-85 lead. O'Neal scored the next eight West points, including one basket when Bryant fed him for a dunk.
Another came when he ran a give-and-go with Hornets guardian Chris Paul — with O'Neal feeding the 6-foot Paul in the situation and swooping in from the border for a dunk. Paul, Brandon Roy, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker all finished with 14 points for the West. Notes: President Barack Obama delivered a taped memorandum at halftime urging civic service. Also at the half, USA Basketball managing big cheese Jerry Colangelo gave rings to the members of the men's and women's gold medal-winning teams who were in Phoenix.
The players in the All-Star unflinching came out for the appearance in their USA warmup outfits. … The Canadian anthem was performed by Canada by birth Tamia Hill, missus of Suns send Grant Hill. … Tim Duncan and Parker, whose San Antonio Spurs have ended many late-model Phoenix postseasons, were booed before the game.
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