NBA News

[abadani69]

Sasha Pavlovic scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, picking up the slack for LeBron James, and the Cleveland Cavaliers shut down Kobe Bryant in the final minutes for a 99-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Pavlovic, suddenly a major cog in Cleveland's offense, finished with 21 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas 17 and Anderson Varejao 12 -- 11 in the fourth -- as the Cavaliers improved to 20-7 at home with their second straight solid effort.

James had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists, but he deferred to Pavlovic and others down the stretch, and Cleveland's supporting cast came through. James was outscored 25-7 by Bryant in the second half, but the All-Star forward got to crown the Cavs' win with a soaring dunk in the final seconds.

Bryant scored 36 points to lead the Lakers, who went 3-5 on an eight-game swing through the bitterly cold East. Bryant scored Los Angeles' first 14 points in the final period, but with Larry Hughes guarding him, he didn't score again in the final 3:39 after making two free throws to tie it 81-all.

Vladimir Radmanovic scored 12 points and Lamar Odom 11 for the Lakers, whose bench was outscored 46-15.


Varejao made two free throws for the Cavs -- the NBA's worst team from the line -- with 3:20 to go and James followed by making a pair for his first points of the second half to make it 85-81 with 2:59 left.

The Lakers, who led by three points entering the fourth, got within 86-85 on Smush Parker's jumper before James drove and passed to Varejao, who sunk a 17-footer to put the Cavaliers ahead by three.

On the Lakers' next trip, Hughes slapped the ball out of Bryant's hands and it was picked up by Pavlovic, who raced to the other end and was fouled by Parker while making a layup. Pavlovic, who came in averaging 14 points in his last six games, completed the three-point play to put the Cavs ahead 91-85.

With the Cavs paying extra attention to Bryant, none of the other Lakers stepped up and when Varejao made a three-point play with 47 seconds left the Cavaliers were up 93-87 and on their way to a second straight impressive victory after beating Miami on Friday.

Bryant made seven free throws and outscored James 11-0 in the third period when the Lakers overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to take a 67-64 lead. Cleveland went 4-of-25 (16 percent) from the field in the quarter with James missing all five of his attempts.

Hughes hit a 3-pointer and rookie Daniel Gibson, who challenged Shaquille O'Neal on a drive to the basket Friday, made a three-point play as the Cavaliers outscored the Lakers 9-1 to take a 52-41 lead at halftime.

James, who earlier this season drained an 80-foot, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Boston, dropped one from 55 feet at the end of the first half but the shot was disallowed because it came just after the horn.

Notes

During a long TV timeout, Bryant and his teammates laughed as they watched an American Idol-inspired skit on the jumbo scoreboard which ended with the All-Star's jersey being tossed into a garbage can. ... Bryant and James will meet again on national TV in Los Angeles on Thursday night, the final game before the All-Star break. The superstars will also face off in next Saturday's Skills Challenge in Las Vegas. Dwyane Wade and Steve Nash will also take part.

[abadani69]

***k Hinrich scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter Sunday night, and the Chicago Bulls completed a seven-game road trip with 116-103 victory over the severely short-handed Phoenix Suns.

The Bulls snapped an eight-game losing streak in Phoenix and a three-game skid overall. Chicago last beat the Suns on the road when the Michael Jordan-led Bulls did it on Nov. 20, 1996.

Phoenix played without Steve Nash, the league's two-time defending MVP, for the third consecutive game -- the last two of them losses -- because of a sore right shoulder. The Suns also didn't have starter Boris Diaw because of back spasms.

The Suns were beaten by double digits for the first time this season. Phoenix also lost its third straight at home, the first time that's happened since the start of the 2004-05 season.

Luol Deng also scored 29 for Chicago, and Ben Gordon added 27.

Leandro Barbosa scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half, when the Suns rallied from 15 down to take a seven-point lead. Amare Stoudemire also scored 26 for Phoenix, which shot 41 percent for the night to the Bulls' 51 percent.

Chicago dominated the fourth quarter 37-19, despite playing its third road game in four nights and seventh in 11 days. It was the second fourth-quarter collapse for the Nash-less Suns. They gave up 40 fourth-quarter points in a home loss to Atlanta on Friday night.

Hinrich, 5-for-7 on 3-pointers, scored eight, including a pair of 3s, in a 10-3 run that put Chicago ahead for good.

Barbosa tied it at 92 with a 3-pointer, but Ben Wallace scored inside to make it 94-92, then Hinrich's 3-pointer made it 97-92 with 6:29 remaining. Hinrich's two free throws put Chicago up 103-95 with 4:04 to play.

The Suns trailed by as many as 15 early in the third quarter, but mounted a 20-2 run after coach Mike D'Antoni chose to leave Barbosa in when the Brazilian guard drew his fourth foul with 7 1/2 minutes left in the period.

With Chicago leading 75-64, Barbosa started the run with a 3-pointer. The Suns scored the next 13 points and took the lead on Raja Bell's 3-pointer with 2:16 left in the third.

Stoudemire's two free throws capped the outburst and put Phoenix ahead 84-77 with 43 seconds to play in the quarter. Chicago committed eight turnovers during the Suns' big run.

But the Bulls scored the next nine points, two to end the third and seven to start the fourth quarter, regaining the lead, 86-84, on Hinrich's driving layaup with 10:14 left.

Nash hasn't played the last 3 1/2 games with inflammation in his right shoulder. Phoenix won at Denver when he sat out the second half, then beat the Trail Blazers in Portland in overtime. But the Nash-less team has lost two in a row at home to Atlanta and Chicago.

The Suns are 4-10 without Nash since he came to Phoenix three years ago, 2-3 this year.

Notes

Chicago starting forward P.J. Brown sat out, also with back spasms. ... The Suns announced Saturday that their remaining home games are sold out. ... Wallace got a technical foul with 5:34 left in the third quarter, Stoudemire got one with 2:48 left in the half and Bell drew one with 2:14 to play. ... Together, Nash and Diaw are averaging 17 assists per game. ... Bell was 5-of-18 from the field.

[Rasputin]

CAN - Nash out of NBA All-Star Game

PHOENIX (NBA) - Canada international Steve Nash will miss the NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas this weekend.

The two-time NBA MVP, who has missed the Phoenix Suns' last three games with a right shoulder injury, will not play in the February 18 event, coach Mike D'Antoni announced on Monday.

Nash also will miss Wednesday's game at Seattle.

"Steve's just not ready to play right now," D'Antoni said.

"He needs the recovery and rehab time. He hasn't recovered as quickly as we anticipated. Hopefully, he'll be able to resume play after the All-Star break."

Nash will also miss the the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday.

The Western Conference will be missing the Houston Rockets' Chinese center Yao Ming and Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer due to injuries.

Commissioner David Stern selected forwards Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets and Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks as injury replacements.

The winner of the NBA MVP each of the last two seasons, Nash aggravated the shoulder injury in the first half of last Monday's 113-108 victory at Denver. He collected nine points and seven assists but did not play in the second half.

Nash then missed the next three games - a win at Portland and home losses to Atlanta and Chicago.

Named to his fifth All-Star team on February 1, Nash is averaging career highs of 19.3 points and 11.8 assists. His norm for assists is the highest in the NBA since all-time leader John Stockton averaged 12.3 for Utah in the 1994-95 season.

With Nash at the controls, Phoenix have had the NBA's most powerful offence in each of the last three seasons. But they have not fared well without him.

The Suns are just 4-11 over the last two-plus seasons without Nash, including 2-3 this season. He missed two games in November with back spasms.

Phoenix are 39-11 and chasing Dallas (42-9) for the best record in the Western Conference - and likely home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs.

The Suns have reached the Western Conference finals in each of the last two years.

[Rasputin]

USA - Wade, Anthony collect NBA honours

NEW YORK (NBA) - Team USA captains Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade have been named NBA Players of the Week.

Denver Nuggets forward Anthony took the honours in the Western Conference while Wade, the Miami Heat's All-Star guard, takes the award in the East.

It is the third Player of the Week award this season for Anthony, the league's leading scorer at 30.9 points per game. He has six Player of the Week awards overall in three-plus seasons.

Originally left off the All-Star team, Anthony was named as an injury replacement by NBA commissioner David Stern on Friday.

Anthony averaged 30.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists last week, helping the Nuggets to a 2-2 mark.

Wade, who won the award for the second time this season, averaged 27.5 points and 8.8 assists in helping the defending champion Heat to a 3-1 mark last week

[donsaeid]

World Biggest Basketball Player Sun Ming Ming (23) 236 cm

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[abadani69]

Gerald Green is pumped up to win the Slam Dunk Contest. Nate Robinson is not going to give it up without a fight.

Green, the frighteningly athletic second-year guard of the Boston Celtics, has an entire sneaker ad campaign built around his participation in the Slam Dunk Contest, which caps All-Star Saturday Night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The 5-9 Robinson is back to defend his title, as is Dallas Mavericks 7-footer Dirk Nowitzki, who again will try to gun down the NBA's best marksmen in the Three-Point Shootout.

This is the first Slam Dunk Contest for Green, who stands a sinewy 6-8 and has been wowing crowds with dunks since two summers ago, when one of his flying one-handed jams in a summer league game began making the rounds on the internet.

Green is more than a dunker, however. In a lost season for the Celtics, he has seen an increase in playing time due to injuries and is averaging 9.3 points, developing a 3-point shot to complement his ability to attack the basket.

"I want to be respected as an overall player," Green said. "I feel have the length, the quickness, the ability to do that. So I'm just going to put it to my mind to that. Whatever I do that's gonna help me to do that, that's what I'm gonna do. It takes time and it takes a lotta work."

And that's what Reebok is betting on. Big things are expected of Green, who entered the NBA right out of high school in Texas two years ago and just turned 21 last month.

For the Slam Dunk Contest, Reebok has given Green its latest version of "The Pump," a sneaker that has the ability partially inflate around the foot to provide greater support. However, Green said he is not feeling any pressure to perform for the footwear and apparel giant company.

"I'm a Reebok guy. That's who I'm signed with," Green said. "They always tell you, 'Go out there and have fun. Go out there and do your thing. We believe in you. If you win it, we're here. If you lose it, we're still here.'"

Reebok did the same thing 16 years ago with former Celtic Dee Brown, who won the title in a stroke of marketing genius. Green actually spoke to Brown on Thursday before heading west.

"He was giving me tips like go out there and have fun, don't try to feel pressured by anything," Green said. "Just go out there and be yourself."

A year ago, Robinson joined 5-7 Spud Webb as the only players under 6 feet to win the Slam Dunk Contest. One of his dunks incorporated Webb, the 1986 winner who stood in the lane as Robinson soared over him for a hammer slam.

But in December, Robinson gave new meaning to "fight or flight" when he was suspended 10 games by the NBA for his role as an instigator in an ugly brawl between the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden.

The suspension painted Robinson as a troublemaker - the second-year guard has feuded with teammates and antagonized Knicks coach Isiah Thomas with some of his antics - and raised the question of whether the NBA wanted him at their showcase event.

Robinson admitted that he thought he might not be invited after his involvement in the fight.

"I was ready to face the consequences for my actions," he said. "It was nothing like I would have been so heartbroken. My mom always told me to face the consequences. I'm glad that the NBA put it behind them and I put it behind myself."

Also entered in the Slam Dunk Contest are 6-11 All-Star forward Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and 6-9 rookie forward Tyrus Thomas of the Chicago Bulls. Earlier this month, Thomas drew a $10,000 fine from the Bulls when he expressed his apathy for competing by calling his invitation a chance for "free money."

Historically, tall players have not fared well in the Slam Dunk Contest. At 6-10, Larry Nance is the tallest winner, taking the very first competition in 1984.

However, Nowitzki became the tallest winner of the Three-Point Shootout a year ago and will be trying to join Larry Bird (1986-8, Craig Hodges (1990-92), Mark Price (1993-94), Jeff Hornacek (1998, 2000) and Peja Stojakovic (2002-03) as consecutive winners of the event.

Last year, Nowitzki shot down Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen and Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas in the final round with 18 points, the lowest winning total since 2000.

Arenas is back, as is Mavericks guard Jason Terry, who was eliminated in the first round a year ago. Also entered are newcomers Mike Miller of Memphis, Jason Kapono of Miami and Damon Jones of Cleveland, who is telling anyone and everyone that he is going to win.

"I just think I came here to win the competition and I'm letting people know it and I don't think that's a bad thing," said Jones, who added that he has been practicing off shooting racks for two weeks. "I'm definitely confident in my ability to make shots. I'm just trying to add a little spice to the competition."

The festivities begin with the Skills Challenge, where Miami Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade also will be defending his title against a star-studded field.

Last year, Wade negotiated the obstacle course involving shooting, dribbling and passing in 26.1 seconds, just three-tenths of a second shy of Steve Nash's record in the brief four-year history of the event. He was more than seven seconds quicker than Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James.

James is back for another try and is joined by Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Kobe Bryant. Nash, the two-time MVP point guard of the Phoenix Suns, is injured and has been replaced by New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul, who was eliminated in the first round in 2006.

All-Star Weekend began Friday night with the Rookie Challenge, which for the eighth straight year pitted the top second-year players against the top rookies in a wide-open affair. The Sophomores, who had won the previous four meetings by an average of 20.3 points, more than doubled the difference this time, rolling to a 155-114 triumph over the Rookies.

[abadani69]

[abadani69]

Even a city that spares no expense for a good time has never seen anything like this.

The NBA All-Star game on Sunday may be meaningless, and after three nights of parties might be sloppy. But try telling that to people paying top dollar for a chance to see it.

"This is the biggest event that ever hit Las Vegas," said Gavin Maloof, whose family owns the Sacramento Kings and the Palms, where the players are staying. "No question about it, bigger than any fight. Let me tell you why. The tickets, they're brokering the tickets 10 rows up, five rows up for $27,000 a ticket.

"There's never been an event that I know of in the history of the world that goes for $27,000. I don't care if it's World Cup, I don't care if it's the Stones, Super Bowl. There's never been an event that a broker has charged that kind of an amount for any ticket, not that I know of. It's just incredible."

Maloof has had a big hand in it. He said he and his brother, Joe, were talking about the idea of a neutral site All-Star game and pitched the thought of it being in their city to commissioner David Stern, who told them to bring it to Mayor Oscar Goodman on one condition: No betting on the game in the sports books. Being an exhibition that doesn't get heavy action anyway, that was no problem.

"If you bet the NBA All-Star game, you might as well get a life," Gavin Maloof said.

Besides, after all those parties -- Maloof said his casino will host about a dozen, featuring everyone from Shaquille O'Neal to Dwyane Wade to Diddy -- who can predict which players will have energy left to play well Sunday night?

"There ain't going to be no sleep, I'll tell you that," Wade said. "There's going to be a lot going on."

The timing of this experiment couldn't be better. After an occasionally rocky first half that featured headaches from the ball to the brawl, the NBA could use a few days away to blow off some steam.

Is there a better place for that than Sin City?

"I got married in Vegas a couple of summers ago and it was pretty crazy, so I can only imagine what it is going to be like with all the celebrities and an event this big," said Washington's Caron Butler, a first-time All-Star.

Goodman called the combination of NBA stars and his city's entertainers "a perfect honeymoon." The players were to share the Sunday night stage with Las Vegas entertainment fixtures Wayne Newton, Danny Gans and performers from Cirque du Soleil, all scheduled to perform that night.

Last year, Goodman said the festivities would rival "the heyday of a Tyson fight." Given a year to reconsider, the mayor has amended his prediction.

"As far as the expectations for this weekend, it outdoes any championship fight that I've experienced here," he said. "And I've lived here since 1964 and I've seen the Alis and the Listons and the Foremans and the Fosters and the Tysons.

"The buzz here is extraordinary. The parties that are being arranged at this point in time are extraordinary. It's just going to be a weekend and a couple of days of nonstop excitement and electricity and neon and glitz and glamour, and it's going to be everything that Las Vegas is all about."

Imagine if the game was relevant.

In an age when baseball utilizes its All-Star game to determine home-field advantage for the World Series in an attempt to make its game matter, the NBA readily acknowledges its game doesn't matter. Its weekend is all about putting on a show, which makes Las Vegas a natural for the first time the league is bringing its showcase outside of one of its own cities.

"We're in a time when a place becomes the basketball capital of the world for an extended weekend, and our primary concern is the entertainment of our guests," Stern said. "The basketball, we want to put on a great show in the arena, but there are lots of arenas that can do that. The primary (concern), after the game and the event, is entertaining our guests."

The predictions for the weekend are staggering. Besides the prices for a ticket at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas officials estimate there will be 25,000 visitors who will generate more than $26 million in non-gaming economic impact, as the NBA shares the holiday weekend crowd with a fashion industry convention and the Chinese New Year.

"There aren't many cities where the All-Star weekend would be a relatively small event in terms of the number of people involved, but Las Vegas is such a city," Stern said. "That said, I understand that in terms of the demand for tickets and the like, it's been the biggest event in their history."

Nearly every top player has an entertainment or endorsement commitment before the ball is tossed up Sunday night. LeBron James was scheduled to guest host a poker tournament. Kobe Bryant is joining a panel that includes Michael Jordan to judge the slam dunk contest.

So how is anyone supposed to get any rest during this All-Star "break?"

"Ah, you don't," James said. "Let's see, Tuesday I can sleep all day in Toronto and be ready for Wednesday. I'm not going to get any sleep there (in Vegas)."

All of that takes place against the backdrop of the larger picture, the question of whether Las Vegas can start hosting games that do count. Goodman is desperate to land a pro sports team, and his city has a large basketball fan base.

Stern previously said he won't put a team in Las Vegas as long as there is betting on the NBA, but now says it's ultimately up to the owners, and he realizes there are some of them who believe a team is headed to that market whether there's gambling or not.

So while LeBron vs. Kobe usually might garner all the attention, the most important 1-on-1 this weekend may have already happened. Stern told Goodman on Wednesday to submit a proposal for how the city would handle betting on an NBA team, which he would present at the owners' meeting in April.

"This is the first time that he said he's not going to make the decision anymore, he's going to let the owners make the decision," Goodman said.

The events started Friday morning, when the rookies and sophomores practiced at Andre Agassi's academy for their game later that night. Saturday brought the 3-point shootout and the dunk contest, where Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins were to join Jordan, Bryant and Vince Carter on a judges' panel of elite dunkers.

Sunday is the game at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center, the arena trivia buffs may recall is where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar surpassed Wilt Chamberlain as the NBA's career scoring leader in a 1984 game.

The Utah Jazz played some home games there that season, and perhaps someday Las Vegas gets regular-season action again. For now, it has to settle for a simple exhibition.

Not that anyone is complaining.

"I've never been there, so I'm really excited," Detroit's Richard Hamilton said. "I know there's too much to do -- that's why I've never gone -- but this is going to be great."

[abadani69]

Kobe Bryant headlined the biggest act in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and the West high rollers lit up the Strip with their own version of Showtime, romping past LeBron James and the East 153-132 in the NBA All-Star game.

"I think we had a little flair, a little Vegas in there," West forward Shawn Marion said. "Hopefully the fans enjoyed it a lot."

When the showgirls, acrobats, magicians and Elvis impersonators were finally done, it was Bryant who heard the loudest cheers, as fans chanted "MVP!" "MVP!" in the closing minutes.

"To have this type of reaction here in this All-Star game is very humbling," Bryant said. "I just feel very blessed and very fortunate to be able to come out tonight and put on a really good show."

Bryant scored 31 points, had six of the West's record 52 assists and was selected the MVP. Amare Stoudemire added 29 points for the West, which quickly built a big lead and held it this time, a year after blowing a 21-point cushion in a loss in Houston.

An event that some locals called the biggest thing fell a little short in the basketball department -- the West had a large lead for most of the final three quarters -- but that didn't seem to matter to the fans or the players.

"We got here at 2 o'clock," the East's Shaquille O'Neal said. "There's a lot of stretching and standing around. We were all kind of stiff, so the game was a little lopsided. But that's OK, they came here to see a show and they got a show."

And the players agree with Las Vegas officials that the game should come back here -- whether Las Vegas ever gets an NBA team or not.

"If they don't do it here every year, they should at least have it here every other year," East guard Richard Hamilton said.

Anthony, a late addition to the team, scored 20 points and Marion, who played at the Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV, added 18. Tracy McGrady had 11 assists to help the West snap a two-game losing streak.

James scored 28 points for the East, and Dwight Howard had 20 points and 12 rebounds. The East barely shot 40 percent through three quarters in a game that isn't known for its defensive intensity before a late flurry during garbage time.

"It all comes down to is who plays with the most energy and it was the West with more energy, especially in the first half," Dwyane Wade said.

Wade had only 10 points on 5-of-12 shooting, but he had reason to be tired after hosting events Thursday and Friday night. Those were two of the many functions that kept the players out until all hours of the night.

Still, the game was secondary to the show in this most unusual of All-Star games -- and it was quite a show.

With tickets unavailable to the public, brokers were asking more than $20,000 for a top seat. Jay-Z, Beyonce, Diddy, Prince, Eva Longoria and Adam Sandler were among those who scored spots in the front row, and Christina Aguilera and Toni Braxton performed at halftime.

The event started with a celebrity red carpet, where Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, flanked as usual by his showgirls and backed by entertainer Wayne Newton, vowed again to get the NBA here full-time with a new arena to play in.

Magicians Siegfried and Roy then welcomed the fans to Las Vegas, before introducing the showgirls who escorted Newton out to the stage for a performance of "Viva Las Vegas." After the East All-Stars were introduced, Newton took the stage again for another performance before the West players were announced.

After another Las Vegas entertainer, Danny Gans, sang the national anthem, it was finally time for some basketball -- after about a 45-minute pregame.

Perhaps that took its toll on the players. There were missed dunks and passes thrown out of bounds by both teams, but the East was by far the worst. They missed seven of their first nine shots, including a blown dunk attempt by Shaquille O'Neal.

James later almost injured himself when he tried to throw himself a pass off the backboard and tumbled over another player, and Jermaine O'Neal appeared to tip in a basket for the West.

A first-quarter timeout brought out some performers from a show at the Tropicana, but there was a serious moment at the end of the period when Bill Russell was among the former Boston Celtics who took the court with the daughter of Red Auerbach, who died last year.

The West led 39-31 at the end of one, and quickly pushed that lead into double digits in the second quarter -- Shaquille O'Neal missed another dunk during that stretch.

The lead ballooned to 23 when Bryant nailed a 3-pointer and followed with a dunk on the next possession, and the West was up 79-59 at halftime.

"The West came out tonight on fire," Howard said. "The West has got a lot of great shooters, the East has mostly big men."

Bryant had 17 points at halftime and Anthony added 12. James scored 16 for the East, but none of its other players was in double figures.

The East climbed out of a 21-point deficit to win last year's game in Houston, but didn't show nearly the fight this time. Stoudemire fueled a 10-0 run that made it 95-65 with 8:20 remaining in the third quarter, and the West was up by 31 heading to the fourth.

[abadani69]

The first time Kobe Bryant won this award, he got booed in his hometown of Philadelphia.

He picked up his second Most Valuable Player trophy from the NBA All-Star game much closer to his West Coast home -- and the Los Angeles Lakers' guard got nothing but love in a city that adores its showmen.

Bryant had 31 points and six assists in the Western Conference's 153-132 victory Sunday night, leading a dominant offensive effort as a scorer and playmaker for a roster short on point guards.

Five years ago, Bryant also scored 31 points in the West's victory in Philadelphia -- but the famously crusty fans booed him every time he touched the ball, eventually roaring their disapproval when the kid from the upper-class suburbs got his MVP trophy.

While declining to directly address the Philadelphia brouhaha, insisting "Philly was great," Bryant was determined to enjoy this moment under neon lights.

"As players, we always want to feel like we're appreciated for what we do," Bryant said. "To have this type of reaction here in this All-Star game is very humbling. I just feel very blessed to be able to come out and put on a really good show."

Bryant was visibly shaken by that reaction in Philly -- but five years afterward, he got nothing but cheers all weekend long. The rehabilitation of Bryant's national image after his well-documented sexual-assault controversy also took yet another step forward with a sterling performance in the league's midseason showcase.

"He played within the flow of the game," fellow West starter Tracy McGrady said. "It wasn't like he was trying to take every shot, come down and get his game off. He had a few assists. He played well. You couldn't tell he was going after the MVP."

That respect from his teammates was yet another sign of Bryant's growing maturity. And it didn't hurt that the nine-time All-Star was easily the Vegas crowd's favorite player, both at Saturday's competitions and in Sunday's showcase event.

Bryant judged the dunk competition after finishing second to Dwyane Wade in the skills competition, when the crowd even cheered him after he failed four straight times to make a simple chest pass through a hoop.

Though he jokingly professed to hate the idea of an NBA franchise in Las Vegas because southern Nevada is Lakers territory, it's clear Bryant would be welcome here in any uniform.

"We have two preseason games here normally, and they're extremely supportive here," Bryant said. "I definitely think they could support (an NBA team)."

Bryant scored 17 points in the first half, doing his best to score over Dwyane Wade whenever possible -- including a dynamite 3-pointer in the Miami star's face late in the half. He went 8-for-14, also throwing down at least one rim-shaking dunk.

Bryant appeared to concentrate on playmaking in the second half, particularly when San Antonio's Tony Parker was out of the lineup. Bryant finished with six steals and five rebounds in addition to his assists, which included a sweet pass for an alley-oop dunk by Shawn Marion.

"Kobe, regardless of how people feel about him, he's always going to be the fan favorite," Denver's Carmelo Anthony said. "He played great tonight. He deserved it."

With the crowd chanting "M-V-P" in the final minute, Bryant roared through the lane and threw down a vicious under-the-rim dunk over Chris Bosh's head. The shot might have cemented his win over Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, who scored 29 points in his first All-Star appearance since recovering from microfracture knee surgery.

The crowd chanted Bryant's name again at the end.

"It was great," Bryant said. "I hope we can come back."

[abadani69]

Acrobats are nothing new in this circus-loving town, yet Gilbert Arenas couldn't resist getting in on the act.

The Washington Wizards' star guard sneaked away from the Eastern Conference's timeout huddle during the second half on Sunday night to join a troup of trampoline dunkers, finishing off a sequence of acrobatics with a big slam and a loud ovation from the Las Vegas crowd.

It was typical behavior from the quirky "Agent Zero," but he got away with this escapade in the spirit of All-Star weekend.

"Yeah, I think Eddie saw it, and I don't think he was happy," Arenas said in reference to Washington coach Eddie Jordan, who led the East team. "Oh, you know how coaches are. I just wanted to put on a show for the fans."

Jordan must be familiar with Arenas' ways by now. The guard has never hesitated to risk his health for fun -- going back to his rookie season with Golden State, when he would frequently show up for late-night pickup games in the Oakland hills, wearing only tennis shoes.

"We wanted to win, but it's mostly important to enjoy the whole experience," Arenas said. "Who knows if you'll ever get back here again -- and who knows if it will be in Vegas again?"

VIVA PREGAME SHOWS

The introduction to the game had every bit of the distinct, outsized Las Vegas flair you might expect, from the flashing lights and brightly plumed showgirls to the appearances by many of Sin City's most famous entertainers.

The crowd was welcomed by magicians Siegfried and Roy -- with Roy Horn making a rare public appearance since being bitten by one of his white tigers in October 2003. They introduced famed Vegas crooner Wayne Newton, who belted out "Viva Las Vegas" amid sparks, neon and showgirls.

After the Eastern Conference team was introduced, Newton played guitar and fiddle during a rendition of James Brown's "I Feel Good" under a strobe light, followed by his signature "Danke Schoen."

After the West All-Stars were introduced, Newton returned with his showgirls for the finale. Shaquille O'Neal appeared to be the biggest fan in the building, clapping wildly and pumping his fist in Newton's direction.

The Thomas & Mack Center also was appropriately packed with stars who provided a one-game return of Gucci Row -- the nickname for the courtside seats when they were filled with Las Vegas' richest and most glamorous people during coach Jerry Tarkanian's run of standout UNLV teams.

A small sampling of the celebrities at courtside: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver sitting near Diddy; Jay-Z, who idly dribbled the game ball during the first timeout, and Beyonce; Eva Longoria, fiancee of West All-Star Tony Parker; Ludacris, Prince and Dave Chappelle sitting in a row; and Steve Carell, Harold Ramis and Jeremy Piven just a few seats down.

Barry Bonds, who reports to the San Francisco Giants' spring training complex Monday, sat in the same row as the four casino-owning Maloof brothers behind broadcast row near center court. Other celebrities were scattered throughout the crowd, along with dozens of NFL players.

A VOTE FOR DIRK

Dirk Nowitzki picked up another MVP endorsement Sunday night -- from David Hasselhoff.

Hasselhoff, the well-traveled actor and German singing celebrity who's currently starring in "The Producers" at the Paris Las Vegas casino, was among the luminaries who walked the red carpet before entering the arena. He said he would choose the Mavericks star over two-time winner Steve Nash of Phoenix.

"I think Dirk's going to get it this year, and he deserves it," Hasselhoff said.

Hasselhoff's songs are popular in Germany, and Nowitzki said during last season's playoffs that he sang one of them to help him relax at the free-throw line. Nowitzki later said he was joking, but Miami fans seized upon it to mock him during the NBA finals.

Hasselhoff showed up to watch the Mavericks in the playoffs, but said he hadn't been able to catch up with Nowitzki this weekend because of his performance schedule.

Hasselhoff also loved the idea of All-Star weekend in Las Vegas -- and supports the idea of a team here full-time.

"This is the most amazing thing that's happened to Vegas," he said. "I think it would be an amazing attraction to have a team here," before adding "besides 'The Producers."'

GOING TO DISNEY WORLD?

The Thomas & Mack Center probably won't get another NBA All-Star game. But the event could land in Orlando, Fla., at some point.

Commissioner David Stern mentioned that possibility during a Sunday morning breakfast hosted by Turner Sports, which is in the process of trying to work out an extension of its television contract with the league.

Both Stern and Turner Sports president David Levy hoped they soon could reach an extension on their deal, which runs through the 2007-08 season. Stern said he hoped it would be before the end of this season. TNT televised the All-Star game on Sunday night.

This All-Star weekend was the first held outside of an NBA city, and Stern mentioned some of the positives of having the events at a neutral site. But if Las Vegas wants to host the NBA's stars again, it will need a new building.

The NBA had to do plenty of work to get the building ready to host this event, but there was still plenty it couldn't do. Because of the small size of the locker rooms, there was no pregame or postgame locker room media availability.

"They are not equipped to hold major league events in that building," deputy commissioner Adam Silver said.

The NBA is headed to New Orleans for next year's All-Star game, but has nothing set after that. Stern said the league had "a number of applicants" for 2009 and beyond. He has said his owners prefer a city with warm weather and plenty of hotel rooms, and he specifically mentioned Orlando as a potential site for the future it its arena situation allowed for it.

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From the blinding lights of the Las Vegas Strip, the NBA makes its next stop for the All-Star game in another city with a long history of knowing how to party: New Orleans.

After going most of the past two seasons without pro basketball, the hurricane-damaged city finally gets its home team back next season and hosts the league's All-Stars, too.

For those questioning whether the city will be prepared for the NBA's signature event, this week might be instructive.

"If we're ready for Mardi Gras, then we're ready for the NBA All-Star Game," said Mary Beth Romig, communications director of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The game will come in the midst of a hectic two-month run for the city, with Mardi Gras squeezed among the Sugar Bowl, college football's national championship game and the NBA All-Star game. And given the Saints' recent success, the possibility of an NFL playoff game in that span exists as well.

"New Orleans is famous for its major events, and part of that is because the city really turns on," said Bill Curl, a spokesman for New Orleans Arena operator SMG.

Officials aren't daunted by so many big tourist draws so close together. New Orleans already has taken on traditional events like Jazzfest and Mardi Gras, even if on a limited scale last year, as well as national conventions.

"We think we've already passed the test," Romig said.

According to a convention and visitors bureau report released this week, the city has 90 percent of the restaurants it had before Hurricane Katrina and 29,500 hotel rooms available, including ones at a new Harrah's and a reopened Ritz-Carlton. A new Hilton hotel is set to open soon, and the renovated downtown Hyatt could be back in business in time for All-Star weekend, moving closer to the city's full, 38,000-room capacity.

NBA commissioner David Stern said he has been paying attention to conventions held in the city, "and the reports have been very positive and upbeat." But he'd also like to see more done in areas of New Orleans where recovery hasn't been so brisk.

"We think it's time to move past having this wonderful tourist ability, a great convention center, and a covered arena, and then you take your guests on tours of areas that have been devastated and where it seems like very, very little has been done," Stern said. "We don't understand it."

Stern doesn't think it would "be that much fun to be there if progress hasn't been made, even though it won't affect our visitors."

While officials believe the infrastructure is already intact to host an All-Star caliber event, there's no hiding the fact there's rebuilding to be done -- particularly in certain, mostly residential neighborhoods that flooded worst from levee breaks during Katrina.

Planners believe the All-Stars' arrival could provide a lift in those areas, through charitable events that could be organized with the NBA, players or sponsors.

"Those events can be geared toward recovery efforts, so I think it can do nothing but help," Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation president Jay Cicero said. "Having a big event in New Orleans helps our economy, helps our citizens, helps our businesses, helps everyone."

Stern sees the Hornets' return as part of that, too. He said he has visited with potential investors and sponsors, season-ticket and suite holders.

"We'd love to be part of the rebirth and vibrancy of that community rather than something that is an exception to what's going on," Stern said.

Cicero was among about 15 officials from the arena, the sports foundation, the convention and visitors bureau and the police department that traveled to Las Vegas this week to study the event they'll be trying to replicate next year. The Hornets, who have been playing most of their home games in Oklahoma City since the hurricane, also sent a delegation.

Cicero said even "as big and as great as Las Vegas is," space availability in New Orleans will allow planners the chance to make the event bigger next year. The convention center has set aside about twice as much room as there was available for this year's NBA Jam Session fan event. Plus, the Louisiana Superdome could play an undetermined role for All-Star weekend 2008.

"As much as you can prepare, seeing it firsthand and meeting with the people that actually do the work gives you a better feel of what the NBA wants," Cicero said.

That research will be a major step toward planning for next year, allowing organizers to envision where the weekend events that surround the All-Star Game will fit best in New Orleans. NBA spokeswoman Maureen Coyle said the next step is to hold planning meetings, beginning in March.

For now, organizers haven't decided where parties and other activities will be held in New Orleans or how to stamp the city's unique flavor on the event. But visitors will surely be able to experience Crescent City cuisine, brass bands and riverboat parties even if they're not part of the official event.

"There are just things that are part of New Orleans that become part of the fun side of hosting an event like this that we don't have to invent," Curl said.

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Two-time MVP Steve Nash had 13 points and 12 assists in his return, and Shawn Marion scored 31 points in the Phoenix Suns' 115-90 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.

Nash had missed four games since inflammation in his right shoulder sidelined him for the second half of a victory at Denver on Feb. 5.

He looked the same as always in his first game back, driving the lane and dishing off assists to his teammates, and mixing it up by pulling up and hitting jumpers.

Nash had a big first quarter, with eight points and seven assists, to help the Suns jump out to a 38-26 lead. They stayed comfortably in front the rest of the way.

On a play in the first quarter that drew a collective "Ah-h-h" from the pro-Clippers crowd, Nash made a no-look pass off the dribble to set up a dunk by Amare Stoudemire charging down the lane.

Marion also had nine rebounds, and Stoudemire had 22 points and nine rebounds.

The slumping Clippers, who lost their fourth in a row, were led by Corey Maggette's 19 points and seven rebounds. Elton Brand, back after sitting out two games because of back spasms, had 17 points and five rebounds.

The Clippers were missing swing man Cuttino Mobley (left groin strain) and center Chris Kaman (flu-like symptoms).

Phoenix forward Boris Diaw sat out his third consecutive game with back spasms.

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Leandro Barbosa scored 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and the Phoenix Suns held off the pesky Boston Celtics 118-108 on Wednesday night.

Amare Stoudemire had 32 points and 12 rebounds, but scored only two points in the fourth quarter as the Suns struggled to avoid a fourth consecutive home loss.

Barbosa was 6-of-7 on 3-pointers, all in the second half. Raja Bell added 20 points and Shawn Marion 17, nine in the fourth quarter when the Suns finally pulled away.

Three players topped 20 points for the Celtics, who lost their 10th in a row on the road and 20th in 21 games overall. Paul Pierce scored 24, Al Jefferson 23 and Ryan Gomes 21. Delonte West added 17 points for Boston.

The Suns made it two victories in two nights after Steve Nash returned from a shoulder injury following the All-Star break. Nash had 14 points and 13 assists.

The Celtics, meanwhile, became the second team in the NBA to lose 40 games this season. Memphis was the first.

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Shawn Marion scored 27 points, Leandro Barbosa added 24 and Amare Stoudemire had 23 to help the Phoenix Suns beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-104 on Friday night.

Steve Nash added nine points and 15 assists in his third game back after missing four starts with a right shoulder inflammation.

Kevin Garnett, who had a season-high 44 points the last time the teams met, led Minnesota with 28 points and tied a season-high with 19 rebounds. Randy Foye had 14 points and Ricky Davis 12 for the Timberwolves, who have lost three straight games.

A 3-point play by Garnett got Minnesota within five points midway through the third quarter, but a pair of 3-pointers and a dunk by Marion put the Suns up 89-78. Phoenix, which averages just under six 3-pointers per game, finished 12-of-31 from behind the arc.

A jumper by James Jones early in the fourth gave Phoenix its largest lead, 100-85.

Minnesota got within eight points midway through the quarter, but Nash returned to find Jones for a layup and Barbosa hit a long jumper for a 12-point cushion.

The Timberwolves later got within 108-100, but Marion blocked Marko Jaric once and Foye twice on drives with 23 seconds left, before a 3-pointer by Barbosa ended the threat.

Two nights after coach Randy Wittman accused Minnesota players of playing selfishly in a loss to Charlotte, the Timberwolves had 10 assists on 11 first quarter baskets en route to a 30-25 lead, just the third time in 15 games under Wittman the team has led after 12 minutes.

Phoenix, winners of seven of nine against Minnesota, went on an 11-0 run for a 49-39 lead, including a behind the back pass from Nash to Marion for a layup drawing a few "aahs" from the seventh-largest crowd in Target Center history. Marion capped the stretch by stealing the ball from Jaric and driving in for a layup. A putback by Stoudemire at the buzzer gave Phoenix a 64-52 halftime lead.

Notes

Minnesota F Mark Madsen, who injured his left ankle in Wednesday's game and was walking with a crutch Friday morning, was walking with a splint around the ankle before the game. "It's responding well to treatment," he said. ... Phoenix F Boris Diaw missed his fifth straight game with a back spasms. "Hopefully I'll be able to play on this trip," he said. ... Six other NBA team mascots joined Minnesota's "Crunch" to help celebrate his birthday. The Phoenix Gorilla was not one of them.