2001 NBA All-Star Game explained

2001 NBA All-Star Game
Visitor:East
Home:West
Visitor Total:111
Home Total:110
Visitor Qtr1:17
Visitor Qtr2:33
Visitor Qtr3:20
Visitor Qtr4:41
Home Qtr1:30
Home Qtr2:31
Home Qtr3:28
Home Qtr4:21
Date:February 11, 2001
Arena:MCI Center
City:Washington, D.C.
Referee:Dan Crawford
Don Vaden
Eddie Rush
Attendance:20,674
Mvp:Allen Iverson
Anthem:Deborah Cox (Canada)
Jessica Simpson (USA)
Halftime:Harry Connick, Jr. saluting 50 years of All-Star Game MVPs
Network:NBC
Announcers:Marv Albert
Doug Collins
Prev Year:2000
Next Year:2002

The 2001 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played on February 11, 2001 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., home of the Washington Wizards. This game was the 50th edition of the North American National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game and was played during the 2000–01 NBA season.

Allen Iverson was named the game's Most Valuable Player after he rallied the East to garner an improbable 111–110 comeback victory over the West. The East trailed 95–74 with nine minutes left after the West dominated the first 39 minutes behind its superior size. Iverson sparked the comeback scoring 15 of his 25 points in the final nine minutes of the game. Stephon Marbury also helped the East by hitting two three-pointers in the final 53 seconds, including one with 28 seconds left, which proved to be the game-winner.

Kobe Bryant scored the most points for the West squad (19 points), which led by as much as twenty-one points before the team squandered the lead. Bryant, the NBA's leading scorer at the time, could have taken the last shot; instead, his hesitation before passing to an open Tim Duncan resulted in a last-second miss.[1]

All-Star Game

Coaches

The coach for the Western Conference team was Sacramento Kings head coach Rick Adelman. The Kings had a 31-15 record on February 11. The coach for the Eastern Conference team was Philadelphia 76ers head coach Larry Brown. The 76ers had a 36-14 record on February 11.

Players

The rosters for the All-Star Game were chosen in two ways. The starters were chosen via a fan ballot. Two guards, two forwards and one center who received the highest vote were named the All-Star starters. The reserves were chosen by votes among the NBA head coaches in their respective conferences. The coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. The reserves consist of two guards, two forwards, one center and two players regardless of position. If a player is unable to participate due to injury, the commissioner will select a replacement.

For the second consecutive year, Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors was the lead vote-getter with 1,717,687. He was closely followed by Allen Iverson, who earned his second consecutive All-Star appearances. Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, and Alonzo Mourning completed the Eastern Conference starting position. This was the first All-Star appearance by McGrady. Iverson, Hill, and Mourning were all starters the previous year. The Eastern Conference reserves included two first-time selections, Theo Ratliff and Stephon Marbury. The other reserves were Dikembe Mutombo, Ray Allen, Allan Houston, Glenn Robinson, Latrell Sprewell, and Jerry Stackhouse. Because of injuries to Mourning and Hill, Antonio Davis and Anthony Mason were selected as replacements.

The Western Conference's leading vote-getter was Shaquille O'Neal, who earned his eight consecutive All-Star Game selection with 1,541,298 votes. Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Chris Webber, and Tim Duncan completed the Western Conference starting positions. Kidd, Bryant, Duncan, and O'Neal were starters for the previous year's Western Conference team, while Webber was a reserve. The Western Conference reserves include two first-time selections, Vlade Divac and Antonio McDyess. The team was rounded out by Gary Payton, Michael Finley, Rasheed Wallace, Karl Malone, and David Robinson. Because of an injury to O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, who had started the previous year, was selected as his replacement.

Roster

Eastern Conference All-Stars
PosPlayerTeamNo. of selectionsVotes
Starters
GAllen IversonPhiladelphia 76ers2nd1,508,142
GTracy McGradyOrlando Magic1st827,122
FVince CarterToronto Raptors2nd1,717,687
FGrant HillOrlando Magic6th904,885
CAlonzo MourningMiami Heat6th917,866
Reserves
GRay AllenMilwaukee Bucks2nd409,654
GAllan HoustonNew York Knicks2nd476,380
GStephon MarburyNew Jersey Nets1st512,645
GJerry StackhouseDetroit Pistons2nd459,575
FAnthony MasonMiami Heat1st322,696
FGlenn RobinsonMilwaukee Bucks2nd
FLatrell SprewellNew York Knicks4th817,855
CAntonio Davis Toronto Raptors1st220,917
CDikembe MutomboAtlanta Hawks7th627,148
CTheo RatliffPhiladelphia 76ers1st637,585
Head coach: Larry Brown (Philadelphia 76ers)
Western Conference All-Stars
PosPlayerTeamNo. of selectionsVotes
Starters
GJason KiddPhoenix Suns4th1,062,837
GKobe BryantLos Angeles Lakers3rd1,433,747
FChris WebberSacramento Kings3rd1,306,243
FTim DuncanSan Antonio Spurs3rd1,096,522
CShaquille O'NealLos Angeles Lakers8th1,541,298
Reserves
GMichael FinleyDallas Mavericks2nd279,250
GGary PaytonSeattle SuperSonics7th732,671
FKevin GarnettMinnesota Timberwolves4th1,003,336
FKarl MaloneUtah Jazz13th479,624
FAntonio McDyessDenver Nuggets1st
FRasheed WallacePortland Trail Blazers2nd510,543
CDavid RobinsonSan Antonio Spurs10th716,228
CVlade DivacSacramento Kings1st715,687
Head coach: Rick Adelman (Sacramento Kings)

Grant Hill, Alonzo Mourning, Theo Ratliff, and Shaquille O'Neal were unable to participate due to injury.
Latrell Sprewell, Dikembe Mutombo, Antonio Davis, and Vlade Divac were named as Hill, Mourning, Ratliff, and O'Neal's replacements respectively.[2]
Anthony Mason, Davis, and Kevin Garnett were named as starters, replacing Hill, Mourning, and O'Neal respectively.

Game

All-Star Weekend

Rising Stars Challenge

See main article: Rising Stars Challenge.

The Rising Stars Challenge featured the best first-year players ('Rookies') against the best second-year players ('Sophomores'). Kevin Loughery and Elvin Hayes served as head coaches for the rookies and sophomores respectively.

Rookies
Pos. Player width=145Team
GDetroit Pistons
F/GNew Jersey Nets
FNew Jersey Nets
GChicago Bulls
FLos Angeles Clippers
G/FToronto Raptors
CGolden State Warriors
FLos Angeles Clippers
G/FOrlando Magic
Head coach: Kevin Loughery
Assistant coach: Jack Marin
Sophomores
Pos. Player width=145Team
GCleveland Cavaliers
F/CChicago Bulls
FLos Angeles Clippers
GHouston Rockets
FPhoenix Suns
GWashington Wizards
GAtlanta Hawks
FMinnesota Timberwolves
GCharlotte Hornets
Head coach: Elvin Hayes
Assistant coach: Phil Chenier

Slam Dunk Contest

See main article: NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest. Desmond Mason won the Dunk Contest, defeating DeShawn Stevenson and Baron Davis in the final round; Stromile Swift, Jonathan Bender, and Corey Maggette were eliminated before the final round.[3]

Player !! width=175
Team !Height Weight Pct
G/FDesmond Mason Seattle SuperSonics 6–5 222
G/F6-5 218
GBaron Davis6–3 212
F/C6–10 220
F7-0 230
G/F6–6 225

Three-Point Contest

See main article: NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout.

Player !! width=175
Team !Height Weight First round Final round
GRay Allen Milwaukee Bucks 6–5 205 20 19
F6–10 229 19 17
F7–0 245 17 10
F6–9 238 15
G6–6 205 11
F6–10 230 12
G6–3 178 14
F6–7 225 10

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NBA.com: 2001 All-Star Game: East 111, West 110 . December 3, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100411144150/http://www.nba.com/history/allstar/recap_2001.html . April 11, 2010 . dead .
  2. Web site: All-Star Game Replacements for Injured Players. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. NBA.com. January 21, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170203001605/http://www.nba.com/history/allstar/injury_replacements.html. February 3, 2017. dead.
  3. News: February 11, 2001 . Mason leaps from high school to NBA dunk champ. . Washington, D.C.. March 21, 2024.