Many people were concerned about how the NBA All-Star Festivities would go down, being hosted in a city still struggling to get back on its feet, New Orleans. It ended up being one of the most entertaining All-Star weekends in recent memory with very little chaos.
Dwight Howard was simply incredible in the Dunk Contest, giving the crowd thrilling dunks each and every time. His "Superman" dunk will definitely be on a lot of posters. Although some say it wasn't necessarily a dunk, no one can deny that it showed great athleticism in a big man. He took that momentum and got the All-Star Game off to an electrifying start. Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Jason Kidd developed a great chemistry, as the first half of the game showcased a plethora of alley-oops and dunks.
The East came out with fire in their eyes after getting spanked by the West in 2007. Surprisingly, the East wanted to out-run the West in the game. This may be a little confusing, considering the West is the host of teams such as the Mavs, the Suns, the Warriors, the Nuggets, and other teams that run. However, the West had big guys such as Yao Ming and Tim Duncan, and the East used that to their advantage.
In the third quarter, the West went on a little run, but the East was quickly able to get the lead back to double digits heading into the final stanza of play. Dwyane Wade was able to make an acrobatic behind-his-back shot in transition, and was able to redeem himself after giving a halfhearted performance in the Skills Challenge which saw Wade turning the ball over against stationary polygons, Wade missing several jump-shots at the top of the key, and Wade missing two layups.
Byron Scott went tiny at one point, with Steve Nash, Chris Paul, and Brandon Roy on the floor. After the West was able to make a game out of it, Scott put in Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki, and the West was able to take the lead. However, with all eyes on LeBron James, a new hero emerged: Ray Allen. Allen was able to hit three consecutive triples to give the East a 125-122 lead with just over a minute to go.
Chris Paul was able to respond with a three of his own, making the game tied down the stretch. LeBron James took the ball down the court, saw an opening, and threw a thunderous dunk on Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan with less than a minute to go. After a West turnover, it was Wade's turn to give his own heroics. With Brandon Roy draped over him, Wade was able to connect on a driving layup shot to give the East a four-point lead with less than 40 seconds to go. Wade then was able to come up with an unbelievable block against the seven-footer Dirk Nowitzki with 25 seconds to go.
The West went into a fouling mode, but Ray Allen made three free throws to ice the game. Despite Allen's heroics, it was LeBron James holding up the trophy for the second time in three years, with a stat line of 27 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocks.
This has been one of the best All-Star weekends. Several NBA players went out to help the houses and communities which have still been neglected by the federal government. It was a great entertainment, but the NBA also uplifted this city with its entertainment and its assistance. It was a great decision to come down here, and it will be even more exciting next year.
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