Scott
      MacDonald
      previe
     
     
      favourite
      time
      of
      the
      year:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      VERY
      YEAR
      AROUND
      MID-
     
    

    
     
      |
      E
      February
      the
      NBA
      All-Star
      game
     
    

    
     
      __/|
      allows
      fans
      to
      witness
      the
      greatest
     
    

    
     
      basketball
      players
      in
      the
      world
      plying
     
    

    
     
      their
      trade
      on
      the
      court,
      in
      a
      game
      where
      the
     
    

    
     
      main
      goal
      is
      to
      inject
      some
      razzle-dazzle
      into
     
    

    
     
      48
      minutes
      of
      show-time
      action.
      The
      All-star
     
    

    
     
      game
      is
      traditionally
      a
      showcase
      for
      players
      to
     
    

    
     
      play
      the
      game
      the
      way
      they
      grew
      up
      playing
      it,
     
     
      with
      a
      sense
      of
      flair.
     
    

    
     
      Defense
      plays
      second
      fiddle
      to
      a
      playground
     
     
      style
      of
      offense
      where
      slowing
      it
      down
      means
     
     
      working
      the
      24
      second
      clock
      down
      to
      18
     
     
      seconds.
      The
      game
      allows
      the
      stars
      of
      the
     
     
      game
      to
      acheive
      the
      national
      recognition
      that
     
     
      they
      deserve,
      which
      they
      may
      not
      get
      playing
     
     
      in
      a
      smaller
      market.
      Being
      an
      all-star
      is
      one
      of
     
     
      a
      player's
      crowning
      acheivements,
      and
      shows
     
     
      him
      that
      if
      just
      for
      one
      day,
      that
      he
      is
      one
      of
      the
     
     
      24
      best
      players
      in
      the
      world.
     
    

    
     
      This
      year's
      game,
      to
      be
      played
      in
      Minnesota,
     
     
      will
      be
      lacking
      certain
      elements
      that
      it
      had
      in
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      If
      at
      first
      you
      don't
      succeed...
      Perennial
     
    
   
   
    
     
      bridesmaid
      Shawn
      Kemp
      hopes
      to
      finally
     
     
      come
      out
      on
      top
      in
      the
      Slam-Dunk
      Contest.
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      past,
      namely
      Jordan
      and
      Isiah,
      two
      of
      the
     
     
      premier
      entertainers
      who
      made
      this
      showcase
     
     
      breathtaking.
      But
      with
      a
      new
      year
      comes
      a
     
     
      new
      harvest
      of
      blossoming
      stars,
      ready
      to
     
     
      show
      their
      skills
      off
      to
      the
      world.
      First
      time
      All-
     
     
      Stars
      include
      New
      Jersey’s
      Kenny
      Anderson
     
     
      and
      Derrick
      Coleman,
      and
      Charlotte’s
      Alonzo
     
     
      Mourning.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Eastern
      Conference
      will
      feature
      as
     
     
      starters:
      Anderson*
      and
      Chicago’s
      B.J.
     
     
      Armstrong*
      at
      guard,
      and
      Coleman*,
      the
     
     
      league's
      leading
      scorer,
      Orlando’s
      Shaquille
     
     
      O'Neal,
      and
      Chicago’s
      Scottie
      Pippen
      up
      front.
     
     
      The
      reserves
      filling
      out
      the
      Eastern
      side
      are;
     
     
      Horace
      Grant-Chicago
     
     
      Dominque
      Wilkins-Atlanta
     
     
      Patrick
      Ewing-New
      York
     
     
      Alonzo
      Mourning-Charlotte*
     
    

    
     
      Mark
      Price-Cleveland
     
     
      Mookie
      Blaylock-Atlanta*
     
     
      John
      Starks-New
      York*
     
    

    
     
      The
      West
      will
      counter
      with
      last
      year’s
     
     
      NBA
      MVP
      Charles
      Barkley
      of
      Phoenix,
      Shawn
     
     
      Kemp
      of
      Seattle,
      and
      Houston’s
      Hakeem
     
     
      Olajuwon,
      this
      year's
      bet
      for
      MVP
      comprising
     
     
      the
      front-line.
      Inthe
      backcourt
      Clyde
      Drexler
     
     
      of
      Portland
      and
      first-timer
      Mitch
      Richmond*
     
     
      will
      push
      the
      tempo
      of
      the
      game.
      The
      remainder
     
     
      of
      the
      Western
      squad
      includes;
     
    

    
     
      Danny
      Manning-LA
      Clippers
     
     
      Karl
      Malone-Utah
     
    

    
     
      Cliff
      Robinson-Portland*
     
     
      David
      Robinson-San
      Antonio
     
     
      John
      Stockton-Utah
     
    

    
     
      Latrell
      Sprewell-Golden
      State*
     
     
      Kevin
      Johnson-Phoenix
     
    

    
     
      (*
      denotes
      a
      first
      time
      all-star)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ALL-STAR
     
     
      WEEKEND
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      real
      treat
      of
      the
      All-star
      weekend
      is
      the
     
     
      skills
      competitions
      which
      occur
      the
      day
      before
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ws
      every
      hoops
      fan's
     
     
      All-Star
      Weekend
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      game.
      This
      allows
      many
      of
      the
      game’s
      top
     
     
      stars
      to
      showboatand
      give
      the
      fans
      an
      indication
     
     
      of
      their
      athletic
      ability,
      along
      with
      showing
     
     
      who
      is
      the
      best
      shooter
      and
      top
      creative
     
     
      dunker
      in
      the
      league.
      Since
      this
      is
      much
      like
      a
     
     
      horse
      race,
      |
      will
      try
      to
      breakdown
      the
      field
      in
     
     
      each
      of
      the
      different
      events.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ROOKIE
      GAME
     
    
   
   
    
     
      This
      year
      sees
      a
      new
      addition
      to
      the
      All-Star
      —
     
    
   
   
    
     
      weekend
      festivities,
      the
      NBA
      Legends
      game
     
     
      has
      been
      replaced
      with
      a
      collection
      of
      the
     
     
      brightest
      rookies
      in
      the
      league.
      The
      old-timers
     
     
      game
      had
      a
      habit
      of
      seeing
      many
      of
      the
      greats
     
     
      of
      the
      past
      get
      injured.
      Some
      of
      the
      players
      in
     
     
      this
      year's
      game
      include
      Golden
      State’s
      Chris
     
     
      Webber,
      who
      spenthis
      college
      days
      at
      Michigan;
     
     
      the
      Croatian-imported
      duo
      of
      Boston’s
      Dino
     
     
      Radja
      and
      Chicago’s
      Toni
      Kukoc;
      Orlando's
     
     
      Anfernee
      ‘Penny’
      Hardaway;
      Philadelphia's
      7’6
     
     
      Shawn
      Bradley;
      Dallas’
      Jamal
      Mashburn;
      Isaiah
     
     
      ‘).R.’
      Rider
      of
      Minnesota;
      and
      Cleveland’s
      Chris
     
     
      Mills.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      SHOOTAROUND
     
    
   
   
    
     
      |
      read
      on
      Internet
      that
      another
      new
      addition
     
     
      tothe
      weekend
      would
      consist
      ofa
      shootaround
     
     
      of
      some
      the
      league’s
      top
      marksman.
      Four
     
     
      players
      will
      race
      against
      the
      clock
      trying
      to
     
     
      make
      as
      many
      shots
      as
      they
      can
      from
      eight
     
     
      different
      spots
      on
      the
      court.
      Players
      competing
     
     
      include
      Minnesota’s
      Chuck
      Person,
      Detroit's
     
     
      Joe
      Dumars,
      Philly's
      Jeff
      Hornacek,
      and
      New
     
     
      York’s
      John
      Starks.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THREE-POINT
     
     
      SHOOTOUT
     
    
   
   
    
     
      As
      usual
      the
      three-point
      contest
      will
      see
      some
     
     
      great
      streak
      shooting
      done
      by
      some
      of
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      [xpress
      february
      eighth
      1994
      page
      16
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      :
      :
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      NBA's
      top
      outside
      snipers.
      Beginning
      with
      a
     
     
      field
      of
      eight,
      each
      player
      gets
      60
      seconds
      to
     
     
      shoot
      five
      balls
      a
      rack,
      on
      five
      racks
      outside
      the
     
     
      three-point
      arc.
      This
      contest
      has
      produced
     
     
      such
      memorable
      moments
      as
      Craig
      Hodge's
     
     
      19
      shots
      made
      in
      a
      row,
      and
      Larry
      Bird's
     
     
      dramatic
      finish
      in
      ‘89
      where
      he
      had
      to
      make
      his
     
     
      last
      3
      attempts
      in
      order
      to
      capture
      the
      win.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WIN:
      Dale
      Ellis-San
      Antonio
     
     
      PLACE:
      =
      Mark
      Price-Cleveland
     
     
      SHOW:
      Steve
      Kerr-Chicago
     
     
      SLEEPER:
      Dana
      Barros-Philadelphia
     
     
      OTHERS:
      BJ.
      Armstrong-Chicago
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Mitch
      Richmond-Sacramento
     
     
      Dan
      Majerle-Phoenix
     
     
      Eric
      Murdock-Milwaukee
     
    
   
   
    
     
      SLAM-DUNK
     
     
      CONTEST
     
    
   
   
    
     
      In
      what
      is
      generally
      the
      most
      anticipated
      event
     
     
      of
      All-Star
      Weekend,
      some
      of
      the
      top
      leapers
     
     
      in
      the
      league
      show
      that
      man
      in
      fact
      can
      fly,
      if
     
     
      only
      for
      a
      short
      time.
      Winning
      the
      dunk
     
     
      contest
      can
      create
      a
      household
      name
      out
      of
      a
     
     
      young
      talent
      and
      give
      a
      young
      career
      a
      launch-
     
     
      pad
      to
      All-Star
      status.
      Being
      in
      the
      dunk
     
     
      contest
      requires
      timing,
      grace,
      jumping
      ability,
     
     
      style,
      and
      a
      certain
      amount
      of
      flair/
     
     
      showmanship.
      Another
      good
      trait
      to
      have
      is
      a
     
     
      flashy
      nickname,
      of
      which
      this
      group
      has
      several.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WIN:
      Harold
      Miner-Heat
     
     
      “baby
      Jordan”
     
    

    
     
      PLACE:
      Isaiah
      Rider-Minnesota
     
     
      “wR”
     
    

    
     
      SHOW:
      Shawn
      Kemp-Seattle
     
     
      “the
      Rainman
     
    

    
     
      SLEEPER:
      Robert
      Pack-Denver
     
    

    
     
      OTHERS:
      _jJamesRobinson-Portland
     
     
      “Hollywood”
     
     
      Doug
      Christie-LA
      Lakers
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Robert
      Horry-Houston
     
     
      Latrell
      Spreewell-Golden
      State