2012 NBA All-Star Game

All-Star Game

Coaches

The coaches for the All-Star game are the head coaches who led the teams with the best winning percentages in their conference through the games of February 15, 2012. The head coaches from the previous year, Doc Rivers and Gregg Popovich were not eligible for selection.

The coach for the Western Conference team was Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks. The Thunder had a 22–7 record on February 15, the best record in the Western Conference. The coach for the Eastern Conference team was Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Bulls had a 23–7 record on February 15, the best record in the Eastern Conference and in the league. This was the first All-Star Game selection for both Brooks and Thibodeau.

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.

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic topped the ballots with 1,600,390 votes, which earned him a starting position as a center in the Eastern Conference team. Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony completed the Eastern Conference starting position. Howard, Rose, Wade and James were starters for the previous year's Eastern Conference team, while Anthony started for the Western Conference team. The Eastern Conference reserves includes three first-time selections, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, and Roy Hibbert. Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson suffered an injury and was replaced by Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. The Miami Heat is represented by three players, Wade, James and Chris Bosh, while the Chicago Bulls and the Celtics are represented by two players each.

The Western Conference's leading vote-getter was Kobe Bryant, who earned his fourteenth consecutive All-Star Game selection with 1,555,479 votes. Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Andrew Bynum completed the Western Conference starting positions. Bryant, Paul and Durant were starters for the previous year's Western Conference team. Griffin became an All-Star Game starter for the first time after he was selected as a reserve in last year's game. Bynum received 1,051,945 votes to earn his first All-Star Game selection and a starting position at center. Bryant/Bynum and Paul/Griffin became the first two pair of teammates who were voted to start for one conference since the 1997 game. The Western Conference reserves include two other first-time selections, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marc Gasol. Both Los Angeles teams, the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, are represented by two players each, all of them are starters. Durant, of the Oklahoma City Thunder, is the only Western Conference starter that does not play in either teams of Los Angeles. The Thunder is also represented by two players, Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Roster

Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury.

Rajon Rondo was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.

Game

• #55 Bill Kennedy
• #31 Scott Wall
• #20 Leroy Richardson

The West led by as many as 21 points and held on to win the game, 152–149. Kevin Durant scored 34 of his game-high 36 points in the first three quarters and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. LeBron James also scored 36. The West's lead was reduced to one point at 148–147 after a Deron Williams' steal and layup with 1:44 remaining. Leading 151–149, Blake Griffin secured the victory by intercepting James' pass. Griffin was fouled and made one of two free throws with 1.1 seconds left. Kobe Bryant was guarding James on the play and chastised James for not attempting the potential game-winning shot. Bryant left the game earlier in the third quarter after he was bloodied from a hard foul to his face by Dwyane Wade. He was diagnosed after the game with a broken nose and a concussion.

Bryant finished with 27 points and became the leading scorer in All-Star history (271), passing Michael Jordan (262). Wade had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, joining James and Jordan as the only players to record a triple-double in the All-Star game. The West set an All-Star record with 88 first-half points, and the teams' 157 combined points at the half was also a record. The 301 combined points at the end of the game were two shy of the record set (in overtime) in the 1987 NBA All-Star Game. The East made 14 three-point field goals, another record.

All-Star Weekend

BBVA Rising Stars Challenge

Main article: NBA All-Star Weekend Rising Stars Challenge

The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge featured the best first-year players ('Rookies') and the best second-year players ('Sophomores') going at each other. The game was divided into two twenty-minute halves, similar to college basketball. For this edition of the Rising Stars Challenge, a pool of the participating players was selected by the league's assistant coaches. Then, the teams were drafted by former NBA players and current TNT analysts Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley, who serve as "General Managers" for their respective teams. Former NBA player and current TNT analyst Kenny Smith served as the "Honorary Commissioner" for the Rising Stars Challenge. Sophomore Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks and rookie Norris Cole of the Miami Heat were two last-minute additions to the player pool. Sophomore Derrick Favors of the Utah Jazz was selected as an injury replacement for Tiago Splitter. Lin played only nine minutes in the game, at his request, due to exhaustion from his rise to stardom that month.

Tiago Splitter was unable to participate due to injury.

Derrick Favors was named Tiago Splitter's replacement.

Kawhi Leonard did not play due to injury.

• #75 Eric Dalen
• #68 Marat Kogut
• #35 Kane Fitzgerald

Kyrie Irving, who scored 34 points on 8/8 three-point shooting, won the MVP award of the Rising Stars Challenge.

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

Main article: NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest

Iman Shumpert was unable to participate due to injury.

Jeremy Evans was named Iman Shumpert's replacement.

Foot Locker Three-Point Contest

Main article: NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout

Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury.

Kevin Durant was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.

Taco Bell Skills Challenge

Main article: NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge

Stephen Curry was unable to participate due to injury.

Rajon Rondo was named as Curry's replacement.

Haier Shooting Stars Competition

Main article: NBA All-Star Weekend Shooting Stars Competition

Joe Johnson was unable to participate due to injury.

Jerry Stackhouse was named as Joe Johnson's replacement.

References

References

1. (February 27, 2012). "West holds off East in NBA All-Star Game". Chicago Tribune.
2. (February 27, 2012). "West best in All-Star Game". Toronto Sun.
3. (May 4, 2010). "Orlando to Host NBA All-Star 2012". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
4. Beck, Howard. (November 28, 2011). "Two Exhibition Games for N.B.A. Teams". The New York Times.
5. (February 11, 2012). "Thunder's Brooks earns spot as West coach for All-Star Game". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
6. (February 15, 2012). "Bulls' Thibodeau to coach East in All-Star Game". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
7. (February 2, 2012). "Howard top vote-getter in 2012 All-Star balloting". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
8. (February 9, 2012). "Pierce, Nowitzki headline reserves for 2012 All-Star Game". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
9. (February 22, 2012). "Hawks' Johnson (knee) to sit out All-Star weekend". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
10. "All-Star 2012 Roster". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
11. Aschburner, Steve. (February 27, 2012). "Stars come through to finish 2012 All-Star game with a bang". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
12. Shelburne, Ramona. (March 3, 2012). "It's Kobe vs. D-Wade (not LeBron)". ESPN Internet Ventures.
13. Moore, Matt. (March 10, 2012). "Heat 93, Pacers 91: LeBron is clutch, then not clutch, clutch enough?". CBS Interactive.
14. Mahoney, Brian. (February 27, 2012). "Bryant, West hold on to win NBA All-Star game". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
15. McMenamin, Dave. (March 1, 2012). "Kobe Bryant: 'All good' with Wade". ESPN Internet Ventures.
16. (February 7, 2012). "Barkley, Shaq to draft teams for BBVA Rising Stars Challenge". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
17. (February 16, 2012). "Lin, Cole added to Rising Stars rosters". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
18. Morre, Matt. (February 16, 2012). "NBA holds Rising Stars draft for rookies, sophs". CBSSports.com.
19. (February 21, 2012). "Favors replaces injured Splitter in Rising Stars Challenge". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
20. Beck, Howard. (February 24, 2012). "Lin, a Rising Star, Needs a Break". The New York Times.
21. "BBVA Rising Stars Draft". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
22. (February 24, 2012). "Spurs forward Leonard out for Rising Stars game". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
23. (February 22, 2012). "Jazz's Evans to replace Knicks' Shumpert in Sprite Slam Dunk". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.
24. (February 23, 2012). "Rondo, Stackhouse added as replacements to All-Star events". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.