This is Michael Jordan?s last All Star game and since it?s such a big deal to me and a couple friends, I decided that it would be a good idea to write about it in case I ever want to go back to see what MJ?s final All Star game was like. I invited Eddy (Edson), Randall (Randy), and Hea Jin over. Then at the last minute, my sister and mom decided to come over and make dinner and good ol? dad makes a surprise entrance after he told me he couldn?t make it. Dad is so out of touch with today?s NBA, I bet he gets disinterested quickly.

Looks like Michael Jordan is going to start after all. After Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson offered the starting job to MJ and he said no, Vince Carter finally buckled under pressure and offered MJ the starting job and I guess he said yes. They brought back the All Star jerseys. The East is in white and the West is in red. Much better in my opinion then playing in your regular season jersey. It seems more important and team oriented.

Edson and Randy both think MJ is going to win the MVP and I think Kobe wins it. This game seems more important to Kobe, but you never know. MJ could get hot.

The game starts with KG hitting a long jumper and MJ missing a 22 footer just over the long arms of Yao Ming. Then Stevie Francis threw an alley-oop to his Chinese buddy Yao. For the East, Tracy McGrady hit a three to cut the drought for the East. Kobe Bryant is wearing the true blue Air Jordan III?s. MJ is wearing the white/blue Air Jordan XVIII. Wow, Jermaine O?Neal is in this game? He?s wearing the red, white and blue headband. MJ must be nervous. He?s missed his first 6 shots. Maybe he didn?t expect to start? Oh, I?m just making up excuses. Our first commercial break leads me to our first question. After Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley were arguing over whether Dominique Wilkins is an all time top 50 player, I decided to ask Randy and Edson. Edson said that he?d rather have Barkley, but Nique should be on the list. Randy said he thought the Niquer was better than Charles and I said if that?s the case, then the Niquer is a top 25 guy because Charles sure is. Dad says Rick Barry is better than both of them.

Back to the game. The West is winning 14-8 thus far. Ben Wallace almost missed the entire rim on his free throw attempt. J. O?Neal scored again. The least known of the starters is having a nice game thus far. At least, least known to the regular fans. Shaq Diddy is in the game now. Yao goes to the bench. 20 million Chinese fans turn of their televisions. The ball goes out of bounds and Jamie Foxx, who?s in the front row grabs it and starts running with it. MJ finally scores on a pass via Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd looks to be wearing the Air Jordan blue/white XVI. Before the MJ bucket, the biggest ?Oooh? moment thus far was Jermaine O?Neal sending KG?s lay up attempt back the other way.

MJ missed a dunk and then somehow he and Shaq were isolated and MJ took him to the rack and then Shaq knocked the ball out of bounds. MJ finally hits another shot as he pulls up over Shawn Marion. Brad Miller is wearing the same headband as Jermaine O?Neal, but for some reason it looks like something that is causing him pain rather than making him look cool. Shaq gives us our second ?Oooh? as he throws down an alley-oop via Steve Nash who thankfully is not wearing a headband, but he is wearing Nike Jet Flights. That guy will not wear any other shoes. They haven?t even made new versions of those shoes in the last three years. I loved them until I almost broke my ankle because of the lack of ankle support, but for Steve Nash, he probably wears them to sleep. I gave mine away. Albert loves them so much that he even wants to buy the green ones. Even Larry Bird didn?t wear green shoes. End of the first quarter and I?m not even sure of the score.

Second quarter has started and the East is winning 23-18. Lowest scoring first quarter in All Star game history. And now it?s getting sloppy. Spoke too soon. Vince Carter gets an oop finally. And then Shawn Marion gets his. Dirk gets two quick buckets. I hate the European players. They come here and take the jobs of the Americans. Some of them can?t even speak English. Well, actually some of the Americans in the NBA can?t speak English either. Ok, I got myself there. I?ll try and come up with more reasons why I hate the Euros later. That damn Dirk. He hits a three and has I think the last three West field goals. Commercial break. Bob Lanier is in a commercial promoting reading or something. Bob Lanier was a favorite of mine as well as Edson?s when he was interim coach for the Warriors. Reading his quotes in the paper the next day after a Warrior game was awesome. After the Warriors lost or if a referee messed up a call, he would say, ?Holy Christmas!? For some reason, Edson and I find humor in that.

Score update. East leading the West by 3 at 39-36. You can?t let Nash and Nowitski on the court at the same time because Nash only passes to Dirk. Damn Euros ruining the game. Peja is in the game and now there are three Euros on the court at the same time.  Actually, Nash isn?t a Euro, but still, he?s Canadian.

Kobe is starting to pick up his play. He hits a shot and gets an assist to Garnett. West only down by two. MJ?s back in the game. Mad Mashburn hits a three. Can you believe he?s in his first All Star game? I remember when he came out in 1994 in the same draft as Webber and Penny. 9 years later and he?s in. Antoine Walker went to get the ball away from MJ and MJ just looked him off. How dare Antoine? Ask for the ball? MJ will give it to you when he is damn well ready.

Yao and Shaq are in the game at the same time. And Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Jeez. Who?s playing point, Georghe Muresan? Actually, it?s Stevie Franchise. MJ got another bucket. Don?t call it a come back. East still up by three. Shaq got a bucket, on an assist from Yao. Antoine Walker missed a three pointer and didn?t even hit rim. Reminded me of his showing in the 3-Point Shoot-out last night. Worst showing of a player in that contest since MJ about 10 years ago. The big line-up is helping as the West goes into halftime with a three-point lead. And Georghe Muresan had 4 assists.

I had to show dad J-Rich?s performance in the slam-dunk contest last night. It was the best slam-dunk contest since back in 1987 when MJ and Dominique went toe to toe. Desmond Mason wins it any other year except this year. But J-Rich was amazing. Bring on Vince Carter. Half man, half amazing? J-Rich ain?t human.

Mariah Carey is the halftime show. She?s singing her version of Cam?ron?s ?Oh Boy?, which in my opinion is better than Cam’ron?s version. Then they go to a highlight package of MJ?s greatest hits. How can you forget Magic Johnson on commentary from the 1992 finals? ?Whose game is this? It?s Michael Jordan?s game!? Mariah comes back. First she was wearing an old school throwback of MJ?s early Chicago Bulls years. Lebron James would?ve taken that one. Now she?s wearing a Wizards full body dress. She can?t move her legs. Now she?s singing, ?My Saving Grace?. Great song. Dad thinks Mariah is coherent now instead of last summer when she was ?mentally exhausted?. I think he just likes her dress. She does look really good. Next we get the song that she?s been dedicating to everyone lately, ?Hero?. My dad is upset that when Rick Berry retired, Mariah didn?t sing him a song. Well, she was probably only 10 years old. They showed MJ sitting on the bench watching her, and he?s either touched, or wondering if he should ask her on a date. Mariah announces MJ at guard from North Carolina, Chicago, and Washington. They used the Bull?s entrance theme song and everything. Little do people know, Ricky ?The Dragon? Steamboat used that music as his entrance music way before MJ did. MJ comes to the court and receives a pop from the crowd that only Hulk Hogan could sympathize with. But unlike Hogan, MJ didn?t start crying and say, ?You?re right maniacs, you are my life!? Dad is upset that Rick Barry never received that type of applause from the fans.

They go to a round table with Magic Johnson, Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny ?The Jet? Smith. Mag and Chuck both said that they almost started crying during the ceremony. Chuck asked Ernie what he though of Mariah?s skirt. One minute in, and horny Chuck stops talking about MJ and mentions the skirt. Kenny takes it back to MJ and said that MJ?s weaknesses became his strengths. I wish my weaknesses became my strengths. I?d be a damn good basketball player. I?d be able to shoot 3?s, dunk the basketball, put it behind my back like Bob Cousy, and rebound like Wilt and Bill Russell. Man.

Start of the second half and the East gets a quick bucket to cut the lead to one. Jason Kidd is starting the second half instead of MJ. And Brad Miller is starting instead of Ben Wallace. Kevin Garnett hits a turn around fade away from about 16 feet away. Wow! KG leads the game with 16 points. Craig Sager is interviewing Jeff Gordon and Craig is wearing this royal blue shirt with a pink/purple/blue tie. He and that fat dude who was kicked out from American Idol must have the same tailor. Like Martin says in the new Bad Boys movie, ?Don?t hate the game, hate the tailor.? Iverson hits a three to give the East their first lead since late in the second quarter. Cheryl Miller just asked Shaq how it is playing with Yao instead of against him and he said that Yao has a beautiful family. Got to love that guy.

Shaq is back in the game and Yao goes back to the bench. Not a very good first All Star game for Yao. MJ is back in the game. Shaq just took MJ?s lay up attempt and swatted it away. Kobe dishes to Shaq who dunks giving us a preview of what the rest of the Western Conference is going to have to deal with in the second half of the season. MJ finally scores again with a fade away. Dad tries to throw out trivia every once in a while. He asked what World B. Free?s real name was. Edson didn?t know. It?s Lloyd. Then he asked Randy a question about Chocolate Thunder, and Randy got it right. Chocolate Thunder was Darryl Dawkins. Before those two, he asked us a question about Earth, Wind, and Fire. No one got that one, even though it was on the tip of my tongue.

MJ hits two free throws to become the all time All Star scorer passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Tracy McGrady is starting to heat up and the East squad has taken a 7-point lead. Ouch, Shaq just missed the entire rim by throwing the ball off the backboard. East up by 8. Maybe Rick Adelman should bring back the skyscraper lineup. I don?t think Georghe Muresan came out of the locker room after halftime though. Must?ve been glued to the TV watching ?My Giant?. Tracy had 17 points in the quarter. He must have some money in his contract for an All Star game MVP. East is up 7 at the end of the third. Get ready for some real playing in the 4th.

Peja is trying to make some friends as he hits a three to get the West within four. A matrix dunk brings them to within two. Shaq leads the break, dishes to Steph, and then Steph gives it to GP for the lay up. Shaq gets another dunk and the foul to get the West within one. I?m rooting for MJ to do well, but deep down I?m still a West guy. I?ve been rooting for the West since Sleepy Floyd finally made the All Star team. I thought he was the Cinderella pick for MVP, but I think he only played fourteen minutes in that game.

Shaq hits the free throw to tie the game. Peja tries to get swift and throws a one-handed look away pass, but it gets deflected. Euros can?t pass. And don?t get me started on defense. McGrady hits another three. East by one. MJ gets a rebound and leads the break and J. O?Neal is the recipient of an MJ assist. Iverson hits a nice fade away to give the East a five-point lead. Nash takes Iverson to the rack and scores on him and gets the foul. Baby Spice just choked on her drink.

MJ hits another jumper for an East eight point lead. MJ gets a steal and is fouled. Maybe he?s trying for the sympathy MVP vote now since he?s in double figures. MJ is heating up. Now he has 16 points. Two or three more jumpers and he may get the MVP. TMAC is the leading scorer with twenty-four. MJ goes over Kobe to get a rebound takes it all the way and is rejected by Kobe. Garnett?s lay up cuts the deficit to eight. Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker look sad on the bench. KG gets another dunk and they?re only down by six. Jordan takes the Euro Nowitski to the hole and hits a scoop left handed lay up. Niiiiicccccceeeee.

The East is up by six with just over a minute left and KG tries to bring the team to within four at the free throw line. And he does. MJ misses a step back and the West tries to cut it to two. Duncan gets O?Neal in the air for the bucket and the foul and he hits the free throw to cut it to one. MJ tries to go at Marion but he?s blocked again and it?s West ball with only ten seconds left. Kobe misses the first of his two free throws after being fouled by MJ. He makes the second and the game is now tied. Who gets the ball to win it for the East? I?d have Jordan go to the post and try to get someone in the air with McGrady cutting to the hole. We?ll see.

Jordan gets the ball in the post with Marion on him and takes a jumper and it hangs on the rim for a second and rolls off. Going to overtime. If this was baseball, Bud Selig would have extra players because I don?t think Antoine Walker or Paul Pierce have played in the second half.

MJ starts the OT period on the bench. Franchise and the Question trade buckets and the game is still tied until Shaq hits a baby hook. Iverson then gets a lay up and a foul and the East is up again. Kobe hits a rhythm three pointer and the West is up two. Kobe steals the ball from Kidd and he cradle dunks it in for a four point West lead. MJ alert. He?s back in the game. KG is the MVP in my opinion. He hits another jumper and the West is up five, and now seven after Kobe hits Franchise on an oop. Kidd cuts the lead to five with a lay up. McGrady cuts it to three with a fade away one legged jumper. Paul Pierce and Antoine alert. They crossed their legs from right to left. McGrady cuts the deficit to one with two throws. And J-Kidd gives them a one-point lead with two throws of his own.

Kobe looks mad. Hea Jin sees his face and says that he has two different ears. Eddy says that everyone has two different ears. You didn?t think I would go without putting in a Hea Jinism did you? Shaq gets hammered with 23 seconds left and gets a chance to tie or take the lead from the free throw line. And just like Kobe did earlier, he missed the first one, and makes the second. The ball is going to MJ and he hits an 18-foot Purvis Short rainbow fade away to take the lead. As Marv would say, ?Yes!!!!!!? The West has three seconds left to tie the game. My money is on Kobe taking the last shot.

In one of those ?I can?t believe it? moments, Kobe takes a last second ?I have a dream? fade away three and Jermaine O?Neal fouls him. Kobe makes only two of three throws and the game is tied again. Only one second left. My guess is that MJ takes the last second shot again.

Jordan?s last second shot is blocked and we go to another overtime. If anyone is tired, I?d go out on a limb to say that Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker have fresh legs.

We have a Paul Pierce sighting as he?s in the game, but Antoine is still on the bench playing chase the thumbs. Kevin Garnett scores the first seven points of the OT period. Stevie Franchise and Kobe hit back to back three?s and the West is all of a sudden up by eleven. Better get MJ back in there. Ive gets a three-point play to cut the deficit to eight. Where?s MJ and TMAC? Isaiah ran out of gas as the coach. He played to win each of the 4th quarter and first OT, but decided that it was enough and I think KG is your MVP as the West wins by ten. Sleepy Floyd is smiling somewhere and Georghe Muresan probably fell asleep watching ?My Giant?.

By the way, Dad left in the third quarter and was last seen trying to play air hockey but couldn’t find the pucks.

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