News from February 8. The NBA announced that the 1st round of the playoffs will be a best of 7 series (2-2-1-1-1 format) instead of best of 5. The NBA also announced that foreign players who turn 18 in the calendar year of the draft are eligible to declare for that draft (making Darko Milicic eligible) and that veterans will have a shorter training camp and 2-a-days have to end after 10 days. Skills Competition (obstacle course of shooting, dribbling, passing in shortest time) First Round Gary Payton (Sea) 31.3 seconds Jason Kidd (NJ) 35.3 seconds Stephon Marbury (Pho) 41.9 seconds Tony Parker (SA) 44.5 seconds Finals Jason Kidd (NJ) 35.1 seconds Gary Payton (Sea) 40.3 seconds Hoop-it-up game (8 minute 3-on-3 game) Los Angeles 23, Atlanta 19 LA: Marko Jaric, Magic Johnson, Lisa Leslie, Ashton Kutcher Atl: Jason Terry, Dominique Wilkins, Sheryl Swoopes, Frankie Muniz 3-Point Shootout (5 racks, 4 1-point balls and 1 2-point ball each) First Round Brent Barry (Sea) 19 points Predrag Stojakovic (Sac) 19 points Wesley Person (Mem) 14 points Pat Garrity (Orl) 13 points David Wesley (NO) 12 points Antoine Walker (Bos) 7 points Finals Wesley Person (Mem) 20 points Predrag Stojakovic (Sac) 20 points Brent Barry (Sea) 17 points Tie-Breaker Predrag Stojakovic (Sac) 22 points Wesley Person (Mem) 16 points Slam Dunk Contest (2 dunks, max. 50 points) First Round 1st dunk 2nd dunk Total Jason Richardson (GS) 50 points 50 points 100 points Desmond Mason (Sea) 46 points 44 points 90 points Amare Stoudemire (Pho) 49 points 30 points 79 points (missed 2nd dunk) Richard Jefferson (NJ) 37 points 37 points 74 points Finals 1st dunk 2nd dunk Total Jason Richardson (GS) 45 points 50 points 95 points Desmond Mason (Sea) 50 points 43 points 93 points Rookie-Sophomore game (2 20-minute halves) Sophomore 132, Rookies 112 1st 2nd - Final 2FG 3FG FG% FT% Sophomore 57 75 - 132 .610 .478 .580 .833 Rookies 69 43 - 112 .516 .250 .485 .692 MVP: Gilbert Arenas (GS) Refs: Derek Richardson, Kevin Fehr, Violet Palmer Sophomore REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Richard Jefferson (NJ) 32 10-14 0-0 1-2 21 2-3 4 3 0 3 0 Troy Murphy (GS) 25 1-5 0-0 0-0 2 2-7 0 0 1 0 0 Pau Gasol (Mem) 23 8-11 0-0 1-1 17 5-11 2 6 3 2 3 Tony Parker (SA) 23 4-7 0-2 0-0 8 1-3 6 3 1 3 0 Gilbert Arenas (GS) 24 11-18 6-12 2-2 30 1-4 4 3 2 3 1 Tyson Chandler (Chi) 17 2-2 0-0 0-0 4 1-6 0 3 0 0 0 Andrei Kirilenko (Uta) 27 6-10 1-1 0-0 13 0-5 0 2 1 2 1 Jason Richardson (GS) 20 13-23 4-7 1-1 31 4-6 2 3 0 5 0 Jamaal Tinsley (Ind) 17 3-10 0-1 0-0 6 1-4 11 7 1 2 0 Totals 40 58-100 11-23 5-6 132 17-49 29 30 9 20 5 Rookies REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Caron Butler (Mia) 32 10-18 1-1 2-4 23 2-4 7 4 3 4 0 Drew Gooden (Mem) 23 8-15 0-3 0-0 16 5-8 1 0 0 0 0 Amare Stoudemire (Pho) 22 7-15 0-0 4-5 18 5-7 1 2 0 4 1 Jay Williams (Chi) 23 4-11 1-4 0-0 9 1-5 9 5 2 3 0 Gordan Giricek (Mem) 23 5-7 1-2 2-2 13 2-4 0 4 0 0 0 Carlos Boozer (Cle) 25 5-14 0-0 1-2 11 1-3 2 2 0 3 0 Nene Hilario (Den) 18 3-6 0-0 0-0 6 3-4 2 2 1 4 1 Marko Jaric (LAC) 17 2-6 0-2 0-0 4 0-3 1 4 0 1 0 Dajuan Wagner (Cle) 17 6-11 0-0 0-0 12 1-2 1 0 1 1 0 Totals 40 50-103 3-12 9-13 112 20-40 24 23 7 20 2