News from February 14.

Phoenix signed Courtney Sims to a 2nd 10-day contract.


Stats Leaders
Points
LeBron James (Cle)      28.5
Dwyane Wade (Mia)       28.3
Kobe Bryant (LAL)       27.7

Rebounds
Dwight Howard (Orl)     14.1
Marcus Camby (LAC)      12.7
David Lee (NY)          11.8
Andris Biedrins (GS)    11.8

Assists
Chris Paul (NO)         10.8
Deron Williams (Uta)    10.0
Steve Nash (Pho)         9.8


All-Star Saturday Night results

HORSE  (when player makes a shot, next player gets a letter if misses 
        duplicating the shot)
  Winner: Kevin Durant (OKC)    HORS   [even though first with "HORS"]
  2nd place: O.J. Mayo (Mem)    HORSE
  3rd place: Joe Johnson (Atl)  HORSE  [first eliminated]


Shooting Stars  (must make shot from 6 spots on court in shortest time)
1st round (top 2 advance)
  Pho (Leandro Barbosa, Dan Majerle, Tangela Smith)     0:53.3
  Det (Aaron Afflalo, Bill Laimbeer, Katie Smith)       0:59.3
  SA (Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Becky Hammon)         1:06
  LAL (Derek Fisher, Michael Cooper, Lisa Leslie)       1:16

Finals
  Det  0:58.4
  Pho  1:15


Skills Competition (obstacle course dribbling, shooting, passing; timed
event)
1st round (top 2 advance)
  Derrick Rose (Chi)      33.3 seconds
  Devin Harris (NJ)       36.9 seconds
  Maurice Williams (Cle)  37.5 seconds
  Tony Parker (SA)        50.8 seconds

Finals
  Derrick Rose (Chi)      35.3 seconds
  Devin Harris (NJ)       39.7 seconds


3-point Shootout (5 racks of 5 balls - 4 worth 1 point, 1 worth 2 points)
1st Round  (top 3 advance)
  Daequan Cook (Mia)         18
  Rashard Lewis (Orl)        17
  Jason Kapono (Tor)         16
  Mike Bibby (Atl)           14
  Danny Granger (Ind)        13
  Roger Mason (SA)           13

Finals
  Daequan Cook (Mia)         15
  Rashard Lewis (Orl)        15
  Jason Kapono (Tor)         14

Tiebreaker
  Daequan Cook (Mia)         19
  Rashard Lewis (Orl)         7


Slam Dunk Contest (2 dunks each round)
[you try until you make one for 2 minutes, then 2 attempts to make 1]
1st Round  (top 2 advance)
  (score=total, 5 judges give points)
  Dwight Howard (Orl)    50  50* = 100
  Nate Robinson (NY)     46  41  = 87
  J.R. Smith (Den)       43  43  = 86
  Rudy Fernandez (Por)   42  42  = 84
*brought out 12-foot basket and dunked on it

Finals
  (fan voting, text messaging at start of finals)
  Nate Robinson (NY)    52%
  Dwight Howard (Orl)   48%

Howard's dunks:
 - lobbed ball off the side of the backboard and one-hand power slam
   [best dunk of the night]
 - took off with foot over free throw line for straight on dunk (Dr. J 
   dunk)
Robinson's dunks:
 - lobbed the ball and caught it after bounce and behind the head dunk
   (Spud Webb dunk)
 - with green "kryptonite" jersey, shoes, and ball, straight on dunk 
   over Dwight Howard (with good sport Howard wearing the superman 
   cape) [most creative dunk]


Sunday February 15
  All-Star Legends Brunch      12:00 pm  NBATV
  All-Star Game                 7:00 pm  TNT


----
  Patricia Bender                       pbender@eskimo.com
  For NBA stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/index.html
  For Mavs stuff: http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/mavs.html