More from NBA All-Star Game

By Dave Krieger
Scripps Howard News Service

Dikembe Mutombo

"I like Dikembe Mutombo," insisted New Jersey guard Kendall Gill. "I don't have anything against Dikembe, but I can't see him being on it over Anthony Mason and Glenn Robinson. C'mon. Mason has the numbers. He plays hard. He deserved it. It's a crock."

If you remember, it was Mutombo calling it a crock this time last year, when he failed to make the original Western Conference team and said the league could "go to hell."

Before commissioner David Stern had time to book the trip, Cedric Ceballos dropped out of the game with an injury and Stern named Mutombo to replace him, at which point the Big Fella became all smiles again.

This will be Mutombo's fourth All-Star appearance in six seasons, his first playing for the East.

More than ever, All-Star status this season reflects not so much individual achievement as team success. A host of Eastern stars have bigger numbers than Mutombo, but they toil for mediocre teams. The soaring Hawks placed not only the man of seven names, but also his frontcourt mate, Christian Laettner, who made it for the first time in five seasons.

"It means our team is playing well and getting respect," said Laettner, who is averaging 19 points and nearly nine boards a game. "When I was at Duke, I was a good player who gave the impression of being a great player because I was surrounded by Grant (Hill) and Thomas Hill, Tony Lang, Brian Davis, Bobby Hurley, Cherokee Parks."

As for beating out Mason, Robinson and Chris Webber?

"Those are. 500 teams," Laettner said. "I think that's the difference."

"I am happy for myself, but I am very happy for Christian, because he has never been," said Mutombo, who was the only member of the Nuggets at the game in his three previous trips. "I don't know how much either of us will play. But I will tell you we are going to have a good time."

Bulls will be outnumbered

With Dennis Rodman's suspension in force at least through next weekend, only Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen will represent the league champs, giving Chicago the same size contingent as Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Utah and the L.A. Lakers.

Even had Rodman's suspension been scheduled to end prior to All-Star Weekend, the incident that prompted it might have cost him the support he needed from Eastern Conference coaches, who selected the reserves.

"The kicking incident would have affected my decision," said Milwaukee coach Chris Ford. "I believe that an All-Star should also represent the person as well as the player. We are supposed to stand for what is good and right."

All-Star briefs

• Golden State's Latrell Sprewell celebrated his All-Star selection by getting lost on the way to San Jose Arena and missing the start of the Warriors-Sonics game Wednesday. "All I know, I saw these signs, 'L A , 385 (miles),' " he reported. "I was on my way to L.A." Maybe wishful thinking.

• The Bullets' Webber was perhaps the most stunned of those overlooked. Only six players were averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds -- Webber, Patrick Ewing, Shawn Kemp, Shaquille O'Neal, Vin Baker and Karl Malone -- and all the others will be in Cleveland.

  "It makes me numb," Webber said. "When I go through something that's kind of tough, my first instinct is to go to sleep. I just went home from practice and went to sleep."

• Denver's Mark Jackson, also was passed over, despite leading the league in assists. He could be the first player in 15 years to win the assist title and not be an All-Star.

• O'Neal's selection as a reserve was deeply moving to the Lakers center. Informed by reporters he'd been chosen, O'Neal glanced up only briefly. "Oh, I was?" he said. A starter in the East, he said he doesn't mind playing behind Olajuwon in the West. "Now, if Gheorghe Muresan started before me, I'd be (ticked)," he said.