All-Star Game

By Jason Yellin
ESPNET SportsZone

So it wasn't a surprise that of the six first-time All-Stars on Sunday night, Eddie Jones was the top scorer among them with 10 points.

Eddie Jones led all first-year All-Stars with 10 points.

"I had a lot of expectations and jitterbugs coming in," Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett said. "At halftime I hadn't scored. It was a relief to get that jumper to fall in the fourth quarter. I was like, 'Phew, now I can leave here with a little field goal.' "

Garnett finished his first All-Star Game 1-of-7 from the floor with six points.

The second-year forward wasn't the only All-Star rookie extremely worried about his performances, though.

"Nervousness, jitters, butterflies, every single thing that has to do with uncomfortableness," Washington forward Chris Webber said he experienced it all Sunday. He finished with just two points in his debut.

"I was very nervous about scoring," Webber said. "They were all saying that I was going to shoot an airball: 'Your first shot, a brick your first shot.' Once I got the first one down, I felt I could pass and rebound."

That was all Webber did after Anfernee Hardaway hit him with pass for a lay-up at 4:16 of the first quarter. Webber shot just 1-of-4, while grabbing four boards and handing out three assists on the night.

Webber shared the Eastern Conference locker room with just one other first timer -- Hawks forward Christian Laettner.

"We definitely talked about being the new guys," Webber said. "I was telling him how nervous I was."

Webber really didn't have to say anything. His performance said it all.

Laettner was more tame about his debut and it showed as he scored seven points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

"My palms weren't too sweaty," Laettner said. "I bricked my first shot, but after that I was fine. I wasn't as worried because Penny shot an airball before I got in the game. So once Penny did it, he broke the ice. And there wasn't much pressure after that."

Laettner's former Minnesota teammate, Tom Gugliotta, took the newcomers' most laid-back approach.

"To be honest, I felt comfortable from the beginning," said Gugliotta, who scored nine points. "It was a loose feeling and I was able to get into the game."

But one player who wasn't able to get into the flow was the last guy to get into the game. Chris Gatling was also the last to score. And he thought that might not happen at all.

"I had six shots rattle in and out," the Mavs forward said. "I was like, 'Come on, I can't buy a shot. On the one night, why this night?' "

Gatling finally broke through as he put home a six-foot hook shot with 1:03 left in the game.

"For Gatling, we were going to post him up," Western Conference coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We wanted to post him up where he was strongest on the right box, so it was ironic that he scored on the left box."

But these first time All-Stars have hope. They don't need to look any further than this year's MVP, Glen Rice.

In his first All-Star Game in San Antonio last year, Rice made just one of five shots and scored seven points. Of course, this year he finished with 26 points and a couple of All-Star game records.

"This time it was very easy," Rice said of his second appearance. "I was very comfortable, I really felt like I belonged out there on the floor. It was definitely not new turf and going through the experience last year made it easier for me this year."

Webber hopes to follow in the older ex-Michigan Wolverine's footsteps with more confidence the second time around.

"You see I have some encouragement for next year," Webber said. "Rice said he shot a couple of airballs last year, and told me, 'Hey, I'm a great shooter.' So that made me feel good to sit next to him knowing he didn't score a million points last year and did this year."