All-Star Game

By Bernie Miklasz
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

CLEVELAND -- The old heroes were in the house, to inspect the new talent competing in the 47th NBA All-Star Game.

Glen Rice couldn't be contained by any West defender in the second half.

So Michael Jordan and Glen Rice put on a dazzling show. What better way to commemorate the league's 50th anniversary? What better way to impress the legends?

Give everyone something to remember.

On cue, Jordan demonstrated why he's the most dominant, unstoppable force in the modern NBA. On loan from the Chicago Bulls, Jordan recorded the first triple-double in the event's history with 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Rice, a big guard for the Charlotte Hornets, gave the old-timers a precise lesson in 3-point shooting. That long-distance strategy wasn't in the books in the NBA's early days, but Rice bombed in four treys in the third quarter, part of his record-setting evening. More on that in a moment.

Someone has to win the playground affair that is the All-Star Game, and Jordan and Rice got busy at the right time to toggle the East to a 132-120 victory over the West at sold-out Gund Arena.

With the East trailing by 23 points, Jordan went off in the second quarter. In nine brilliant, Jordanesque minutes, he had 11 points, six rebounds and two assists. With Jordan lighting a 27-7 streak, the East trailed by only 60-57 at halftime.

Jordan locked in on defense -- not a tradition in these glorified pickup games -- to get the East rolling.

East guard Michael Jordan looks for room to move around Gary Payton.

"You call on Superman to bring you back," East coach Doug Collins said. "And Michael triggered that surge."

Rice took it from there. Bombs away. Rice scored 20 points in the third quarter -- the most in a single quarter in All-Star Game history. After cooking with Rice, the East led 97-87 heading into the fourth quarter.

Rice scored 24 points in the second half, breaking Wilt Chamberlain's mark, and Wilt was spotted frowning in the stands.

"Uh-oh," Rice said later.

Rice missed six of seven shots in the first half, only to make of nine of 17 after intermission and finish with a game-high 26 points.

"It was very special," Rice said. "My teammates did a great job of getting me this award. Guys kept telling me: 'Get the ball and shoot it.' Jordan came in at halftime and told me: `Keep stroking. I'm going to get you the ball.' And my fiancee was in the stands. She gave me a look. That helped."

Rice edged Jordan in the MVP voting, and bragged about it. He was joking -- we think.

"Obviously, I am the best player in the world today," Rice said. "I have the MVP. I won't let it go to my head. I'll just continue to work hard."

Golden State's Latrell Sprewell soars to the hole for two of his West-leading 19 points.

Collins also deserves an assist. Knowing that Jordan needed one assist for the triple-double, Collins kept Jordan in the game.

Realizing that Rice had a chance to break Chamberlain's record, Collins ordered Rice's East teammates to get him the ball late.

"It was a big-time scramble there, and one of the things I started doing was trying too hard," Rice said.

Orlando guard Penny Hardaway and Milwaukee center Vin Baker each added 19 points for the East. Golden State guard Latrell Sprewell led the West with 19 points.

It was a festive evening in Cleveland. The "50 Greatest NBA Players" were introduced at halftime, and the crowd of 20,562 fans gave them a standing ovation.

NBA commissioner David Stern called the event "one for the ages."

Jordan and Rice made it one for the record books.

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.