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Shaq and Kobe co-MVP’s of All-Star Game
By Jeremy Kahn February 15, 2009 |
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Playing together for the first time since game five of the 2004 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons, the duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal did not disappoint the fans. Bryant scored 27 points, while O’Neal added 17 points in just 11 minutes of work and the Western Conference simply dismantled the Eastern Conference 146-119 at the USAIRWAYS Center in Phoenix. When the announcement of Most Valuable Player was announced by commissioner David Stern, it came as no surprise that there was co-MVP’s. Bryant and O’Neal each picked their third All-Star Most Valuable Player awards, and it was the first time there was co-MVP’s of the All-Star Game since the 2000 All Star Game when the game was held at the Coliseum Arena (now Oracle Arena) in Oakland. The co-MVP’s of that game were O’Neal, while he played for the Lakers and Tim Duncan of the then reigning World Champion San Antonio Spurs. Amare Stoudemire scored 19 points for the West, who got redemption for losing to the Eastern Conference last year at New Orleans Arena. LeBron James led the Eastern Conference with 20 points, while Paul Pierce and Dwayne Wade each scored 19 for the Eastern Conference in the 27-point loss. Things did not start so well for the Western Conference, as they fell behind the Eastern Conference 20-10, before Phil Jackson finally inserted O’Neal into the lineup. The duo of Bryant and O’Neal then led the West on a 19-0 run, as the West took a 27-20 lead and basically never looked back. |
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