NBA All-Star Game 2008

A few thoughts:

• A great game. Probably the best one since Iverson and Marbury carried the East to an improbably win in 2003.


• The national anthem and halftime show were a classy affair. First Petty and now this. Good taste is having its day in the sun.


• Unfortunately, animated graphics are also having their day. Tonight, there was a Mardi Gras character that was only mildly less annoying than the Fox football robot.


• Why were most of the West players wearing red socks?


• Yao and Tim Duncan are ill-suited to this type of game.


• Dwight Howard is incredible. I'm not sure if anyone that big has ever equalled his athleticism.


• I said during last year's all-star game that I would like to watch Howard and Stoudemire play against one another every day. The game tonight showed why once again. Stoudemire's drive and dunk on Howard was serious highlight stuff.


• It was good to see Chris Paul on TV for once. He may be the best point guard in the NBA right now, and he made a case tonight. He's one of those guys who is faster than everyone, but doesn't look like he is running that fast.
  
• Guarding Allen Iverson would be horrible. He attacks everytime he gets the ball. He primarily passes in these games, but he always test you with the dribble first.
  
• Kevin Garnett is even fun to watch on the bench. Dude is intense.
  
• It's always instructive to see who is on the floor at the end of games. The West had Duncan, Nowitzki, Paul, Stoudemire and Roy. The East had Lebron, Wade, Kidd, Howard, and Allen. In an all-star game much of that has to do with playing time, but you aren't out there if the coach doesn't think you give the team a pretty good shot to win.
  
• Awesome to see the Ray Allen of old.
  
• The NBA seems to be handing over the reins once again. Jordan, Bird, Magic, Malone, Stockton, Thomas, Ewing, Olajuwon, etc. handed over to Shaq, Kobe, Garnett, Duncan, Iverson, Nash, Kidd, etc. Now it looks like there might be close to critical mass for a next handover to Lebron, Wade, Anthony, Howard, Paul, Stoudemire, and likely some guys yet to be determined. That should be fun to watch.