ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 10, 1997 TAG: 9702110025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CLEVELAND
SOURCE: Associated Press
An NBA All-Star Game that was billed as ``one for the ages'' turned out to be one for the record books, too.
Michael Jordan had the event's first triple-double, MVP Glen Rice set two scoring records and the East had one of the best comebacks in All-Star history in beating the West 132-120 on Sunday.
If that wasn't enough, it all happened in front of the greatest collection of basketball players ever assembled in one arena.
Simply put, the NBA couldn't have asked for much more in the showcase event of its 50th season - even with the absence of injured All-Stars Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Clyde Drexler and Patrick Ewing.
``I was in awe pretty much the whole time,'' said Jordan, who had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in his first triple-double since coming out of retirement 23 months ago.
Rice scored 20 points in the third quarter, breaking Hal Greer's mark of 19 set in the 1968 game. The Charlotte forward also set a record of 24 points in a half, breaking Wilt Chamberlain and Tom Chambers' mark.
``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 and told me: `Keep stroking. I'm going to get you the ball.'''
Watching it from the stands were two men, Chamberlain and Greer, whose records would fall. They, along with 45 others on the all-time greatest list, took part in a halftime tribute that would have stolen the show at Gund Arena if not for Rice and Jordan.
The parade of greats was a moment of showtime that never had been seen before and may never be seen again. One after the other, out came the legends of the game.
Jordan was first. Chamberlain stood alongside Bill Russell and George Mikan. Isiah Thomas bodied up next to his own rival and buddy, Magic Johnson. Pete Maravich's two sons, Jaecen and Joshua, stood in for the only deceased member of the 50 greatest.
``I was very nervous, and I haven't been nervous in these situations for a long time,'' Jordan said. ``I was like a fly on the wall, looking at all the players who have paved the way for me in the game.''
The 20,562 fans gave them a standing ovation when the introductions were complete, and the game seemed like an aftermath when it eventually resumed.
Rice, however, changed that tone rather quickly.
He made three consecutive 3-pointers as the East, playing with one starter on the floor, opened the second half with a 13-0 run.
Rice added yet another 3-pointer before the quarter was three minutes old, and suddenly the East, which had trailed by as many as 23 points in the first half, was ahead 78-63.
Rice added two jams and a layup in a 10-0 run, increasing his total to 18 for the quarter. The West responded with a 7-0 run, but Rice made it 20 points in the period with a tough spinning jumper in the lane.
By the time Jordan checked in for Rice with 52 seconds left in the quarter, the MVP question had been answered. Moments before handing Rice the trophy, NBA commissioner David Stern called the event ``one for the ages.''
Jordan, meanwhile, made more history of his own.
He entered the fourth quarter with 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and he quickly went to work at getting two of the totals into double digits.
His 10th rebound happened early in the quarter, and he got his ninth assist on a 3-pointer by Penny Hardaway with 4:28 left.
Jordan was set to go to the bench during the next break in play, but East coach Doug Collins stopped him before he got to the bench.
``Doug said I needed one more assist for the triple-double. I wasn't attuned to it until that moment,'' Jordan said.
The 10th assist came on a two-on-one break as Jordan fed Chicago Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen for a breakaway layup. A few seconds later, Jordan got one more assist on yet another pass to Pippen, who finished the play with a reverse jam.
Rice led all scorers, finishing with 26 points. Needing two points to break the record shared by Chamberlain (1962) and Chambers (1987) for most in a half, Rice got plenty of chances in the last few minutes.
Collins even called a timeout to diagram a play for Rice, who broke the mark by making two free throws in the last minute.
Latrell Sprewell was high scorer for the West, with 19 points.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. 1. All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Glen Riceby CNBslams in two of his record 20 third-quarter points Sunday night in
Cleveland. color. 2. The East's Michael Jordan snares a rebound en
route to the first triple-double in NBA All-Star history as the
West's Detlef Schrempf, Chris Gatling and Latrell Sprewell (left to
right) watch.