Fahrenheit [Dunk Contest Recap /// 3-Point Shootout Preview]

[Ruff Ryder]

Wow, Keith McLeod starting PG for the Rookie team. He always has crazy stats in my dynasty, rookie of the month all the time.

[kibaxx7]

Wow, Keith McLeod starting PG for the Rookie team. He always has crazy stats in my dynasty, rookie of the month all the time.

Yeah for me too... in the game he's rookie but in real life he's sophomore (he played for Minny in the 2003-04)... so it's a game bug

[Ruff Ryder]

Wow, Keith McLeod starting PG for the Rookie team. He always has crazy stats in my dynasty, rookie of the month all the time.

Yeah for me too... in the game he's rookie but in real life he's sophomore (he played for Minny in the 2003-04)... so it's a game bug

It's not a game bug, it's an Andrew roster bug.

[kibaxx7]

All-Star Game: Friday



Rookies :: 110
Sophomores :: 106

Rookies Wrote All-Star Weekend's Surprise

Rookies Boxscore | Sophomores Boxscore

Although he wasn't voted by fans or coaches to the East All-Star Team, Emeka Okafor stepped up and won MVP of the 2005 Rookie Challenge.

"It's a wonderful feeling. You know, this is another positive thing I can put on my resume. It's a great feeling coming out here and getting MVP," said Okafor after the game.

The Rookie Challenge game features the NBA's best "sophomores" (players who were rookies last season) against this season's top rookies.

Okafor finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds to lead his Rookie team to a surprising 110-106 win over the Sophomore team, led by LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony, of Denver, was terrific for the Sophomores, scoring 24 off the bench. He also had 6 blocks.

"I enjoyed playing with everybody, no one particular person. Everybody shot the ball. The second half we stepped our defense and we just went out there and played the right way," said Keith McLeod who (Spawn's note: as a sophomore ) scored 27 points for the Rookies and had 3 dimes.

Miami's Andre Iguodala, who will be competing in the dunk contest in Saturday night, dropped in 10 points, and grabbed 5 rebounds.

LA Clippers's Chris Kaman, who hasn't been feeling well lately and had various injuries in the season, showed no ill-effects as he put in 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

Dwyane Wade wasn't so dominant; he scored only 8 points. The surprise is he was guarded by McLeod the most of the game.

For the Rookies, Atlanta's Josh Smith, who played shooting guard from the bench, continues to put his name on the map with 14 points, three blocks, and some nice dunks (one over James).

Chicago's rookie Ben Gordon showed his versatility. He finished with 19 points and three rebounds.

Bulls' sophomore Kirk Hinrich came off the bench to provide 11 points and three rebounds.

New Jersey's surprise player, Nenad Krstic, had only 2 points but grabbed eight rebounds.

Photo Gallery

- Ben Gordon will dunk!
- Keith "Surprise!" McLeod
- LeBron James blocking Smith
- Okafor with the free throw
- Bron Bron with the slam
- 'Melo over Deng
- Krstic with the lay-up
- James laying it up
- Wade can't block Iggy (nice move!)
- Kaman with the unbelieveable shot
- Okafor won MVP award

[Bosh4]

Great win by the rookies, very nice recap there, but i wanted more points by chris bosh which team were you using

[-BHZMAFIA-]

Hmm, I'm surprise you didn't go with Wade some more and I'm really surprise that the Rookies actually beat the Super Sophs too. Oh well, good recap and I'll be waiting on the 3-point shootout, dunk contest and all-star game

[Bixbite]

Hey great recap! Keep it up bro!

[kibaxx7]

Thanks to all The PC played it because I had Iggy with the Rookies and Haslem and Flash with the Sophs... that's the reason why I didn't play it

[HKK]

Good shit so far. I really dig the screenshots.

[c0nr4d]

great recap on the rook challenge

cant wait for the rest of ASW!

keep it goin!

[Wormy10]

Very nice recap
When do you plan to have the rest up or at least the next segment?
Can't wait

[kibaxx7]

Slam Dunk Contest Preview

Heat rookie Andre Iguodala and Rockets' star Tracy McGrady highlight the field of four in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk to be held on NBA All-Star Saturday Night, February 19 at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

In addition to Iguodala and Wright, rookie Josh Smith of Atlanta and first-year rookie Dorell Wright from Miami will participate.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night, presented by America Online and featuring Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk and Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout will be live on TNT, Rogers Sportsnet and ESPN Radio at 8 p.m. EST. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 15 will be live on TNT, Rogers Sportsnet and ESPN Radio at 8 p.m. EST. The game will also be telecast in 212 countries and broadcast in 12 languages on NBA.com.

Sprite is the world’s leading lemon-lime soft drink and has been the official soft drink of the NBA since 1994. The NBA and players like LeBron James reinforce the brand’s “Obey Your Thirst” message. For almost 20 years, Sprite has celebrated urban youth culture by embracing the music, fashion and attitude through which young people express themselves.



Miami Heat - Dorell Wright (6-7, 210 lbs., Leuzinger HS)
Houston Rockets - Tracy McGrady (6-8, 210 lbs., Mount Zion Christian Academy)
Atlanta Hawks - Josh Smith (6-9, 225 lbs., Oak Hill Academy)
Miami Heat - Andre Iguodala (6-6, 207 lbs., Arizona)

[pierralban]

i love your dunk participants, i realistic ... (maybe except T-Mac, but a star was needed )

[Cloudy]

Wow! Nice preview!
Hmm...two Heat players in Dunk Contest...
50% chance of winning!

Keep it up bro!

[kibaxx7]

2005 Sprite Rising Stars: Dunk Contest









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1st Round
-----------------------------------------------

Dorell Wright: 1st Dunk

Score: 50

Tracy McGrady: 1st Dunk

Score: 40

Josh Smith: 1st Dunk

Score: 49

Andre Iguodala: 1st Dunk

Score: 42

-----------------------------------------------

Dorell Wright: 2nd Dunk

Score: 50

Tracy McGrady: 2nd Dunk

Score: 40

Josh Smith: 2nd Dunk

Score: 48

Andre Iguodala: 2nd Dunk

Score: 50

1st Round Results


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2nd Round
-----------------------------------------------

Josh Smith: 1st Dunk

Score: 42

Dorell Wright: 1st Dunk

Score: 48

Josh Smith: 2nd Dunk

Score: 50

Dorell Wright: 2nd Dunk

Score: 47

2nd Round Results

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Contest Recap
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Wright captures title
King Of The Hill

DENVER, Feb. 19 (Ticker) -- Heat rookie Dorell Wright won his first Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk title at NBA 2005 All-Star Weekend on Saturday night, using an extremely difficult slam to impress the most impressive panel of judges in the 18-year history of the competition.

The high-flying forward of the Miami Heat relied on a series of dunks that began with high ball tosses into the air. None was more spectacular than his final attempt, which displayed balance and defied gravity.

From the middle of the court, Wright tossed the ball in the air and caught the bounce while going into his leap. With his back to the rim, he catched the ball with his hands and dunked over his head.

It also brought a roar from the crowd at Pepsi Center as Wright pounded his chest. The judges (James Worthy, Moses Malone, Clyde Drexler, George Gervin and Dee Brown) gave him a score of 47, enough to inch him past Atlanta rookie swingman Josh Smith, 95-92.

"Yeah, I knew I had it when I threw it," he said. "I knew I could get that dunk. It was pretty nice."

"I knew he would win," Smith said. "He pulled that dunk off, that's what you do."

The win affirmed Dorell's status as Miami's best open-court dunker -over Dwyane Wade and Andre Iguodala.

"I thought tonight's Slam Dunk Contest was very exciting," Houston's Tracy McGrady said. He only made two 40-points dunks and finished last with 80 points.

McGrady and Miami's Andre Iguodala were eliminated after the first round.

Wright totaled 195 of a possible 200 points.

Results
FIRST ROUND
Top two advance
Dorell Wright, Miami, 100
Josh Smith, Atlanta, 97
Andre Iguodala, Miami, 92
Tracy McGrady, Houston, 80

FINALS
Dorell Wright def. Josh Smith, 95-92

ALL-TIME WINNERS
2005: Dorell Wright, Miami
2004: Fred Jones, Indiana
2003: Jason Richardson, Golden State
2002: Jason Richardson, Golden State
2001: Desmond Mason, Seattle
2000: Vince Carter, Toronto
1997: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
1996: Brent Barry, L.A. Clippers
1995: Harold Miner, Miami
1994: Isaiah Rider, Minnesota
1993: Harold Miner, Miami
1992: Cedric Ceballos, Phoenix
1991: Dee Brown, Boston
1990: Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta
1989: Kenny Walker, New York
1988: Michael Jordan, Chicago
1987: Michael Jordan, Chicago
1986: Spud Webb, Atlanta
1985: Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta
1984: Larry Nance, Phoenix


Dorell Wright - #1
Miami Heat

[Mark.]

Nice recpa of the Dunk Comp, only thig is maybe oyu could have added a little blurb about each dunk under the photos, cos its sometimes hard to tell exactly what dunk they were doing.

I look foward to the other two events.

[-BHZMAFIA-]

Good recap on the dunk contest. I have to agree that you could've added some caption to tell what kind of dunk they did, but its still good and the pics are nice

[Fresh8]

Very well done Dunk Contest Spawn!

[Cloudy]

Well done Spawn! As in MSN! IGGY SHOULDA WON!
I don't even know who Wright is..lol

Good luck!

[Its_asdf]

I don't even know who Wright is..lol

You are a sad man Cloudy......... Dorrell is t3H pWnZ0r!

Nice looking in depth recap of the dunk contest by the way.

[Sac-1]

nice dunk contest recap.......i expected either Josh Smith or Tracy Mcrady to win......i'm really lookin forward to the three-point competition and Allstar game.....check out my dynasty whenever you can

[kibaxx7]

NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by America Online (9 p.m. ET, TNT)
Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout Preview

Feb. 18, 2005 - Miami HEAT pillar Eddie Jones and Indiana Pacers' veteran Reggie Miller lead the team of 8 players that will compete in the NBA's 2005 Foot Locker 3-Point Shootout.

We caught up with the men to beat in our opinion, to see who's feeling confident:
---------------
EDDIE JONES, Miami

Q: Do you think the three-pointer can ever excite the fans like a big dunk does?

Jones: Dunk used to be the nail-in-the-coffin, used to be the demoralizer back in the early ‘90s, the whole decade. At this moment, when you see somebody just constantly pounding threes on a team, you can hear that deafening moan from the arena that the fans are like, "We’re about to get killed out here tonight." So the three-point shot is very dangerous and it hurts the opponent.

Q: Would you trade your ability to hit a jumper to be able to jump?

Jones: The only reason I can shoot the ball well is that I work at it. I wouldn’t trade that skill. Athletic ability is something that’s given. To be able to shoot the ball well, consistently, you have to work.
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REGGIE MILLER, Indiana

Q: How different do you think it will be to have to take balls off the rack as opposed to Jackson (Stephen) passing to you?

Miller: I can manage.

Q: Do you guys have any side bets going?

Miller: No we don’t have a bet going right now with Jermaine (O'Neal) or Jonathan (Bender).

Q: The way you throw the ball up in Indiana, you probably already have the endurance to hoist 30 shots in the contest?

Miller: Yeah, it’s going to be exciting. I can’t wait. It’s going to be a big stage.
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BRENT BARRY, San Antonio

Q: How different is it shooting without somebody guarding you?

Barry: I almost would prefer to have someone there. This is all about just finding a groove and riding it. You don’t get to warm up.

Q: Are you sad that Voshon Lenard isn't able to defend his title from last year?

Barry: Yeah I am. If I win tonight and next year I can't defend it, I would feel really bad.

Q: Is Reggie the man to beat?

Korver: He has to be. He's one of the best outside shooters in NBA history. He definitely has to be the one to beat.
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BARON DAVIS, Golden State

Q: Have you and Mike (Dunleavy) been talking about the Shootout?

Davis: Nah, not really. Not yet. He's kind of quiet; he hasn’t really said a lot to me about it yet. But, I’m going to mess with him a little bit.

Q: Who do you think will fare better between the two of you?
Davis: I don’t know... we get in a good rhythm, we both can get pretty hot. I just hope he does as well as me.

Q: So no bets between you two?
Davis: Nope at the moment.
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Contestants

Eddie Jones, Miami Heat
Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers
Brent Barry, San Antonio Spurs
Rashard Lewis, Seattle SuperSonics





Jamaal Tinsley, Indiana Pacers
Mike Dunleavy Jr., Golden State Warriors
Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls
Baron Davis, Golden State Warriors

[Jayborne23]

F*** SPawn

[Cloudy]

Go Reggie! Go Jamal!
Indiana Pacers will be in the finals..

[Arcane]

great all-star recap

miami are out in full force during all-star weekend

ej to win 3pt shootout and you forget he is quite athletic he dunked on milwakee from just inside the free throw line when he was a laker.