Wild west at NBA all-star match

The NBA’s All Stars game lived up to its stellar billing, but more off the court than on it. The match itself was so one-sided in favour of the West (146-119) that the last quarter was bereft of competive edge, the East team having thrown in the towel prematurely sensing the inevitable. But that did not seem to dampen the enthusiasm a whit of the 17000 capacity crowd that seemed to enjoy the non-stop razzmatazz and the presence of several high-powered celebrities who were in attendance.

The biggest applause was reserved for Muhammad Ali, alas looking a pale shadow of The Greatest who had dominated not just boxing but international consciousness through the 1960s and 70s with his sporting and socio-political exploits. Big-rimmed sunglasses could barely conceal the face of a once giant now struggling with bad health. When the camera zoomed on him, Ali threw a couple of mock trademark punches, but this time with trembling hands and a wan smile.

Nevertheless, getting Muhammad Ali was a coup and showed the draw power of the NBA. Add to this Republican Sentaor John McCain, who has apparently found solace in talking of team building to young basketballers now that he has failed to make the White House his residence, Beyonce and beau Jay-Z, Spike Lee, Maria Shriver (where was Arnie Schwarzneger?), plus a host of other celebs, and the evening was star-spangled enough even without the players doing anything extraordinary.

This observation, of course, exempts Shaq O’Neal’s sensational dancing introduction in the lead-up to the match. The former Lakers star now with the Phoenix Suns brought the full house to its feet with a set of movements that looked like a fascinating combo of hip-hop, breakdance and salsa.

O’Neal was also to play a pivotal role in his team’s triumph, though he was used only intermittently. In defence, his huge frame was a stumbling block for the East forwards; in offence, it brooked no obstacle. He may lack the speed of old, but his slam dunks were still effective, and his presence was a big psychological boost for West.

That said, there was clear nostalgia-driven partisanship that made the judges give the Most Valuable Player of the match to adversaries-turned friends O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The latter was brilliant, and effectively turned the game in his team’s favour with some scintillating three-pointers. But the key man for West one thought was Chris Paul ( or CP3 as he is known), whose electrifying court-craft and speed was the reason why his fellow players got so many opportunities to score points.

For East, the outcome was disappointing, and more so for players like Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett, both of whom shone only in patches. The ebullient LeBron James tried to stem the rot with some lightning quick runs, body feints and dunks, but a one-man show was never going to be enough to win the match, even if he had the incentive to prove himself as the best among all the other stars on show.  By the time the fourth quarter began the match had virtually fizzled out as a contest, but nobody was complaining. Not all stars shine together all the time; not even in the entertainment galaxy.