Jordan's last All-Star Game a showcase for next generation

ATLANTA -- The weekend belonged to Michael Jordan, but the NBA All-Star Game just got too late for the nearly 40-year-old retiring superstar to play anymore.

Led by MVP Kevin Garnett's 37 points, nine rebounds and five steals, the Western Conference All-Stars scored the most points in All-Star history with a 155-145 double-overtime victory over Jordan and the East. It was the first double-overtime game in All-Star history.

Michael Jordan gets a kiss from Mariah Carey before addressing the crowd at halftime. (AP)

Jordan, selected by the coaches as a reserve while insisting he would not take somebody else's starting spot, was handed the position by Vince Carter, who surprisingly chose to step aside for his fellow North Carolina alumnus.

East coach Isiah Thomas said all the players decided against Jordan's wishes that he start, and ultimately Carter volunteered to be the guy. It was fitting since Carter had been criticized for weeks about it considering he had only played 15 of 48 games.

"Obviously it was a last-minute decision with Vince and I felt like he had taken a beating when he shouldn't have," said Jordan, who broke All-Star Game records for career points, field-goal attempts and field goals made.

"But it was respectful. I could have very easily have come off the bench. I was very happy to be here. I didn't want anyone to feel bad about anything that was happening this weekend. I didn't want a black cloud to hang over this weekend for me. He was very, very kind for offering that for me and very genuine from his standpoint."

Carter added, "Simple. What I've been saying all week and coming up to is that I felt that I owed the fans the respect of being on the court. But right before the game when it all boiled down to it, this is a storybook ending for Michael Jordan. I'm sure I'll have another opportunity to be in the All-Star Game, and this is how it's supposed to be.

"He's supposed to be out there on the court and I realized that later on. And that's how I wanted it."

And yet, Jordan started off horribly, missing his first seven shots and making just two of his first 10, but he rallied in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter to finish with 20 points. He swished a 17-foot jumper from the baseline with 4.8 seconds to go in the first overtime over Shawn Marion, and it did indeed appear to be his night to embrace.

"It was fun. The most important thing as I told my teammates, I wanted it to be competitive," Jordan said. "I didn't want it to be let one guy score and then come down and let another guy score. It was a fun and competitive game. Obviously I would have much rather have won the game, me making the shot or my teammates making the shot. It didn't happen that way, but it still was competitive and I was happy with that."

Coincidentally, it was his young clone, Kobe Bryant, who drove hard deep along the right wing, Jermaine O'Neal fouling him as he uncorked a 3-pointer with one second left. He hit two of the three free throws to force the second overtime, despite conflicting feelings.

"I'm in a situation I needed to make the free throws," Bryant said. "The other part of me ... I just didn't want to do it to be honest with you."

Garnett scored the first seven points to put the game away as Jordan watched, unable to play in the second overtime.

"It looked like old No. 23 crept back in the building and was trying to take the game over," Garnett said. "For Michael it was a very, very emotional game. As the overtime came, it got more and more intense, and guys started to get their second wind."

Bryant had 22 points, Steve Francis 20 and nine assists, with Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal adding 19 points apiece for the West. Allen Iverson had 35 points, seven assists, five steals and five rebounds and Tracy McGrady had 29 for the East.

The West crushed the East on the boards 66-50, led by Duncan's 15 and 13 from O'Neal. But the West turned the ball over 30 times for 36 points, as the East set a record with 22 steals.

Nonetheless, this game centered on the irrepressible Jordan, who didn't convert a field-goal attempt until 2:48 left in the first quarter, swishing a short scoop shot from the baseline on a feed from Jason Kidd after missing his first seven shots. But there was so much else to entertain, it mattered little.

As promised, West coach Rick Adelman put together the biggest quintet ever in an NBA game, with the 7-foot-5 Yao Ming , 7-1 Shaquille O'Neal, 7-foot Duncan, 7-foot Garnett and the 6-3 Steve Francis running the point the final 2:22 of the first half. It stunned the athletic East team, scoring the final eight points going into halftime to take a 55-52 lead into the locker room.

Then the entire halftime show was dedicated to Jordan, with film clips and Mariah Carey singing a variety of songs for emphasis, then it closed with him addressing the audience following a lengthy ovation from the fans and the other All-Stars.

"I want to thank you my fans, my former teammates, my former adversaries and competitors," Jordan said. "And I want to thank my family for sticking with me for so many years and for all of the fans for supporting the game of basketball ... not just Michael Jordan. I leave the game in good hands -- so many great stars in the game, so many rising stars in the game. I pass on the game to the stars as Dr. J, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird passed on to me, I pass on to these great stars in the NBA."

It was emotional for all involved. It was like a ceremonial passing of the torch, even though Jordan said he wants this to be the last time and go on and just finish out the season with the Washington Wizards, hopefully making the playoffs. McGrady, Iverson, Garnett, both O'Neals and Bryant were particular standouts on this evening that featured the stars of this generation.

It did Jordan proud, that's for sure.

"I was happy while I looked and felt like it brought back a lot of good memories and I feel very proud how I left my commitment to the game of basketball," Jordan said. "It was emotional and it was fun. It was a mix, a lot of the young kids doing a lot of things I did and now I'm going to be watching a lot of them. Now I felt the transition has arrived where I'll watch these kids play. I felt appreciation from everybody in the building ... very appreciative. I think it's a good way for me to leave the game."