This star match, played on February 21, 1993, if he was not the best known of the 1990s, unlike that of 1992 with Magic Johnson or in the 1998 edition with the duel Michael Jordan – Kobe Bryant, remains a Very good cuvée. History even on certain points.
Already because, for the first time since the beginnings of the All-Star Game in 1951, no player of the Celtics or Lakers is present! Then, Isiah Thomas made her last appearance among the All-Stars while Shaquille O'Neal arrives for the first time. In the middle, Michael Jordan played his last star match before his first retirement.
“It was a good experience and I think I have done things well,” declares the orlando rookie pivotauthor of 14 points and who played little in the second half. “I think Pat Riley wanted more experience to finish the match. It was very pleasant and Shaq will come back, don't worry. Next season, I will be there again. »»
A serious and hooked match
If like each All-Star Game, the defenses were logically less involved, like every game of the stars of this decade 1990 or almost, the meeting was serious and interesting to follow, far from the basketball parodies of the years 2010 and 2020. Despite the reviews From Bill Walton, who commented for NBC, or the words of Charles Barkley after the meeting.
“I heard Walton say, at halftime, that no one was coming back into defense. I don't know what match he watched, but I find that the two teams were in it. “replied Paul Westphal, the western coach, in the Los Angeles Times. “I never defend in these matches”, Assures Barkley, now in Phoenix and who played for the first time to the west. “I'm here to have fun, I'm on vacation and I never take this meeting seriously, unless it's tight in the last minutes. »»
And that was the case. In the last minute of the game, Michael Jordan (best scorer of the match with 30 points), Mark Price and Patrick Ewing allow the conference is to return from a delay of five points. On a pass from Jordan, the Knicks pivot finds itself alone in halfway, marks and sends the two teams in overtime (119 everywhere) since Tim Hardaway is missing the match ball.
The New York star will be the main threat of his team in the additional five minutes, but the awarded baskets of Dan Majerle and Barkley, plus John Stockton's points, will give victory to the West Conference, 135-132.
John Stockton and Karl Malone, second duo rewarded in history
Who was going to be elected MVP and thus succeed Magic Johnson in the record? Karl Malone, with 28 points and 10 rebounds, has the right profile, especially since he is the local star. And finally, the interior of the jazz will share this trophy with his lifelong teammate, John Stockton, author of a 9 -point match, 15 passes and 6 rebounds.
“I have to pay tribute to Jerry Sloan, I only had to prick his systems”, Had Westphal. “They had the support of the people of Utah and maybe it helped to give the best. But whatever the place of the match, they would have been elected MVP. »»
The two men were not far from achieving this feat in 1989, in Houston, when the “Mailman” had been crowned with 28 points and 9 rebounds in front of the 11 points, 17 passes and 5 interceptions of Stockton. But doing it at home, in Utah, is much more symbolic and strong. The story is beautiful. “If we write a film about it, that's how it would finish”, will explain Malone. “We always want to be good for an All-Star Game at home. »»
The two Olympic champions of Barcelona in 1992 also joined, in recent history, Tom Chambers and Jordan, also crowned before their audience in 1987 in Seattle and in 1988 in Chicago. But above all, they became the second duo to share this MVP Trophy of the All-Star Game after Elgin Baylor and Bob Pettit in 1959. Since then, they were imitated by Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan in 2000, then again 'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 2009.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaeuijiv6v4
Photo: USA Today
