PHILADELPHIA – Back in his hometown where the fans show him no love, Kobe Bryant kept making shots and kept hearing boos.
Bryant scored 31 points Sunday – the most in an All-Star game since Michael Jordan had 40 in 1988 – in the arena where he walked off the court last June with his second championship, leading the Western Conference over the East 135-120 Sunday. Bryant, who grew up in Lower Merion, Pa. and whose father, Joe, played for the 76ers, played with tremendous hustle and flair in helping the West build a big halftime lead that they never surrendered.
But he was booed louder than anyone during player introductions, then heard more of the same every time he touched the ball during the second half. When the game ended and he was given the MVP trophy, they let him have it long and loud one last time.
“My feelings are hurt. I’m just trying to play and have a good time, and my feelings are hurt,” he said on the NBC telecast midway through the fourth quarter.
Bryant became the first player to reach 30 points since Jordan did it in 1993, and he relegated Jordan, hometown hero Allen Iverson and every other All-Star into an afterthought by throroughly dominating the game nearly every moment he was on the floor.
He also had five rebounds and five assists, shooting 12-for-25 from the field.
Right from the get-go, Bryant showed he was onto something special.
Bryant got off to the best start of anybody, scoring eight points in the first six minutes and getting an assist by going around Jason Kidd with a deft crossover move and then feeding Tim Duncan for a dunk. Bryant also showcased some impressive ballhandling, dribbling through his legs as he came upcourt practically squatting.
Jordan was the next to reel off a series of spiffy plays, going baseline for a driving dunk, following with a fast-break layup and feeding a no-look alley-oop pass to Antoine Walker that he failed to convert.
Jordan was all alone ahead of the field a few moments later but blew a one-handed dunk, causing his Eastern teammates to rise off the bench laughing in unison. Jordan laughed off the moment, too.
Bryant led all scorers with 12 points as the West led 32-24 after one quarter.
Tracy McGrady had a spectacular dunk early in the second quarter, banging a pass to himself off the backboard, zipping past three players and slamming the ball through with such authority that the crowd didn’t stop buzzing for a good 30 seconds.
McGrady scored 11 points in the quarter to keep the East in it, but Bryant had a three-point play immediately after checking back in, then made four more baskets over the final 1:47 of the quarter – including a layup just before the halftime buzzer – as the West closed the half with a 24-7 run for a 72-55 lead.
The East chipped away at the lead during the third quarter, but Bryant wouldn’t let them get too close. He scored one basket on a putback after the ball bounced over the top of the backboard, then had another bucket off an offensive rebound with 4:20 left to restore a 20-point lead, 88-68.
The boos for Bryant were fairly loud after both of those buckets, but that is nothing new for the Lakers star who received far worse treatment from Philadelphia fans during last year’s NBA Finals. As the quarter progressed, Bryant was booed every time he touched the ball as it became clear that the West was headed for a lopsided victory.
Bryant surpassed 30 points by making a pair of foul shots with 1:20 left in the third, and the West got to 100 with 22 seconds left in the quarter on an alley-oop dunk by Kevin Garnett off a pass from Gary Payton.
The West held a 23-point lead entering the fourth quarter, and the East started to rally after Bryant left for good with 10:42 left. Paul Pierce scored the first four points of the quarter, McGrady also scored four in a row and Ray Allen hit a 3-pointer to complete a 13-0 run and make it 100-90.
The next five baskets were all 3-pointers, including a pair by Payton that helped the West maintain a double-digit lead, and a 7-0 run ending with a dunk by Elton Brand all but locked up the victory.
Payton added 18 for the West, Garnett and Duncan had 14 each. McGrady led the East with 24. No Eastern starter finished in double figures, with Iverson shooting 2-for-9 for 5 points and Jordan going 4-for-13 for 8 points.
The teams combined for 23 3-pointers, an All-Star game record. Notes: Iverson wore uniform No. 6, instead of his usual No. 3, as a tribute to former Sixers star Julius Erving. “Just to honor him. As a tribute to him. He got his fame here,” Iverson said. “I’m trying to carry that torch.” … Paul Pierce of the Celtics wore extremely shiny green sneakers. Chris Webber wore silver shoes that were even shinier. … West coach Don Nelson said before the game that Steve Francis might have to sit out because of a migraine headache, but he started and scored his only points on a 3-pointer with five seconds left. … Karl Malone missed the game because of an illness in his family. He was not replaced on the West roster. … Pregame performers included Philly native Patti LaBelle singing the national anthem and Elton John playing his song, “Philadelphia Freedom.” … Courtside celebrities included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, singer Britney Spears and Magic Johnson.
