2005 NBA ALL-STAR GAME
EAST 125 - WEST 115
Allen Iverson: 15 Points, 10 Assists, 5 Steals
Most Valuable Player: Allen Iverson
2005 NBA All-Star Game Recap
The 54th NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2005, at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 125-115 before 18,227 spectators. Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson earned his second NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award, leading the East with 15 points, 10 assists and five steals.
The victory ended a three-game winning streak by the Western Conference, which had won the All-Star Games in 2002, 2003 and 2004. It was also the first Eastern Conference victory since 2001, when Iverson had won his first All-Star MVP award in Washington, D.C.
Unlike many All-Star Games featuring dominant individual scoring performances, the 2005 contest was defined by balanced offense. Neither conference had a player reach 20 points. Ray Allen of the Seattle SuperSonics led all scorers with 17 points, while six Eastern Conference players scored in double figures.
The Western Conference opened the game with a 33-27 first-quarter advantage. The East responded by outscoring the West 34-26 in the second quarter, taking a narrow 61-59 lead into halftime.
The Eastern Conference continued its strong play after halftime, scoring 34 points in the third quarter to extend its lead to 95-89. The East then won the final quarter 30-26, completing the 10-point victory.
Iverson struggled with his outside shooting, making four of 14 field goal attempts, but contributed in nearly every other aspect of the game. He made all seven of his free throws, distributed 10 assists and recorded five steals. His ability to create opportunities for teammates was central to the Eastern Conference's success.
One of the game's signature highlights came when Iverson threw an alley-oop pass to Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, who finished with a powerful dunk. James was making his first NBA All-Star appearance and was among the youngest players ever selected to start the game.
James scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and recorded six assists. The 20-year-old Cleveland forward also collected two steals, demonstrating the versatility that would define his career.
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade made his All-Star debut and contributed 14 points, three rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot. Wade was playing alongside teammate Shaquille O'Neal, who had joined Miami in a major trade with the Los Angeles Lakers during the previous offseason.
O'Neal scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds, recorded three steals and blocked three shots. His appearance was notable because he represented the Eastern Conference for the first time since his earlier years with the Orlando Magic.
Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds. Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
New Jersey Nets forward Vince Carter scored 11 points, making three of five attempts from three-point range. Carter had been traded from the Toronto Raptors to New Jersey during the 2004-05 season, making this his first All-Star appearance as a member of the Nets.
Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill scored six points and grabbed four rebounds. Hill's return to the All-Star stage was significant after several seasons of injuries had limited his availability.
Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas scored seven points in his first All-Star appearance, while teammate Antawn Jamison added five. The selections reflected Washington's improved play during the 2004-05 season.
Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace contributed six points and seven rebounds. Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce scored nine points and recorded three assists.
For the Western Conference, Ray Allen led the scoring with 17 points, making five of 11 three-point attempts. His outside shooting helped keep the West within striking distance.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out seven assists. Bryant also collected three steals and blocked one shot.
San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan scored 15 points on seven-for-10 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Duncan's teammate Manu Ginóbili made his first All-Star appearance, finishing with eight points, three rebounds and one blocked shot.
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming scored 11 points, grabbed eight rebounds and recorded five assists. Yao was the leading vote-getter in the 2005 fan balloting, receiving 2,558,578 votes.
Houston guard Tracy McGrady scored eight points and recorded five rebounds and five assists. McGrady had joined the Rockets from the Orlando Magic during the previous offseason and was making his first Western Conference All-Star appearance.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds. Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki added 10 points, eight rebounds, four steals and four blocked shots.
The Phoenix Suns were well represented with three players. Steve Nash recorded six assists, Shawn Marion scored 10 points, and Amar'e Stoudemire contributed six points and nine rebounds in his All-Star debut.
Seattle SuperSonics forward Rashard Lewis also made his first All-Star appearance, scoring two points and grabbing four rebounds.
The Eastern Conference shot 47.0 percent from the field, making 54 of 115 attempts. The Western Conference made 51 of 113 shots for 45.1 percent.
The West held a rebounding advantage, collecting 62 player rebounds compared with 56 for the East. However, the Eastern Conference committed only 18 turnovers while the West committed 25, an important difference in a game decided by 10 points.
The East also benefited from a 15-for-20 performance at the free-throw line. The West made only four of 11 free throws, giving the Eastern Conference an 11-point advantage from the foul line.
The 2005 NBA All-Star Game marked an important transition in league history. Established stars such as Iverson, O'Neal, Duncan, Bryant and Garnett remained central figures, while James, Wade, Stoudemire, Ginóbili, Arenas and Lewis represented a new generation beginning to establish itself among the NBA's elite.
2005 NBA All-Star Game Information
Date: February 20, 2005
Location: Denver, Colorado
Arena: Pepsi Center
Attendance: 18,227
Final Score: Eastern Conference 125, Western Conference 115
Most Valuable Player: Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
Eastern Conference Coach: Stan Van Gundy, Miami Heat
Western Conference Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
Officials: Ken Mauer, Jack Nies and Bill Spooner
Leading Scorer: Ray Allen, 17 points
Leading Rebounder: Tim Duncan and Amar'e Stoudemire, 9 rebounds each
Leading Assists: Allen Iverson, 10 assists
Leading Vote-Getter: Yao Ming, Houston Rockets (2,558,578 votes)
Historical Significance: First All-Star appearances for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amar'e Stoudemire and Manu Ginóbili
2005 NBA All-Star Game Score by Quarter
| Conference |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
| Eastern Conference |
27 | 34 | 34 | 30 | 125 |
| Western Conference |
33 | 26 | 30 | 26 | 115 |
Eastern Conference Box Score - 125 Points
Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy, Miami Heat
| Player | Team | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | PF | STL | TO | BLK | PTS |
| Starters |
| Allen Iverson (MVP) | Philadelphia 76ers | 32 | 4-14 | 0-0 | 7-7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 15 |
| LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers | 31 | 6-13 | 1-4 | 0-1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Grant Hill | Orlando Magic | 18 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Vince Carter | New Jersey Nets | 18 | 4-8 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | Miami Heat | 25 | 6-11 | 0-1 | 0-3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| Reserves |
| Dwyane Wade | Miami Heat | 23 | 6-13 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Jermaine O'Neal | Indiana Pacers | 19 | 6-10 | 0-0 | 3-4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Cleveland Cavaliers | 17 | 5-8 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Ben Wallace | Detroit Pistons | 15 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Gilbert Arenas | Washington Wizards | 15 | 3-11 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Paul Pierce | Boston Celtics | 14 | 4-7 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Antawn Jamison | Washington Wizards | 13 | 2-5 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 54-115 | 6-17 | 15-20 | 15 | 41 | 56 | 31 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 7 | 125 |
Western Conference Box Score - 115 Points
Head Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
| Player | Team | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | PF | STL | TO | BLK | PTS |
| Starters |
| Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | 29 | 7-14 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 16 |
| Tracy McGrady | Houston Rockets | 24 | 4-13 | 0-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | 17 | 7-10 | 1-1 | 0-1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15 |
| Kevin Garnett | Minnesota Timberwolves | 16 | 5-8 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Yao Ming | Houston Rockets | 21 | 5-9 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Reserves |
| Ray Allen | Seattle SuperSonics | 23 | 6-16 | 5-11 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Manu Ginobili | San Antonio Spurs | 22 | 3-6 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | Dallas Mavericks | 21 | 4-10 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Amar'e Stoudemire | Phoenix Suns | 20 | 3-11 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Steve Nash | Phoenix Suns | 17 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Shawn Marion | Phoenix Suns | 16 | 5-7 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Rashard Lewis | Seattle SuperSonics | 14 | 1-7 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 51-113 | 9-29 | 4-11 | 22 | 40 | 62 | 38 | 19 | 13 | 25 | 9 | 115 |
Statistical abbreviations: MIN = Minutes; FG = Field Goals Made-Attempted; 3PT = Three-Point Field Goals Made-Attempted; FT = Free Throws Made-Attempted; OREB = Offensive Rebounds; DREB = Defensive Rebounds; REB = Total Rebounds; AST = Assists; PF = Personal Fouls; STL = Steals; TO = Turnovers; BLK = Blocked Shots; PTS = Points.
Player minutes are rounded to whole minutes. Team totals reflect 240 player-minutes per conference.
2005 NBA All-Star Game Team Statistics
| Statistic | East | West |
|---|
| Final Score | 125 | 115 |
| Field Goals | 54-115 | 51-113 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 47.0% | 45.1% |
| Three-Point Field Goals | 6-17 | 9-29 |
| Three-Point Percentage | 35.3% | 31.0% |
| Free Throws | 15-20 | 4-11 |
| Free-Throw Percentage | 75.0% | 36.4% |
| Offensive Rebounds | 15 | 22 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 41 | 40 |
| Player Rebounds | 56 | 62 |
| Assists | 31 | 38 |
| Steals | 16 | 13 |
| Blocked Shots | 7 | 9 |
| Turnovers | 18 | 25 |
| Personal Fouls | 13 | 19 |
| Fast Break Points | 34 | 36 |
| Points in the Paint | 68 | 66 |
| Biggest Lead | 13 | 13 |
2005 NBA All-Star Weekend Results
| Event | Winner / Result | Team |
|---|
| All-Star Game | East 125, West 115 | Eastern Conference |
| All-Star Game MVP | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Slam Dunk Contest | Josh Smith | Atlanta Hawks |
| Three-Point Shootout | Quentin Richardson | Phoenix Suns |
| Skills Challenge | Steve Nash | Phoenix Suns |
| Rookie Challenge | Sophomores 133, Rookies 106 | Sophomores |
| Rookie Challenge MVP | Carmelo Anthony | Denver Nuggets |
2005 NBA All-Star Game Historical Notes
Allen Iverson Wins His Second All-Star MVP Award
Iverson recorded 15 points, 10 assists and five steals to win his second All-Star MVP award. He previously earned the honor in 2001, the last time the Eastern Conference had won the game.
LeBron James Makes His All-Star Debut
At 20 years old, James started his first NBA All-Star Game. He scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and recorded six assists.
Dwyane Wade Makes His All-Star Debut
Wade scored 14 points in his first NBA All-Star appearance. He was one of two Miami Heat players selected for the Eastern Conference, joining Shaquille O'Neal.
Shaquille O'Neal Returns to the Eastern Conference
After eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, O'Neal represented the Miami Heat following his 2004 trade. He scored 12 points and blocked three shots.
Vince Carter Represents the New Jersey Nets
Carter made his first All-Star appearance with New Jersey after being traded from Toronto during the 2004-05 season.
Tracy McGrady Represents the Houston Rockets
McGrady made his first Western Conference All-Star appearance after joining Houston from Orlando. He recorded eight points, five rebounds and five assists.
Yao Ming Leads the Fan Voting
Yao received 2,558,578 votes, the highest total in the 2005 NBA All-Star fan balloting. He scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Ray Allen Leads All Scorers
Allen scored 17 points, including five three-pointers. No other player in the game scored more than 16 points.
Amar'e Stoudemire Makes His All-Star Debut
The Phoenix Suns forward scored six points and grabbed nine rebounds in his first All-Star appearance.
Manu Ginobili Makes His All-Star Debut
San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili scored eight points, grabbed three rebounds and blocked one shot.
Gilbert Arenas Makes His First All-Star Appearance
Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas scored seven points. His teammate Antawn Jamison also represented the Eastern Conference.
Rashard Lewis Makes His First All-Star Appearance
Seattle SuperSonics forward Rashard Lewis scored two points and grabbed four rebounds in 14 minutes.
Dirk Nowitzki Records Four Blocks
Nowitzki scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds, collected four steals and blocked four shots.
Steve Nash Represents the Phoenix Suns
Nash returned to Phoenix before the 2004-05 season and helped lead the Suns' high-powered offense. He recorded six assists in the All-Star Game.
Josh Smith Wins the Slam Dunk Contest
Atlanta Hawks rookie Josh Smith won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest, paying tribute to former Hawks star Dominique Wilkins.
Quentin Richardson Wins the Three-Point Shootout
Phoenix Suns guard Quentin Richardson won the Three-Point Shootout, becoming the first Suns player to win the competition.
Steve Nash Wins the Skills Challenge
Nash won the Skills Challenge during All-Star Weekend in Denver.
Carmelo Anthony Wins Rookie Challenge MVP
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points as the Sophomores defeated the Rookies 133-106. Anthony earned MVP honors in front of his home crowd.
The Eastern Conference Ends the West's Winning Streak
The East's 125-115 victory ended a three-game winning streak by the Western Conference and gave the East its first All-Star Game win since 2001.
2005 NBA All-Star Game FAQ
Who won the 2005 NBA All-Star Game?
The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 125-115 on February 20, 2005.
Who was the 2005 NBA All-Star Game MVP?
Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers won MVP honors after recording 15 points, 10 assists and five steals.
Where was the 2005 NBA All-Star Game played?
The game was played at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
Who scored the most points?
Ray Allen of the Seattle SuperSonics led all players with 17 points. Kobe Bryant scored 16 for the West, while Allen Iverson and Jermaine O'Neal each scored 15 for the East.
Who had the most rebounds?
Tim Duncan and Amar'e Stoudemire each grabbed nine rebounds to lead the game.
Who had the most assists?
Allen Iverson led all players with 10 assists. Kobe Bryant recorded seven for the Western Conference.
Was this LeBron James' first NBA All-Star Game?
Yes. James made his first NBA All-Star appearance in 2005, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
Was this Dwyane Wade's first NBA All-Star Game?
Yes. Wade made his All-Star debut in 2005 and scored 14 points.
Who coached the 2005 All-Star teams?
Stan Van Gundy of the Miami Heat coached the Eastern Conference, while Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs coached the Western Conference.
How many fans attended?
The announced attendance was 18,227.
Who won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest?
Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks won the Slam Dunk Contest.
Who won the 2005 Three-Point Shootout?
Quentin Richardson of the Phoenix Suns won the competition.
Who won the 2005 Skills Challenge?
Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns won the Skills Challenge.
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