2008 NBA ALL-STAR GAME
EAST 134 - WEST 128
LeBron James: 27 Points, 8 Rebounds, 9 Assists
Most Valuable Player: LeBron James
2008 NBA All-Star Game Recap
The 57th NBA All-Star Game took place on February 17, 2008, at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 134-128 in a game that featured a dramatic fourth-quarter rally by the West and a strong closing performance by LeBron James and Ray Allen.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James earned his second All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocked shots. James made 12 of his 22 field goal attempts and narrowly missed becoming the second player to record a triple-double in NBA All-Star Game history.
The event was particularly meaningful for New Orleans. It marked the first time the city hosted the NBA All-Star Game and was part of the city's continuing recovery following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The weekend brought the league's biggest stars, community programs and national attention to New Orleans.
The Eastern Conference established control early, leading 34-28 after the first quarter. The East followed with a 40-point second period and entered halftime with a 74-65 advantage.
James, Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade helped the East build its lead, while Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen provided an important scoring lift off the bench. The East extended its advantage to 106-93 after three quarters.
The Western Conference, however, refused to surrender. Led by New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul, the West rallied in the fourth quarter and erased a deficit that had reached 16 points. The teams were tied at 116 with less than three minutes remaining.
Allen responded with a series of crucial three-pointers. He finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including five three-pointers, and scored 14 points during the final period.
James added important baskets of his own, including a powerful late dunk that helped the East regain control. His combination of scoring, passing and rebounding ultimately earned him MVP honors, although Allen's late shooting made him another strong candidate.
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard scored 16 points without missing a field goal, making all seven of his attempts. Howard also grabbed nine rebounds, recorded three steals and blocked one shot.
Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade added 14 points, four rebounds and three assists.
New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd scored only two points but contributed 10 assists, four rebounds and four steals. Kidd was playing in his final All-Star Game as a member of the Nets before his February 2008 trade to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Boston Celtics had three players selected to the Eastern Conference roster. Paul Pierce scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds, while Allen led the game in scoring. Kevin Garnett had been voted a starter but was unable to participate because of injury.
Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton contributed nine points, while teammate Chauncey Billups scored six points and handed out four assists. Rasheed Wallace, an injury replacement for Garnett, finished with three points, five rebounds and two blocked shots.
For the Western Conference, Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy also scored 18 points and added nine rebounds and five assists in his first All-Star appearance.
Phoenix Suns center Amar'e Stoudemire scored 18 points on eight-for-11 shooting. Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, giving Utah an All-Star representative for the second consecutive year.
New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul was one of the game's standout performers in front of his home fans. Making his first All-Star appearance, Paul scored 16 points, handed out a game-high 14 assists and recorded four steals.
Paul's teammate David West also made his All-Star debut, contributing six points and four rebounds. The two Hornets were important figures in New Orleans' rise to Western Conference contention during the 2007-08 season.
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 13 points, while Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash added eight points and six assists. Denver Nuggets guard Allen Iverson scored seven points, recorded six assists and collected four steals.
San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan contributed four points and nine rebounds, while Houston Rockets center Yao Ming finished with six points and five rebounds.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant played only 2 minutes and 52 seconds because of a finger injury. Bryant did not attempt a shot, finishing with one rebound before leaving the game.
The Eastern Conference shot 53.6 percent from the field, making 59 of 110 attempts. The Western Conference made 57 of 114 shots, shooting exactly 50 percent. Both teams recorded 37 assists.
The 2008 All-Star Game remains memorable for James' second MVP award, Allen's late-game shooting, Paul's impressive debut in his home arena, Bryant's limited participation and New Orleans' successful hosting of the NBA's annual showcase.
2008 NBA All-Star Game Information
Date: February 17, 2008
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Arena: New Orleans Arena
Final Score: Eastern Conference 134, Western Conference 128
Most Valuable Player: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Eastern Conference Coach: Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics
Western Conference Coach: Byron Scott, New Orleans Hornets
Leading Scorer: Ray Allen, 28 points
Leading Rebounder: Carlos Boozer, 10 rebounds
Leading Assists: Chris Paul, 14 assists
Leading Vote-Getter: Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics (2,399,148 votes)
Historical Significance: First NBA All-Star Game hosted by New Orleans
2008 NBA All-Star Game Score by Quarter
| Conference | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|
| Eastern Conference | 34 | 40 | 32 | 28 | 134 |
| Western Conference | 28 | 37 | 28 | 35 | 128 |
Eastern Conference Box Score - 134 Points
Head Coach: Doc Rivers, Boston Celtics
| Player | Team | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | PF | STL | TO | BLK | PTS |
|---|
| Starters |
| Jason Kidd | New Jersey Nets | 25:05 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Dwyane Wade | Miami Heat | 21:48 | 7-12 | 0-1 | 0-2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| Chris Bosh | Toronto Raptors | 21:32 | 7-15 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| LeBron James (MVP) | Cleveland Cavaliers | 30:15 | 12-22 | 2-7 | 1-1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 27 |
| Dwight Howard | Orlando Magic | 30:33 | 7-7 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| Reserves |
| Ray Allen | Boston Celtics | 18:54 | 10-14 | 5-9 | 3-5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Chauncey Billups | Detroit Pistons | 18:07 | 3-10 | 0-6 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Richard Hamilton | Detroit Pistons | 18:00 | 4-9 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Rasheed Wallace | Detroit Pistons | 17:37 | 1-5 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Joe Johnson | Atlanta Hawks | 13:20 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Paul Pierce | Boston Celtics | 12:37 | 5-9 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Antawn Jamison | Washington Wizards | 12:12 | 1-3 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Selected but Did Not Play |
| Kevin Garnett | Boston Celtics | Did not play - injury |
| Caron Butler | Washington Wizards | Did not play - injury |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 59-110 | 10-36 | 6-14 | 12 | 33 | 45 | 37 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 7 | 134 |
Western Conference Box Score - 128 Points
Head Coach: Byron Scott, New Orleans Hornets
| Player | Team | MIN | FG | 3PT | FT | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | PF | STL | TO | BLK | PTS |
|---|
| Starters |
| Allen Iverson | Denver Nuggets | 20:44 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | 02:52 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | 22:23 | 2-7 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Carmelo Anthony | Denver Nuggets | 21:38 | 8-17 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| Yao Ming | Houston Rockets | 13:17 | 2-5 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Reserves |
| Brandon Roy | Portland Trail Blazers | 28:34 | 8-10 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| Chris Paul | New Orleans Hornets | 27:16 | 7-14 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | Dallas Mavericks | 25:41 | 5-14 | 1-4 | 2-2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| Amar'e Stoudemire | Phoenix Suns | 23:07 | 8-11 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| Steve Nash | Phoenix Suns | 19:42 | 4-8 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Carlos Boozer | Utah Jazz | 18:30 | 7-15 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| David West | New Orleans Hornets | 16:16 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 57-114 | 6-19 | 8-14 | 21 | 38 | 59 | 37 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 5 | 128 |
Statistical abbreviations: MIN = Minutes:Seconds; 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.
Team totals include the combined individual player statistics. Team rebounds are recorded separately.
2008 NBA All-Star Game Team Statistics
| Statistic | East | West |
|---|
| Final Score | 134 | 128 |
| Field Goals | 59-110 | 57-114 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 53.6% | 50.0% |
| Three-Point Field Goals | 10-36 | 6-19 |
| Three-Point Percentage | 27.8% | 31.6% |
| Free Throws | 6-14 | 8-14 |
| Free-Throw Percentage | 42.9% | 57.1% |
| Player Rebounds | 45 | 59 |
| Team Rebounds | 6 | 12 |
| Assists | 37 | 37 |
| Steals | 13 | 11 |
| Blocked Shots | 7 | 5 |
| Player Turnovers | 16 | 21 |
2008 NBA All-Star Game Injury Notes
Kevin Garnett: The Boston Celtics forward received the most fan votes in the NBA but missed the game because of an injury. Chris Bosh started in his place, and Detroit Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace joined the roster as a replacement.
Caron Butler: The Washington Wizards forward was selected as an Eastern Conference reserve but was unable to play because of injury. Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen replaced him and went on to lead the game with 28 points.
Kobe Bryant: The Los Angeles Lakers guard started the game despite a finger injury but played only 2:52. He did not attempt a field goal.
2008 NBA All-Star Game Historical Notes
New Orleans Hosts Its First NBA All-Star Game
The NBA brought its annual showcase to New Orleans for the first time in 2008. The event helped highlight the city's recovery following Hurricane Katrina and the return of the Hornets as a competitive NBA franchise.
LeBron James Wins His Second All-Star MVP
James finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. It was his second All-Star MVP award in three seasons, following his first in 2006.
Ray Allen Leads All Scorers
Allen scored 28 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and made five three-pointers. His late shooting helped prevent the Western Conference from completing its comeback.
Chris Paul Makes His All-Star Debut
Playing in New Orleans, Paul recorded 16 points, 14 assists and four steals. He was one of four Western Conference reserves making their first All-Star appearances.
David West Represents the Host Hornets
West joined teammate Chris Paul on the Western Conference roster. He scored six points and grabbed four rebounds in his first All-Star appearance.
Brandon Roy Makes His First All-Star Appearance
Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy scored 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds and recorded five assists in his All-Star debut.
Carlos Boozer Represents the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer scored 14 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in his first All-Star appearance. His selection came one year after he had missed the 2007 game because of injury.
Kobe Bryant Plays Less Than Three Minutes
Bryant appeared briefly because of a finger injury. He played 2:52 and finished with one rebound and no points.
Dwight Howard Has a Perfect Shooting Night
Howard made all seven of his field goal attempts and scored 16 points. He also grabbed nine rebounds and recorded three steals.
Jason Kidd Records 10 Assists
Kidd contributed 10 assists and four steals in what became his final All-Star appearance representing the New Jersey Nets.
Kevin Garnett Misses the Game
Garnett received a league-leading 2,399,148 fan votes but was unable to participate. Rasheed Wallace was added to the Eastern Conference roster, and Chris Bosh moved into the starting lineup.
The West Nearly Completes a Fourth-Quarter Comeback
The Western Conference overcame a 16-point deficit and tied the game at 116 late in the fourth quarter. The Eastern Conference responded behind James and Allen to win 134-128.
2008 NBA All-Star Game FAQ
Who won the 2008 NBA All-Star Game?
The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 134-128 on February 17, 2008.
Who won the 2008 NBA All-Star Game MVP?
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers won his second All-Star MVP award after scoring 27 points, grabbing eight rebounds and handing out nine assists.
Where was the 2008 NBA All-Star Game played?
The game was played at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Who scored the most points?
Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics led all players with 28 points, followed by LeBron James with 27.
Who led the game in assists?
Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets led all players with 14 assists.
Who led the game in rebounds?
Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz grabbed 10 rebounds, the most by any player.
Why did Kobe Bryant play only three minutes?
Bryant was dealing with a finger injury and played just 2 minutes and 52 seconds.
Which players missed the game because of injury?
Kevin Garnett and Caron Butler were selected for the Eastern Conference but did not participate. Rasheed Wallace and Ray Allen were added as replacements.
Who coached the 2008 NBA All-Star teams?
Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics coached the Eastern Conference, while Byron Scott of the New Orleans Hornets coached the Western Conference.
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