Με τον άσο των Denver Nuggets και οικοδεσπότη στο "Pepsi Center", Carmelo Anthony να έχει τον ρόλο του πρωταγωνιστή, η ομάδα των δευτεροετών του ΝΒΑ επιβλήθηκε της αντίστοιχης των... νέων με 133-106 στον αγώνα που άνοιξε το All Star Weekend. Ο γπηεδούχος σημείωσε συνολικά 31 πόντους, εκ των οποίων οι 17 ήταν στο δεύτερο ημίχρονο, δίνοντας τη νίκη στην ομάδα του.
Σε καμία περίπτωση ο Anthony δεν ήταν μόνος του, καθώς τόσο ο Kyle Korver των Philadelphia Sixers που είχε 21 πόντους, αλλά και ο Chris Bosh των Toronto Raptors που πρόσθεσε 26π, έβαλαν εξίσου τις βάσεις για το θετικό αποτέλεσμα. Πολύ καλός ήταν και ο LeBron James ο οποίος ολοκλήρωσε τη παρουσία του, σημειώνοντας τελικά 20 πόντους. Οι έμπειροι μπορεί, αρχικά, να βρίσκονταν πίσω στο σκορ με εννέα πόντους, ενώ το ημίχρονο έληξε υπέρ των "νέων" με το σκορ να είναι 64-58.
Περίπου στα μισά της τρίτης περίοδου, η κατάσταση άλλαξε, με τους δευτεροετείς να παίρνουν το προβάδισμα με 70-67. Ηταν γενικά φανερό ότι σε όλο το δεύτερο ημίχρονο οι έμπειροι είχαν αποφασίσει να σοβαρευτούν και να παίξουν το μπάσκετ που ξέρουν, ενώ από την άλλη μεριά οι πρωτοετείς προσπαθούσαν να αποφύγουν την συντριβή. Οι πρωτάρηδες είχαν καλύτερους παίκτες τόσο τον Tony Allen όσο και τον Al Jefferson όπου αμφότεροι σημείωσαν από 17 πόντους. Χαρακτηριστικό του πρώτου ήταν τα δυνατά του καρφώματα.
Απο contra.gr
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Sophomores Stop Rookies in the
got milk? Rookie Challenge
DENVER, Feb. 18 (Ticker) - Carmelo Anthony gave the home fans plenty of reasons to cheer.
Anthony, the Denver Nuggets' star forward who has had a difficult second season, scored 17 of his 31 points in the second half to lead the Sophomores to a 133-106 comeback victory in the got milk? Rookie Challenge.
"It's a wonderful feeling," said Anthony, who was named the game's MVP. "You know, this is another positive thing I can put on my resume. It's a great feeling coming out here on my home court and getting MVP of the rookie-sophomore game."
Anthony said he was not bothered that he did not earn an All-Star berth, even though the game was being played here.
"I can't hold my head down because I didn't make the game," he said. "Like I tell everybody, this is only my second year in the NBA. I am going to be here for a long time. I ain't going nowhere."
Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors added 26 points, the Philadelphia 76ers' Kyle Korver chipped in 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James 20 for the Sophomores, who trailed by as many as nine points late in the first half and 64-58 at the break.
The second-year players, who played somewhat lackadaisically in the first half, came out of intermission with a sense of purpose and took the lead for good, 70-67, on a jumper by James with 16:47 remaining.
"We didn't play well in the first half," Korver said. "We weren't really utilizing our abilities really well. We came out at halftime and Carmelo said, 'We're going to win by 20.' We came out and started playing a lot harder on defense."
"I think the second half, everybody picked it up a little bit, especially just coming out right in the second half," Chicago Bulls rookie Luol Deng said. "I think the Sophomores must have spoke about it in the locker room be
cause they came out pretty intense, and we could see that."
James made 9-of-16 shots in 27 minutes despite fighting dizziness, dehydration and an ankle injury.
"It's a very talented bunch," Sophomores coach Bob McAdoo said of the young stars. "LeBron, especially, because he's so big and physical and he sees the court so well. And now he's developed a 3-point shot. He's just going to be impossible to stop the rest of the year and in the future."
Anthony made 13-of-18 shots for the Sophomores, who shot 56 percent (53-of-95) - including 62 percent (32-of-52) in the second half.
"We came back, and our goal was to beat them by 20, and we did that," Anthony said. "Things have not went his way this year, but he's starting to get his mind straight and not worry about the off-the-court things," James said of Anthony. "I'm so happy for him, he got the MVP tonight. It's supposed to work out that way. It's going to work out the best for him."
Deng and Boston Celtics teammates Tony Allen and Al Jefferson scored 17 points apiece to pace the Rookies, who shot 52 percent (46-of-88).
The Sophomores connected on 10-of-21 3-pointers, with Korver going 7-of-10, but the Rookies made just 4-of-15.
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