2002 NBA All-Star Game

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

2002 NBA All-Star Game

1 2 3 4 Total West 32 40 28 35 135 East 24 31 22 43 120
Date	February 10, 2002
Arena	First Union Center
City	Philadelphia
MVP	Kobe Bryant
National anthem	Patti LaBelle (USA) Kathleen Edwards (Canada)
Halftime show	Elton John
Attendance	19,581
Network	NBC
Announcers	Marv Albert Steve Jones Bill Walton
NBA All-Star Game
< 2001 2003 >

The 2002 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played on February 10, 2002, at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, home of the Philadelphia 76ers. This game was the 51st edition of the North American NBA All-Star Game and was played during the 2001–02 NBA season.

The venue was originally scheduled for the 1998-99 NBA season, but was cancelled due to the 1998-99 NBA lockout and moved to 2002, which was the next All-Star game that had not yet been awarded to another city.

The West defeated the East 135–120, with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers winning the Most Valuable Player. Bryant scored 31 points, dished 5 assists, and grabbed 5 rebounds, despite being booed by the hometown crowd. Tracy McGrady led the way for the East, scoring 25 points off the bench. He also made one of the most memorable plays in All-Star Game history, the self pass off the backboard dunk.

This was also the last All-Star Game to feature players wearing their respective team jerseys, and thus far, the last to be seen on over-the-air television (all subsequent games have aired on the cable channel TNT).