::: A Legend Is Born ::: (NBA Live 06)

by **Fresh8** on Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:47 pm

Chapter Index

Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen

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Coming Up on A Legend Is Born...

NBA All-star Weekend is held in Houston this year! Join in the fun and action of it all from the Rook-Soph game to the Slam Dunk and Three Point Competitions! And this all leads up to the Main Event! The All-star Game!

Watch out for many guest appearances plus special NLSC appearances by Peter ‘Cable Guy’ Robertson!

by **Fresh8** on Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:51 pm

Sophomores Come Back to Win Rookie Challenge
JR Smith Scores Game Winner, Chris Paul Misses Buzzer Beater

ROOK: 23 - 14 - 19 - 22 - 78
SOPH: 14 - 24 - 25 - 17 - 80

18 Feb, Houston TX AP- The Rookie All-Stars and the Sophomore All-Stars put on a heated contest to kick off All-Star Weekend in Houston last night. After going down early, the Sophs controlled the game over the middle two quarters before the Rookies made a dangerous push towards the win. However, it was Hornets’ JR Smith who scored a floater in the lane as time expired and it was ironic when his rookie team mate Chris Paul missed a desperate shot at the buzzer.

Dwight Howard took home MVP honours with his 11 point, 12 rebound performance. The Magic Forward overpowered Rookie Andrew Bogut all too easily while in the paint and scored with ease. The first overall pick of the 2004 draft, Bobcats’ Emeka Okafor, chipped in 12 points from off the bench including a flurry of dunks as if he were warming up for tonight’s Dunk Contest.

Game hero JR Smith scored 16 points while Lakers’ Smush Parker had 11 from off the bench and starter Chris Duhon added 8 points and 6 assists.

2005’s First overall pick Andrew Bogut led the first years with 13 points as he kept the team in the game in the third period in which he had 7 points including a surprising three pointer. Chris Paul shot terribly and finished on 14 and 6 rebounds. The second pick of this year’s draft, Marvin Williams, was able to put in two clutch jump shots to put the Rookies ahead twice in the final two minutes and he finished on 11 points.

The game was played at a surprisingly slow pace but the crowd was entertained by the many big blocks and steals that defence brings along with it. Krstic pumped up the crowd with two early swats on Bogut and Petro. On another play, Chris Duhon and Emeka Okafor forced a turnover before converting the sweet alley-oop.

“It was a strange type of an All-Star game,” said Howard, “But I think that it was better to play properly than playing as if it were ‘streetball’. The crowd wanted a game so we gave them a close one and I hope they appreciated it.”

Rookie Andrew Bogut agreed, “Kids in Australia especially think that the NBA is all flashy and they don’t understand the importance of fundamentals. I hope that tonight’s game re-educates them that to be a good player, you’ve got to have the fundamentals and actually play a proper game of basketball.”

The Rookies came out gunning in the beginning as they took an early 8-2 lead within minutes. Derron Williams was the catalyst for the rookie side before Smush Parker entered into the game and punished him by scoring 7 points in 2 minutes. Williams ultimately fell out of favour and Paul took his place.

Things only got worse for the Rookie side as they struggled to find their rhythm. The Sophs were able to build a comeback and lead for the end of the half. The play that should have reenergised the Rookies came at the buzzer as Chris Paul went solo against the Sophomore backcourt. He dribbled from side to side before pulling up for a triple. He sunk it and was fouled at the same time. He converted the four-point play and left to the crowd’s standing ovation.

“That was a huge shot,” Paul recalls, “If only it had won the game!”

The momentum then immediately shifted back to the Sophs as they pushed the ball hard up the court. Andrew Bogut stepped in to stop the Rookie team’s slide and kept them in the match with a brilliant array of put backs and short jumpers. His soft touch and accurate passes boggling the minds of his defenders.

“Bogut is a rare talent,” Andre Iguodala stated, “I’d compare him to a Brad Miller and Vlade Divac mix!”

The final quarter was when the game heated up with the Rookies narrowly missing the win. With the Sophomore team up, Marvin Williams made a trey to put the Rookies ahead. He later added two clutch jumpers to put the team ahead by 2 points each time. Unluckily for them, the Sophomores were too experienced and made buckets each time to tie it up.

Bogut missed an easy layup before J R Smith made his floater in the lane and the Rookies called a time out. On the ensuing possession, Chris Paul caught the ball at the left elbow and took a turnaround jumper as the buzzer sounded. But the ball fell short of its target.

“If it had gone in,” Paul who shot 5 for 19 said, “I think we could have won the game. If we had gone into OT, we would have been pumped!”

Boxscore

Game Images