Big Men Step Over The Line O’Neal, Olajuwon Launch Bombs To Enliven West Squad’s All-Star Rout

The outcome was decided and the crowd was bored.

Then the NBA’s two best centers decided to step out of character, helping to save an otherwise uninspiring All-Star Game.

Before the West completed its 139-112 rout of the East on Sunday, things got downright silly. Like Shaquille O’Neal trying a 3-pointer. Like Hakeem Olajuwon making one.

The West was already comfortably ahead, 115-92, when O’Neal fired from long range. Predictably, the 7-foot-1 Orlando center hit nothing but … air.

“It slipped,” he said.

Olajuwon, a 7-footer, attempted a 3-pointer his next trip down the floor. He made his, though.

It was that kind of night for the Western All-Stars, who showed why their conference holds the balance of power in the NBA.

“I got that idea from Shaq, when he shot that 3,” Olajuwon said. “I said, `Oh, that’s a good idea!’ So I went for a 3 also.”

Mitch Richmond, the Sacramento guard who was the game’s most valuable player, was the perfect example of why the West is best. His 23 points led all scorers, and he shot 10 for 13, including all three of his 3-pointers, in his third All-Star Game.

“Mitch is great shooter who knows how to come off picks and when to shoot,” said Seattle’s Gary Payton, who had 15 assists.

Even O’Neal’s first good performance as an All-Star - 22 points in 26 minutes - couldn’t match the West’s firepower.

Utah’s Karl Malone and Phoenix’s Charles Barkley had 15 points apiece. Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

After two years of frustration, O’Neal finally had a good All-Star Game. With teammate Anfernee Hardaway to get him the ball, O’Neal looked comfortable and made 9 of 16 shots, banishing memories of his 2-for12 performance last year.

Despite his efforts, though, the East was never really in this one, falling behind by 16 at halftime.

A 3-pointer by Joe Dumars made it 79-69 with 6:18 left in the third quarter. Then O’Neal grabbed a rebound, dribbled the length of the floor and drove to the basket, drawing the foul and cutting the lead to eight.

That was as close as the East got. The West proceeded to outscore the East 25-10. Richmond led the way with 10 points, including two 3-pointers, and the West capped the spurt with 3-pointers by Richmond and Detlef Schrempf.

By the end of the period, the West was up 104-81, and that was that.

“When it got to be 20 points it was ridiculous,” San Antonio’s David Robinson said. “Some players started goofing around, and I think the crowd was a bit disappointed. But it got back on track.”

In the fourth quarter, things started to get ragged, and the crowd lost interest before some hijinks by Barkley woke them up.

During a timeout with 5:50 left, the Suns’ gorilla mascot was dunking off a springboard, and Barkley wanted to join the fun. But as he took the ball in his hands, teammate Dan Majerle pulled him back, and West coach Paul Westphal came running on the court to stop him, too.

For the East, Orlando’s Anfernee Hardaway and Chicago’s Scottie Pippen had 12 apiece, and Hardaway added 11 assists. Dumars scored 11, and his Pistons teammate, rookie Grant Hill, had 10.

After the East took a 127-118 decision last year at Minneapolis, the West won for the third time in four years.

“It wasn’t that great of a game, but as far as our side of it, I think we were just too unselfish,” said Pippen, the MVP of last year’s game. “We tried to get everyone involved and it just backfired.”

The first half was a dunkathon, with 16 jams. And neither team was hitting from outside, going a combined 3 for 20 from 3-point range.

The West used a big second quarter to take control, hitting 18 of 29 shots for 62 percent. None was a 3-pointer, though, and the West finished the half 0 for 11 from long range.

The West used a 34-15 run in the second half to grab a 63-43 lead. A basket by Malone, who had 13 points on 5 for 5 shooting in the last 6:09 before halftime, gave the West the 20-point margin. The East cut it to 72-56 by intermission.

Barkley, Malone and Shawn Kemp - the West’s power forwards - were powerful, going a combined 14 for 17.

“We got a little run going,” Malone said. “We took it real serious in key stretches.”

First-time All-Star Tyrone Hill of Cleveland, who was doubtful for the game because of a sprained finger, logged 6 minutes and scored two points.

The East was without one of its assistant coaches. Orlando assistant coach Richie Adubato watched the game from a local hospital after feeling short of breath earlier in the day.