Houston – Denver native Chauncey Billups was at the NBA All-Star Game for the second year in a row. But this time, the Detroit Pistons star liked his seat better.
The Eastern Conference guard scored 15 points, shot 6-of-10 from the field and also contributed seven assists and four rebounds in his all-star debut Sunday night as the East overcame a 21-point deficit and defeated the Western Conference 122-120 at the Toyota Center.
“I’m really never in awe,” Billups said. “But I was looking around sometimes at the crowd saying, ‘Wow, man, wow.’ I remember last year watching that game at the top of the lower bowl in Denver (at the Pepsi Center). This year, I was sitting right on the court with my feet on that wood. This is crazy.”
Cleveland’s LeBron James scored 29 points for the East and was named MVP. Houston’s Tracy McGrady scored a game-high 36 points for the West, but missed a potential game-tying shot with 9.9 seconds left.
“It feels awesome,” James said. “I give thanks to the other 12 guys that were able to help me get this (award).”
Said McGrady: “The fans come to see excitement and also competitiveness, and that’s what we gave them.”
Billups, a former University of Colorado and George Washington High School star, is only the fifth player from his state to be an NBA all-star. He joined Colorado’s Tom Chambers, Micheal Ray Richardson, Joe Barry Carroll and Scott Wedman.
“That’s an honor that is well overdue,” Richardson, who was in Houston, said of Billups. “He deserved it, and now he knows what it feels like to be an all-star.”
Three other Pistons – Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton – joined Billups as East all-stars. With 3:38 left in the first quarter and the West leading 24-20, the four Pistons entered the game together.
Billups’ 3-pointer just 23 seconds after checking in trimmed the West’s lead to 26-24. He scored on a fast- break layup with 10:01 left in the second quarter that cut the West’s lead to 33-32.
“The reason I really wasn’t nervous was because I looked to my left and my right, and it was all the guys I play with every single night,” Billups said. “If I was here by myself, I probably would have been nervous.”
McGrady scored 17 points as the West built a 70-53 halftime lead. Another 3-pointer from Billups trimmed the West’s lead to 94-88 with 3:48 left in the third quarter.
The four Pistons were back on the court together at the start of the fourth quarter with the East trailing 97-94. Billups’ three-point play with 11:24 left made it 97-97. His jumper with 10:19 left gave the East a 101-99 lead.
The 6-foot-3, 202-pounder’s layup with 8:42 left pushed the East ahead 105-101. Billups departed with 7:01 left, with the East leading 107-101.
“It’s unreal, man. It’s just unreal,” Billups said of playing in his first All-Star Game. “It’s truly a dream come true. I was just happy I was selected to be a part of this. I really am.”
Denver native “Big” John Platt, executive vice president of the world’s largest music publishing company, EMI Music Publishing, said of Billups during All-Star Weekend: “What he’s showing the youth in Denver is with hard work and dedication, dreams do come true.”
Staff writer Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
