(REUTERS) — In his 14th and final appearance, Michael Jordan started the NBA All-Star game Sunday night when fellow North Carolina alum Vince Carter turned over his spot in the East lineup.
Jordan said repeatedly — even before the game — he didn’t want to start in place of those voted in by the fans.
“Guys starting deserve to be there,” he said in the East locker room.
Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson both offered their starting roles to Jordan. But Carter, voted in as a starter despite playing only 15 games this season, initially refused to yield his spot, saying it wasn’t fair to the fans who voted for him.
Yet minutes before tipoff Sunday night, the P.A. announcer at Philips Arena announced that Jordan would start in Carter’s spot.
“My decision was to start,” Carter said. “After awhile, I sat back and thought about it and said, `Hey, this is his last one, he is the greatest player and I’m going to get this opportunity to come out here and play again.
Jordan, who earlier came to center court as the East captain, got a rousing standing ovation during player introductions. Once the game started, however, he missed his first seven shots before hitting an easy lay-up.
Jordan finished with 20 points on 9-for-27 shooting, but the West beat the East 155-145 in double overtime. Jordan said he’s enjoyed the weekend but was ready for it to end.
“Just get it over with,” he said. “I’m somewhat embarrassed because I’ve got a feeling it’s going to turn into the Michael Jordan show, which I don’t want it to be,” he said.
Kevin Garnett took over Sunday night when the game went into double overtime for the first time ever.
The long-armed and talented Minnesota Timberwolves star was voted the game’s most valuable player with a game-high 37 points, including 9 in the second overtime to spark the West’s 155-145 victory over the East.
Garnett hit three-straight jumpers and scored the first 7 points of the second extra period before sealing the victory with a dunk.
Playing in his sixth All-Star Game, the 26-year-old Garnett shot 17-of-24 from the field, had 9 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 assists on a night when the stars came out to honor Michael Jordan.
Garnett is one of the NBA’s new generation, one of the players Jordan said will keep the league in good hands after he retires.
“I think everybody enjoyed the game,” Garnett said. “It was just a great game on the basis of it being Michael and an emotional game.”
“I don’t think the responsibility falls on a single individual,” Garnett said about filling the future void left by Jordan as he reeled off several names including fellow West teammate Tim Duncan.
The West’s Kobe Bryant had 9 points in the first overtime but missed the chance to sew up the victory when he made just 2 of 3 free throws with a second left.
Then, in the second extra period, the West went inside to the 6-foot-11 Garnett, who was able to put the game away.