Out of MJ's shadow, Scottie stars

Basketball Digest, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Chuck O'Donnell

Every pair of eyes did a double-take when Scottie Pippen took the floor for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game. You would have thought Anna Nicole Smith had showed up wearing leopard-print Spandex, a pink boa, and straw hat. Pippen's candy-apple red Nikes were so ugly even usually mild-mannered David Robinson winced and asked, "When are you going to take those things off?"

The fashion police declined to press charges, and Pippen was free to not only put on an MVP performance, but host his own coming-out party at the Target Center in Minnesota.

Although Pippen was universally recognized as one of the better players in the NBA, no one knew just how good he was. The spotlight had always been on Michael Jordan, casting a shadow on everyone else. On almost any other team, Pippen would have been the star, the matinee idol, and the object of unending adulation and endorsement opportunities. He was quick for his size, could jump out of the gym, and loved to play defense. In fact, astute basketball fans would occasionally point out that the only guy in the league who could guard Jordan was probably Pippen.

But back on Planet Jordan, Pippen was a mere mortal living out the remainder of his days. It was always Jordan lifts, Jordan that, Jordan everywhere, Jordan all the time. Jordan winning scoring rifles and MVP awards. Jordan hawking Hanes briefs, Gatorade, Big Macs, and hot dogs. Jordan's face on everything from action figures to pot holders.

Yes, pot holders. For the love of "Space Jam," what's a guy to do? If you're Pippon, you thank Jordan ... err ... God for baseball.

Jordan woke up one morning and threw the world a curveball: He was quitting basketball and taking up baseball. The Bulls would suffer without MJ, but this was an opportunity for Pippen to show the world what he could do.

Pippen took charge, and with the help of Horace Grant and BJ. Armstrong, he had the Bulls 2 1/2 games ahead of the previous season's pace. That's right: Without Jordan, the Pippen-led Bulls were off to better start than MJ's 199293 squad.

The 44th NBA All-Star Game--played 10 seasons ago this February--was supposed to be all about the new wave of stars; Shaquille O'Neal was one of seven first-time All-Stars on the East roster. However, Pippen took the game over early with a couple of three-pointers. The West had to play Shawn Kemp on Pippen, and when Kemp had to sag into the lane on D, Pippen was open to hit his shots.

In the fourth quarter, when the Utah Jazz's John Stockton pushed the West to within 107-105 with a three-pointer, Plppen hit a jumper to ultimately and fittingly put the game out of reach. His alley-oop lob to Shaq capped the scoring.

Pippen was named MVP with 29 points, 11 rebounds, five three-pointers, and four steals as the East won, 127-118.

Afterward, the other players gushed over Pippen. Stockton compared Pippen's athleticism and versatility to that of football Hall-of-Famer Lawrence Taylor, saying, "He's a new wave. The things he can do, he just changes the game by himself"

Pippen seemed to be genuinely enjoying the moment, saying this was the fast individual award he had ever won. "With Michael on the club, it overshadowed some of the guys like Horace mid B.J. and to some extent myself," Pippen said "It's time we were an recognized as All-Stars."

Then he smiled and said, "I definitely think it was the shoes. Everyone was looking at my feet too much."

Scottie Takes Over

The 44th NBA All-Star Game; February 13, 1994; at the Target Center,
Minneapolis

Teams                     1         2        3        4      Final
East                     33        39       29       26       127
West                     28        36       26       28       118

EAST                  MIN       FGM       FGA      3PM      3PA

Scottie Pippen         31        9        15        5        9
Derrick Coleman        18        1         6        0        2
Shaquille O'Neil       26        2        12        0        0
Kenny Anderson         16        3        10        0        1
B.J. Armstrong         22        5         9        1        2
John Starks            20        4         9        1        3
Mark Price             22        8        10        2        3
Patrick Ewing          24        7        15        0        0
Charles Oakley         11        1         3        0        0
Dominique Wilkins      17        4         9        0        2
Mookie Blaylock        16        2         5        1        2
Horace Grant           17        2         8        0        0
Totals                240        48       111      10        24

EAST                  FTM       FTA       OR       DR       REB

Scottie Pippen         6         10        0       11        11
Derrick Coleman        0         0         1        2        3
Shaquille O'Neil       4         11        4        6        10
Kenny Anderson         0         0         1        3        4
B.J. Armstrong         0         0         1        0        1
John Starks            0         0         1        2        3
Mark Price             2         2         0        2        2
Patrick Ewing          6         7         4        4        8
Charles Oakley         0         0         1        2        3
Dominique Wilkins      3         6         2        0        2
Mookie Blaylock        0         0         0        1        1
Horace Grant           0         0         6        2        8
Totals                 21        36       21       35        56

EAST                  AST        PF       STL      TO       BLK

Scottie Pippen         2         2         4        2        1
Derrick Coleman        1         3         1        0        0
Shaquille O'Neil       0         2         1        1        4
Kenny Anderson         3         2         0        4        0
B.J. Armstrong         4         1         0        1        0
John Starks            3         1         1        2        0
Mark Price             5         1         1        0        1
Patrick Ewing          1         2         0        1        0
Charles Oakley         3         3         0        0        0
Dominique Wilkins      4         1         0        0        0
Mookie Blaylock        2         3         2        1        0
Horace Grant           2         0         1        1        2
Totals                 30        21       11       13        8

EAST                  PTS

Scottie Pippen         29
Derrick Coleman        2
Shaquille O'Neil       8
Kenny Anderson         6
B.J. Armstrong         11
John Starks            9
Mark Price             20
Patrick Ewing          20
Charles Oakley         2
Dominique Wilkins      11
Mookie Blaylock        5
Horace Grant           4
Totals                127

WEST                  MIN       FGM       FGA      3PM      3PA

Karl Malone            21        3         9        0        0
Shawn Kemp             22        3        11        0        0
Hakeem Olajuwon        30        8        15        0        0
Mitch Richmond         24        5        16        0        0
Cylde Drexler          15        3         7        0        2
John Stockton          26        6        10        1        1
David Robinson         21        6        13        0        0
Kevin Johnson          14        3         6        0        0
Clifford Robinson      18        5         8        0        1
Danny Manning          17        4         7        0        0
Gary Payton            17        3         4        0        0
Latrell Sprewell       15        3         8        0        2
Totals                240        52       114       1        6

WEST                  FTM       FTA       OR       DR       REB

Karl Malone            0         0         3        4        7
Shawn Kemp             0         0         6        6        12
Hakeem Olajuwon        3         6         4        7        11
Mitch Richmond         0         0         0        2        2
Cylde Drexler          0         0         0        3        3
John Stockton          0         0         1        4        5
David Robinson         7         10        3        2        5
Kevin Johnson          0         1         0        1        1
Clifford Robinson      0         0         1        1        2
Danny Manning          0         0         0        4        4
Gary Payton            0         0         2        4        6
Latrell Sprewell       3         7         4        3        7
Totals                 13        24       24       41        65

WEST                  AST        PF       STL      TO       BLK

Karl Malone            2         2         1        1        0
Shawn Kemp             4         4         0        6        3
Hakeem Olajuwon        2         4         2        3        5
Mitch Richmond         3         0         0        2        0
Cylde Drexler          1         1         1        1        1
John Stockton          10        2         1        4        0
David Robinson         0         2         0        1        2
Kevin Johnson          2         1         1        2        0
Clifford Robinson      5         0         1        0        0
Danny Manning          2         4         0        0        1
Gary Payton            9         2         0        0        0
Latrell Sprewell       1         1         0        2        0
Totals                 41        23        7       22        12

WEST                  PTS

Karl Malone            6
Shawn Kemp             6
Hakeem Olajuwon        19
Mitch Richmond         10
Cylde Drexler          6
John Stockton          13
David Robinson         19
Kevin Johnson          6
Clifford Robinson      10
Danny Manning          8
Gary Payton            6
Latrell Sprewell       9
Totals                118

Field goals: East .432, West .456. Three-pointers: East .417, West
.167. Free throws: East .583, West .542. Team rebounds: East 16,
West 14. Blocked shots: East 9, West 12. Turnovers: East 13, West 22.
Attendance: 17,096.