NBA 24--second clock

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jan 27, 2008 | by Associated Press

Injuries have kept him from playing much, and he hasn't been very effective when he has been on the court.

So is Shaquille O'Neal's All-Star streak over?

O'Neal's numbers would say yes. He is averaging a career-low 14.2 points for a Miami team that has the worst record in the Eastern Conference, and he had already missed nine games going into the weekend.

"(O'Neal will) admit that he has not played well enough to be an All-Star," Charles Barkley said Thursday night on TNT.

But that's up to the East coaches, who may look beyond Shaq's stats.

O'Neal has been selected to 14 straight games, tying the record shared by Jerry West and Karl Malone, and is a favorite of players, fans and the media. O'Neal has provided some of All-Star weekend's most entertaining moments, such as his breakdancing performance with Dwight Howard and LeBron James during last year's East practice.

"In any other industry, there are lifetime achievement awards and stuff like that, that show the respect and the gratitude for what that player has done for the game," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "Because Shaquille has been hurt most of the year, that's up to the head coaches who will elect whether or not he's going to be a participant."

He's already got one vote. New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said he needed no campaigning, that he was "on the record" that he was voting for O'Neal. With the center spot in the East such a weak position, O'Neal may not have trouble getting more support.

One way or another, though, O'Neal is All-Star bound.

The former LSU star, who has kept close ties in Louisiana since his college days and was active in many charitable ways after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, will host a fundraiser over All-Star weekend with New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush.

"I'll be there," O'Neal said, "no matter what." ...

Doc Rivers is headed to New Orleans to coach in the All-Star game, and he knows the kind of player he'd like to see on his roster.

"I would vote for 12 Charles Oakleys," Rivers said. "I really would, those guys are the guys ... obviously you need the stars, there's no doubt about that, but I think there are such a thing as All-Star role players, and I've always believed that. And guys who sacrifice their game and do it in an All-Star fashion, if you know what I'm saying, I think there's a lot of guys in our league like that, and they never get their due."

Oakley did make one All-Star game, as a member of the New York Knicks in 1994. Rivers, a teammate on that Knicks squad, would like more recognition for players who contribute to winning teams without being scorers.

"I think one vote a year should be put aside and the league should maybe vote. I've always felt that," he said. "Eleven stars and one guy a year. It would help all coaches, too, to get our guys to all be that one guy. That would be terrific."

Rivers will coach the Eastern Conference on Feb. 17, and he'll have at least one of his Celtics players with him. Kevin Garnett was voted in as a starter, and Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will get strong consideration as reserves.

But Rivers doesn't get caught up in that, recalling his lone All- Star appearance while playing for Atlanta in 1988.

"I don't give that thought because that's more of an individual thing," he said. "As a player I made it once, I wanted to make it, I thought it was a big deal. Then when I got there and I realized that me and Dominique (Wilkins) were the only two standing there, it was a nice honor but my whole thought was, 'Where are my teammates? I want my teammates.' And I think it is a great honor for the players, whoever makes it, but I don't give that a lot of thought." ...

Rudy Gay promised to deliver something in the slam dunk contest that hadn't been seen before. That's no longer true, because Gay will be doing a dunk that was created by someone else.

The Memphis forward announced a promotion this week in which fans can submit a dunk, which Gay will replicate on All-Star Saturday night.

Fans can upload a demonstration of their best dunk at www.youtube.com/rudygay22slamdunk through Feb. 12. Gay will choose one of the submissions, then attempt to pull it off in New Orleans.

"I am really excited about this unique opportunity to engage the basketball community and create some additional excitement for the Slam Dunk competition," Gay said in a statement. "I am looking forward to seeing what dunks are submitted and will be selecting one that is creative and will excite the crowd during the competition."

Orlando center Dwight Howard, defending champion Gerald Green of Minnesota, and Toronto's Jamario Moon round out the field. Howard is back for a second try after failing to advance to the finals last year,

"Rudy Gay is going to be in it, Gerald Green, those are some high flyers," Howard said. "Being the tallest, I've got to do something real spectacular to win." ...

Not only have the Los Angeles Clippers lost their way on the court, they can't even keep track of a story off it.

A frustrating season in Los Angeles may have reached its low point this week when coach Mike Dunleavy and Donald Sterling feuded through the media, then patched things up over the phone.