The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was widely regarded as one of the greatest performances ever performed on all-Starfight weekends because it contained many dramatic moments. For example, in Michael Jordan's last appearance, Vince Carter ceded the starting position to Jordan, and Jordan passed the torch to Kobe Bryant, all of which eventually led to the extra-time showdown.
Ceding the starter to Jordan first was Carter's decision without hesitation.
In 2001, Michael Jordan decided to return to basketball to play his final game for the Washington Wizards. Jordan at this time was far from the Chicago Bulls version of Jordan who had originally ruled the League, but regardless of his age, he still demanded that his opponents respect his presence. The 2002–03 season was Jordan's final year of return. Every time he passes, the great basketball god plays one less time on the court.
When the All-Star lineup was announced, Jordan rightfully became a member of the Eastern Conference team, but sadly he wasn't nominated as a starter. For NBA fans, it was confusing, but it was the right decision for the NBA league because people like Carter, Iverson and Maddy deserved more exposure, and voters agreed. But then Carter's approach was respectable, and he gave up his starting position to let Jordan start in his final All-Star game.
Although Jordan tried to persuade Vince not to do so because he deserved it, Carter did not waver in his decision:
"I remember at all the Celebrations of All-Star Weekend, Jordan was in the back doing what he had to do. And then I walked in and said, 'Hey Jordan, this is your last All-Star Game, and your show is about to start.' He said, 'No, you deserve it,'" Carter recalled on ESPN's NBA Today show. "I didn't want to be sidelined by the fans, so when I went back to change my clothes I told him to let him play the starter and he told me, 'This is what you deserve.'" I said, 'MJ, look here. The fans are cheering you on the show and I don't want to take your place and let the fans crowd me out. "
Kobe Bryant, who is also a rising star in this game, stole the limelight.
In order to make this game a classic moment, many NBA legends have gone all out on the court. From Jordan to Kobe, O'Neal, Garnett, Iverson, Maddy, Carter, Kidd, all the best players came. At the last minute, Jordan symbolically got the ball on the flank and, under the defense of Sean Marion, hit a back-up jumper to create the perfect ending. Everyone thought that this game would be over with this perfect ending.
But then Bryant and his frantic competitive nature emerged, and he managed to inflict a foul on Jermaine O'Neal and score two free throws to move the game into second overtime, with the Western Conference team ultimately winning 155-145. Carter described the final match of the first extra time:
"We've done our best and we're shouting to stop the game. I think it's only about 7 seconds. Carter said. Stop the game, stop the game. Well, the opponent is the Kobe guy — as a trait of Kobe Bryant, he wants to win the game and steal all the limelight. So he got the ball on timeout, he was fouled by Jermaine O'Neal, hit both free throws and we lost. We ended up losing that game. ”
Jordan is considered a crazy competitor, but Kobe Bryant is also the same when he wants to win every game. The "Mamba Spirit" couldn't have let him end that game like that, although the highlight of that night's game was Jordan. But Kobe Bryant doesn't think so, he's the real focus!
Of course, although Jordan didn't get the MVP in the end, at least it made these two great players brothers off the pitch. A legacy was completed.