EAST 139, WEST 132, at Reunion Arena (Dallas)
ATTENDANCE: 16,573
MVP: Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons)
Four guards suited up for the East in the 1986 All-Star Game, but proved more valuable than Isiah Thomas. Thomas, who finished with 30 points, 10 assists and five steals, was named MVP in the East’s 139-132 win. Down the stretch in the game, coach K.C. Jones elected for a one-guard offense and Thomas’ steady hand powered the East to a 39-point fourth quarter to seal the victory. Boston’s Larry Bird (23 points, eight rebounds, seven steals, five assists) and Philly’s Moses Malone (16 points, 13 rebounds) did their part, too, in lifting the East to victory.
Three future Hall of Famers suited up in an All-Star Game for the first time. Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006, had 13 points off the bench for the East. Clyde Drexler, a Hall of Fame inductee in 2004 who won an NBA title with Houston in 1995, had 10 points and three steals off the bench for the West. And L.A.’s James Worthy — the Finals MVP in 1998 and a Hall of Fame inductee in 2003 — started for the West and finished with 20 points. On the flip side, future Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley appeared in his final All-Star Game, scoring eight points off the bench for the West.
Second-year center Patrick Ewing was picked to appear in the All-Star Game for the East, but missed the game due to injury.
At the Dunk Contest, 5-foot-6 Hawks guard Spud Webb claimed the title with a variety of athletic and power dunks. Larry Bird took home the inaugural 3-Point Shootout crown, his first of three straight titles in the event.
All-Star Game rosters
Eastern Conference
Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons)
Sidney Moncrief (Milwaukee Bucks)
Moses Malone (Philadelphia 76ers)
Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers)
Maurice Cheeks (Philadelphia 76ers)
Kevin McHale (Boston Celtics)
Robert Parish (Boston Celtics)
Buck Williams (New Jersey Nets)
Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)
Jeff Malone (Washington Bullets)
Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks) *
Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) *
Coach: K.C. Jones (Celtics)
Western Conference
Magic Johnson (L.A. Lakers)
Alvin Robertson (San Antonio Spurs)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L.A. Lakers)
Ralph Sampson (Houston Rockets)
James Worthy (L.A. Lakers)
Rolando Blackman (Dallas Mavericks)
Adrian Dantley (Utah Jazz)
Alex English (Denver Nuggets)
Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)
Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets)
Artis Gilmore (San Antonio Spurs)
Marques Johnson (L.A. Clippers)
Coach: Pat Riley (Los Angeles Lakers)
All-Star Weekend Wrap
NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner: Spud Webb, Atlanta Hawks
NBA 3-Point Shootout winner: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
NOTE: * = missed game due to injury;
