Iverson Overcomes Wooziness, Wins MVP
美國NBA全明星賽北京時間2月21日上午曲終人散，最終東部聯隊125：115戰勝西部聯隊。同時東部聯隊來自76人隊的艾弗森以全場15分、10次助攻和5次蓋帽獲得了本次全明星賽最有價值球員稱號，這樣，在2001年和今年東部聯隊兩次獲勝的比賽中，艾弗森“蟬聯”了全明星賽MVP稱號。
Allen Iverson woke up Sunday feeling woozy and lightheaded — classic symptoms of altitude sickness in the thin air of Denver. Several hours later, he was hoisting the Most Valuable Player trophy from the All-Star game, proving that even when he"s not at his best, he"s pretty darn good. The Answer proved to be just that again for the East All-Stars — finishing with 15 points, nine assists and five steals in a 125-115 victory. He has been selected MVP in the last two East wins — this year and in 2001.
美國NBA全明星賽北京時間2月21日上午曲終人散，最終東部聯隊125：115戰勝西部聯隊。同時東部聯隊來自76人隊的艾弗森以全場15分、10次助攻和5次蓋帽獲得了本次全明星賽最有價值球員稱號，表明他即使不在自己最佳狀態，依然能夠打出賞心悅目的比賽。這樣，在2001年和今年東部聯隊兩次獲勝的比賽中，艾弗森“蟬聯”了全明星賽MVP稱號。
據美聯社2月20日報道，獲得MVP稱號的`艾弗森賽後面對記者調侃說：“半場時我就說過，我的隊友又該開玩笑說我從不知道累，但其實今天我真得很累。”但不管怎樣，同以往參加的76人隊的比賽不同，艾弗森在今天的比賽中並不需要像以往那樣全力以赴，就像賽季初那樣在一場比賽中狂砍60分。今天的比賽中，他所作的只是打打防守，投投籃以及給隊友分分球而已。
“今晚我並不像以往那樣是人們關注的中心，這讓我感到很輕鬆。”的確，有像奧尼爾和詹姆斯這樣的超級明星作後盾，艾弗森的助攻顯得輕鬆自如。在比賽中他可以隨意做出各種雜耍般的傳球，助攻隊友得分。對此艾弗森表示：“和詹姆斯這樣的球員同場比賽，你根本不需要傳出十分完美的球。”雖然本場比賽艾弗森僅僅獲得了4次投籃機會，對於艾弗森來說這並不是一場十分完美的比賽，但在明星彙集的大賽裏能有如此表現，艾弗森應該知足了。
雖然艾弗森在今年全明星賽的表現同2001年幫助東部聯隊在落後21分時實現大逆轉並以111：110擊敗西部聯隊時相比略顯遜色，但艾弗森同以往相比已經更加成熟。
賽後記者詢問艾弗森對於新星勒布朗·詹姆斯在未來的發展方面有何建議時，艾弗森語重心長地表示：“他已經站在世界最高點了。但我要說的是，你永遠不要忘了那些將你托起到世界高峯的隊友，他們也可以將你打入深淵。”對於自己的未來，艾弗森看得很淡，他說：“我已經老了。就這麼簡單。我不能總是保持在25、26歲的年紀。”
Allen Iverson woke up Sunday feeling woozy and lightheaded — classic symptoms of altitude sickness in the thin air of Denver.
Several hours later, he was hoisting the Most Valuable Player trophy from the All-Star game, proving that even when he"s not at his best, he"s pretty darn good. The Answer proved to be just that again for the East All-Stars — finishing with 15 points, nine assists and five steals in a 125-115 victory. He has been selected MVP in the last two East wins — this year and in 2001.
Next up, he"s expecting some razzing from his teammates.
"I said at halftime, my teammates were going to joke with me because I never get tired," he said. "I felt tired today."
Unlike most nights with the struggling 76ers, Iverson didn"t need to take over the game from a shooting standpoint. No need to pour in 60 points like he did earlier this season. Just play some defense, shoot a little and distribute. If only it were this easy every night.
"I didn"t get double teamed all night," he said. "I didn"t get the attention I usually get and it just makes it that much easier on me."
With teammates like Shaq and LeBron James catching his passes, all those assists were, indeed, much easier. He threw the ball behind his head, hit James and O"Neal for alley-oops, threw bounce passes between his legs. His best assist of the night didn"t even count; it was a save on the baseline and a toss to O"Neal who jammed, but it was nullified when referee Jack Nies said he had stepped on the line.
This MVP effort didn"t carry the same drama as his last one, in 2001. Then, he scored 15 points over the last nine minutes to lead the East to a 111-110 victory after trailing by 21.
But Iverson is more mature now, doesn"t feel the need to completely take over games, and never had to on this night.
"LeBron James is on top of the world," Iverson said. "I just told him to never forget that the guys who put you on the top of the world can put you under, too."
As for his own life — well, things have changed, and maybe his game has, too.
"I"m older. It"s simple as that," Iverson said. "You can"t expect me to stay 25, 26 years old forever."
