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West: Believe the Kobe Bryant hype

By Tom Withers Associated Press ------------------------------NEW YORK -- There's something to all this Kobe Bryant hoopla.

The All-Star game's youngest player ever showed why he's been christened the "next Michael Jordan" Sunday with a Jordanesque performance in the 48th annual matchup of NBA stars.

Kobe Bryant performed a variety of moves, including this flip over Dikembe Mutombo. Paired against Jordan for most of his 22 minutes, Bryant had 18 points, six rebounds and two spectacular first-half dunks that dazzled the star-studded Madison Square Garden crowd.

But it wasn't enough as Bryant sat on the West's bench in the fourth quarter and watched Jordan and the East roll to a 135-114 victory.

Afterward, Bryant was asked to sum up his first All-Star experience.

"If I could, I would," the 19-year-old said. "I don't know how I'm feeling right now. I'm excited. ... I'm a little sad because it's over."

Bryant was voted a starter despite being a sub for the Los Angeles Lakers, but the second-year pro who skipped college to play in the NBA showed he was worthy of selection.

After calming some pregame butterflies, Bryant said, "I was shaky." Bryant, who was the last player introduced for the West squad, badly missed his first shot before knocking down a baseline jumper.

Bryant talks about what it was like out on the court matching up versus Michael Jordan.RealAudio Moments later, he got behind the East's defense and went in for an uncontested 360-degree jam that probably had NBA officials wishing they hadn't scrapped the slam dunk contest from Saturday's festivities.

Following an East basket, Bryant, last year's dunk winner as a rookie, rushed the ball up the middle of the floor and passed it to Minnesota's Kevin Garnett. Standing under the basket, Garnett then left an alley-oop pass hanging in the middle of the lane that Bryant grabbed two-handed and dunked.

It was then Jordan's turn to show Bryant that the old man still has a few tricks of his own. He backed the Lakers guard down low before making consecutive turnaround jumpers as the East took control.

Said Bryant: "He hit those turnarounds, I was like, cool, let's get it on."

Every time Bryant touched the ball the crowd buzzed, and late in the half he pulled off a move that probably has never been seen in any All-Star game.

Driving to the basket on the right side, Bryant went around his back with a left-handed dribble that he caught again with his left before switching to his right and hitting a baseline hook while floating out of bounds.

It may not have been the smartest move, but it sure was the coolest.

After the game, and for the umpteenth time this weekend, Bryant was asked if this year's All-Star game was about a torch-passing from Jordan.

"Not really," he said. "I looked at tonight as a learning experience. Come out play hard, nothing less. Just acquire some more knowledge, not only from Mike, but from the other All-Stars.

"As far as carrying the torch for the years to come, I don't know. I just want to be the best basketball player that I can be. If that happens, that will be fine."

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