Closer Look

LeBron, 'Melo make most of All-Star weekend debut

By Marty Burns, SI.com

Carmelo Anthony was very unselfish with the ball, but still had time to put in 17 points on a variety of crowd-pleasing dunks. AP

LOS ANGELES -- Carmelo Anthony caught a pass and was all alone heading for the basket early in Friday night's Rookie Challenge. But instead of going in for an easy basket, the Nuggets rookie flipped a pass in the air for teammate LeBron James streaking up court.

James slammed the ball home as the Staples Center crowd erupted. Giving Anthony a nod, James then turned and duck-walked back up court.

That's the way it would be all night for the two NBA superstar rookies.

LeBron and Carmelo. Carmelo and LeBron.

"It was great to be out there with a good friend," James said.

"It was fun to be on the court with him," Anthony said.

So much for those questions about whether James and Anthony would play nice on Friday's big stage. They might be engaged in a heated battle for Rookie of the Year, but they didn't show it. Like Bird and Magic, they seem entirely capable of maintaining a friendly rivalry.

"When we get out there we know each other's games and what we are going to do on the court," Anthony said.

Amare Stoudemire took home MVP honors Friday night by scoring a record 36 points and pulling down 11 boards in the Sophomores' 142-118 victory. But make no mistake, this year's Rookie Challenge will be remembered as the LeBron/Carmelo All-Star debut.

From that early alley-oop to countless other highlight reel plays, James and Anthony did their best to put on a show.

James rocked the rim with several high-flying dunks. Anthony drained several silky jumpers. Each tried to set up their teammates with spectacular passes.

James finished with 33 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals. Anthony had 17 points, three boards and five assists. Several other players also put up gaudy numbers, but LeBron and Melo basically dominated the action.

"Those guys. They are very exciting," Stoudemire said. "LeBron can get up so high and Carmelo has that all-around game. It's amazing. Those guys are great athletes."

At one point, James threw home a dunk after throwing himself a pass off the backboard. Anthony bounced a pass to himself through Carlos Boozer's legs. Sometimes it was silly. Sometimes it was over the top, especially in the final five minutes when the game became a slam dunk contest. But it was entertaining.

"Me and Amare, we're not in [the Slam Dunk Contest], so we had to have our own little dunk contest tonight," James said. "Everybody, I think, [did]. Dwayne [Wade], Carmelo, Nene, Boozer. We had our own little Slam Dunk Contest tonight."

About the only negative to the evening came afterward, when James shot down rumors he was planning a surprise appearance in Saturday's real Slam Dunk Contest. "This is going to be my 10th time saying this," he said, while tapping a finger on the table. "No. N-O. No dunk contest for me."

If this was the only chance NBA fans get to see James and Anthony at this year's All-Star event, so be it. At least they got to see them play together. And at least they got to see that they can keep their rivalry on an amicable footing.

"I know his game. He knows my game and we feel comfortable playing together," James said. "You only get that once in a lifetime.

"I guess we'll be playing next year in the Rookie-Sophomore Game. Hopefully we'll be playing against each other in the Sunday game."

James and Anthony almost certainly will play against each other in a future All-Star Game. The question is whether they will ever play against each other in a Finals game. Until then, the Magic/Bird comparisons will have to be limited to their off-court friendship.