PHILADELPHIA -- Allen Iverson was wearing Julius Erving's retired No. 6 on Sunday, but he'll have to wait at least another year to equal Dr. J's two All-Star MVP trophies.

Iverson, last year's award winner, finished with five points on 2-for-9 shooting as the West beat the East 135-120. He played only 25 minutes and sat out for most of the fourth quarter.

Playing on his home floor, Iverson was outshined by the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, who earned MVP honors with his 31 points.

Iverson said he held back a bit.

"People in Philly get to see me all year round," Iverson said. "They see me play every game like it's my last. I think it would have been unfair to come in and just try to take over the show. I was just honored to be in the game."

In last year's All-Star game in Washington, Iverson scored 15 of his 25 points in the final nine minutes, as the East came back from a 21-point deficit to win 111-110.

"The guys we have that normally are knocking down shots were just not making shots the entire game," East coach Byron Scott said. "When we did get a run going, we got the game within 13. But then we went ice cold again. And you have to give them credit on the West, because they started to guard again."

Iverson said he was thinking ahead to the stretch run, and trying to get Philadelphia back to the postseason. The 76ers, who led the East by a large margin at this time last year, are just one game above .500.

"It was just fun for me," Iverson said. "We've got a long season, so I was saving some of my energy for what we have ahead of us."

Scott said Iverson kept himself out near the end to let first-time All-Stars play.

"Allen was instrumental in telling me to let Baron (Davis) play some more," Scott said.

"One thing about me, I might not shoot the ball well. I might turn it over or not pass the ball well or not play great defense. But I play with a lot of energy every night," Iverson said. "I feel good about my stamina night in and night out. I could have played all 48 minutes if I had to."

Iverson said he was planning to wear Wilt Chamberlain's No. 13 at next year's All-Star game.

"My son asked me why I had on somebody else's number," Iverson said. "It felt kind of weird. But to have it on, to talk to Dr. J before the game, just to get a chance to play in front of a Philly crowd, it just made me feel good about my mother, how I was raised. Just to be able to wear a legend's uniform like that, it was something special."