WASHINGTON -- Wally Szczerbiak had a bloody good time
Saturday, leaving the floor with a gash under his right eye and the
Most Valuable Player award in the Rookie Challenge.
|  | | Wally Szczerbiak scored 27 points to lead the second-year NBA players. |
Szczerbiak of the Minnesota Timberwolves scored 27 points to
lead a team of second-year NBA players past a rookie squad 121-113
in a fast-paced, above-the-rim game featuring slams, no-look
passes, alley-oops and little defense.
Momentarily irritated when Khalid El-Amin accidentally hit him
across the face in the second half, Szczerbiak slammed the ball to
the floor before breaking into a smile and then slapping hands with
El-Amin.
Moments later Szczerbiak was forced to leave the floor with
blood dripping from his cheek.
"He just caught me good right under the cheekbone. It'll be
OK," said Szczerbiak, who's been bothered by a sore knee and
considered not playing.
"Once I reassessed the situation and saw how important it was
to the fans and the NBA and pretty much the whole game, why
wouldn't I want to come and be a part of it?" he said. "I think
that's how most of the guys feel."
The game was part of the All-Star weekend festivities, with the
game itself on Sunday.
Local favorite Steve Francis, who left Maryland after his junior
season, added 20 points for the second-year team. Quentin
Richardson paced the rookies with 20.
Francis hit three straight 3-pointers, delighting some of his
former fans and getting the team of second-year players off and
running in the first half.
Before his third trey, Francis rolled the ball on his finger to
fake the shot and then moved to the corner where he dared Marc
Jackson to guard him before connecting.
Szczerbiak also hit three first-half 3-pointers and scored 15
points to help the sophomores pull out to a 10-point lead. He
finished with five 3-pointers, while shooting 11-for-13 from the
field.
"I can't do junk like those guys," Szczerbiak said. "I had to
do something in order to put on a show. A lot of guys want to high-fly and dunk. What I do best is knock down the shots."
Darius Miles, who went straight from high school to the NBA, was
6-for-6 from the field in the first half -- all on dunks. He added a
seventh in the second half and could have had an eighth in the
closing seconds when the sophomores backed off and let him fly
through the lane. But he missed.
In a show of solidarity, the rookie team all sported headbands,
including Mike Miller, who wore his like an ear warmer.
The game pitted teammates against teammates with Lamar Odom of
the Clippers woofing at his Los Angeles buddies Richardson and
Miles. When the game was over, Odom gave Richardson a piggy back
ride off the floor.
"There was something of everything, just watching the
highlights, the alley-oops, the friendships," said Jason Terry of
the second-year team. "That's why you come to a game like this."
The rookies stayed close and were within six late when Phoenix's
Shawn Marion took two straight passes from Baron Davis for a layup
and dunk and then slammed again after Francis missed.
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