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CNN Live At Daybreak

Comments on Michael Jordan's Missed Dunk

Aired February 11, 2002 - 05:58   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Basketball great Michael Jordan put on an unbelievable performance at yesterday's All-Star Game as in unbelievably bad. Jordan blew a breakaway dunk causing the arena to erupt in one big gasp.

CNNSI's Josie Karp has reaction from fellow players.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CORRESPONDENT: After the All- Star Game, Michael Jordan complained that he was doing a television interview when Tracy McGrady threw down his off-the-backboard dunk that served as the game's main highlight. That meant that Michael Jordan's numbers for the All-Star Game included 22 minutes, 8 points and 2 missed dunks.

GAME ANNOUNCER: Jordan takes -- oh he blew it. Whoa!

MICHAEL JORDAN, ALL-STAR PLAYER: As you get old, you just don't have the same type of confidence, so you've got to go through a check list. And I went through the check list, and by the time I was ready to dunk the ball, I just -- I wasn't there.

RAY ALLEN, All-STAR PLAYER: But like he even said, he went up, he was like thinking what should he do with it, you know should I dunk it, what kind of dunk should I do? And you know when Mike got a fast break, you know when he really wanted to throw it down, he knew what he was going to do.

TRACY MCGRADY, ALL-STAR PLAYER: I don't know why everybody's tripping because Jordan missed the dunk. You know he's not that Jordan that he used to be where he can put his hips up to the doggone rim.

ALONZO MOURNING, ALL-STAR PLAYER: He blamed it on all the preliminary stuff before the game, because we all warmed up and then we had "The National Anthem" sung twice and everybody got cold and we didn't have a chance to warm up again. So he blames it on that so I was like, oh whatever, I blame it on being 39.

GARY PAYTON, ALL-STAR PLAYER: He's an older guy now. And I know he's -- you know he's more of a businessman and stuff like that. He want to go back to his team and get his team really ready again. So he going to key (ph) to this year. KARP: When Jordan's comeback began, he started slowly, and there were some questions about whether he'd made a wise decision. Now Jordan is an MVP candidate. In this game, his approach was evident afterward when he said it was good to get some running. That's another decision people could question. But based on what Jordan has shown already, perhaps that's a judgment that is better left deferred.

At the NBA All-Star Game in Philadelphia, I'm Josie Karp.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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