In the NBA All-Star game, the Eastern team defeated the Western team 125-115.

The Eastern team won this year's NBA All-Star game 125-115 over their Western counterparts.

Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers took Most Valuable Player honor, scoring 15 points and helped the East end a three-game winning drought at the galaxy showpiece.

The East leads the all-time series 34-20.

Six other East players were in double figures in a wide-open contest that featured plenty of scoring and little defense.

China's star center Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets also enjoyed a high-profile game, scoring 11 points and 10 assists for the Western team.

Ray Allen of the Seattle SuperSonics led all players in scoring with 17 points while Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers had 16.

No player scored 20 points, the first time that has happened in an All-Star Game since 1981.

(CRI February 21, 2005)