West All-Stars Westbrook, Love enjoy a Bruin reunion

The West's Russell Westbrook, of the Oklahoma City Thunder, goes up for a dunk during the first half of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at Staples Center. (Lucy Nicholson/The Associated Press)


West All-Stars Westbrook, Love enjoy a Bruin reunion

By Phil Collin Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Daily News
Posted: 02/20/2011 10:30:42 PM PST
Updated: 02/20/2011 11:45:13 PM PST





NBA: Former UCLA teammates Westbrook, Love soak in atmosphere as they play together on West.

He was the last All-Star to score, but the way Kevin Love looks at it he plans on getting another chance or two.

The former UCLA star, making his first appearance in the NBA's showcase event Sunday at Staples Center, finished with two points but couldn't stop smiling.

"Finally when I got out there it was like `OK, I'm here.' It was one of those moments you almost have to pinch yourself," Love said. "I really want to be back here next year and for many more years to come, so I'm going to work my butt off.

"It's huge. Once you make the All-Star team, that opens up a lot of doors for you and it almost makes you a household name. So hopefully if I have a great season in years to come, I'll get the recognition and our team will be winning."

Put aside the winning stuff for the moment, because his Minnesota Timberwolves are 13-43. Still, it was going to be hard to deny Love a spot on the team since he's averaging 21.1 points and 15.5 rebounds, which leads the NBA.

And he was on the floor with a former roommate and fellow first-time All-Star Russell Westbrook, his teammate at UCLA.

"It was great," Love said. "I slung a couple of outlet passes to him. One was way off and I told the guys it was intentional grounding. Those were good times, playing with him at UCLA and to be back on the floor with him was a lot of fun."

Westbrook had a different experience with 12 points and five rebounds. The guard from Leuzinger High made an immediate impact with his speed and scored eight points in seven minutes in the first half.

Westbrook said he's looking forward to returning to the All-Star Game but also to the rest of the season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I've got a whole half a year left," he said.

Westbrook, who averages 22.2 points and 8.6 assists this season, also came in second in the Skills Challenge on Saturday when he was bested by Golden State's Stephen Curry.

"I was (disappointed)," Westbrook said, "but I can't really do too much about it. I got to the final but just didn't win."

The 6-foot-10 Love held no illusions about his role with the West stars, who scored a 148-143 victory. But the bottom line was he knew he belonged.

He played 11 minutes, 44 seconds, only three minutes fewer than the Clippers' Blake Griffin, one of the weekend's leading attractions.

"More so, they come to watch guys like Kobe, LeBron, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, players like that who are flashy and make the All-Star Game fun to watch because it's way above the rim," Love said.

"Still, they come out to watch everybody included with it, and that makes it even that much more fun."

Kevin Love, right, gives West teammate Kobe Bryant a hug during the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at Staples Center. (David Crane/Staff Photographer)


His experience was a different one than he might have expected.

"A lot of emotions, a lot of butterflies in the stomach, very anxious, in some ways kind of even nervous and I haven't been nervous for a game in a long, long time," Love said. "It's kind of what I expected.

"I've been in a bunch of all-star games in my career and it just so happens big men don't get too much love in all-star games, so when you touch it you almost have to shoot it. I only got three shots and I was lucky I made one of them."

Love missed his first two shots, both in the second quarter, then didn't get another chance until 8:57 remained in the game. His 21-foot jump shot gave the West a 125-112 lead.

He left with 6:53 to go when the Lakers' Pau Gasol came in for him and his team was leading by 12.

"I needed a basket, definitely," Love said. "I only had a couple of shots by then. They were very close, in and out. The fact I knocked that last one down, I was very happy about that."