The 2nd Annual NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on February 11, 1952, at Boston Garden in Boston, home of the Boston Celtics. The game was the second edition of the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game and was played during the 1951–52 NBA season. The Eastern All-Stars team defeated the Western All-Stars team 108–91. This was the East's second successive win over the West. Philadelphia Warriors' Paul Arizin, who led the East with 26 points, was named as the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

Roster The players for the All-Star Game were chosen by sports writers in several cities. They were not allowed to select players from their own cities. Players were selected without regard to position. Ten players from each Division were selected to represent the Eastern and Western Division in the All-Star Game. However, Dolph Schayes and Larry Foust suffered injuries and were unable to participate in the game; two other players were added to the roster. Nine players from the previous year's Eastern All-Stars roster returned for their second straight selection. Only seven players from the previous year's Western All-Stars roster returned. Six players, Leo Barnhorst, Arnie Risen, Fred Scolari, Paul Walther, Bobby Wanzer and Max Zaslofsky, were selected for the first time. Four teams, the Minneapolis Lakers, the New York Knickerbockers, the Philadelphia Warriors and the Rochester Royals, were represented by three players each on the roster. The starters were chosen by each team's head coach.

John Kundla, head coach of the defending Western Division champions Minneapolis Lakers, was named as the Western All-Stars head coach for the second straight year. Although the Rochester Royals overtook Minneapolis twice for the division lead in February prior to the game, their surge came too late to affect Kundla's selection, which was secured by the Lakers leading the division entering the month. Al Cervi, player-coach of the Eastern Division leader Syracuse Nationals, was named as the Eastern All-Stars head coach.

+Eastern All-StarsPos.PlayerTeamNo. of selectionsStartersF/GPaul ArizinPhiladelphia Warriors2ndGBob CousyBoston Celtics2ndF/CHarry GallatinNew York Knickerbockers2ndC/FEd MacauleyBoston Celtics2ndG/FAndy PhillipPhiladelphia Warriors2ndReservesF/CJoe FulksPhiladelphia Warriors2ndGDick McGuireNew York Knickerbockers2ndC/FRed RochaSyracuse Nationals2ndF/CDolph SchayesSyracuse Nationals2ndGFred ScolariBaltimore Bullets1stG/FMax ZaslofskyNew York Knickerbockers1stHead coach: Al Cervi (Syracuse Nationals)

+Western All-StarsPos.PlayerTeamNo. of selectionsStartersCGeorge MikanMinneapolis Lakers2ndF/CVern MikkelsenMinneapolis Lakers2ndF/CJim PollardMinneapolis Lakers2ndG/FPaul WaltherIndianapolis Olympians1stGBobby WanzerRochester Royals1stReservesF/GLeo BarnhorstIndianapolis Olympians1stGFrank BrianFort Wayne Pistons2ndG/FBob DaviesRochester Royals2ndF/GDwight EddlemanMilwaukee Hawks2ndC/FLarry FoustFort Wayne Pistons2ndC/FArnie RisenRochester Royals1stHead coach:John Kundla (Minneapolis Lakers)

Game

The East defeated the West for the second successive year. The West trailed by four and five points at the end of the first and second quarter respectively. Then the East outscored the West by six points in the third and fourth quarter to win the game by 17 points. Philadelphia Warriors' Paul Arizin and Minneapolis Lakers' George Mikan both scored a game-high 26 points. Mikan also added a game-high 15 rebounds but his team only had a 35.9 field goal percentage. On the other hand, six Eastern players scored in double figures as their team made 49.4 percent of its shots. Boston Celtics guard Bob Cousy also recorded a game-high 13 assists for the East. Arizin was named as the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. However, he was honored a year later during the 1953 All-Star Game, when the league decided to designate an MVP for each year's game.

Box score

LegendPosPositionMinMinutes playedFGMField goals madeFGAField goal attemptedFTMFree throws madeFTAFree throw attemptedRebReboundsAstAssistsPFPersonal foulsPtsPoints

+Eastern All-StarsPlayerPosMinFGMFGAFTMFTARebAstPFPtsStartersBob CousyG33 414 1 2 413 3 9Andy PhillipG/F30 4 6 3 3 3 6 111Paul ArizinF/G32 913 8 8 6 0 126Harry GallatinF/C22 3 5 1 4 9 3 3 7Ed MacauleyC/F28 3 7 9 9 7 3 215BenchRed RochaC/F28 511 2 2 5 2 412Max ZaslofskyG/F25 3 7 5 5 4 2 011Dick McGuireG18 0 0 1 3 1 4 0 1Fred ScolariG15 5 9 0 0 0 2 010Joe FulksF/C 9 3 7 0 1 5 2 6Dolph SchayesF/CDid not play due to injuryTeam totals24039793037443716108

+Western All-StarsPlayerPosMinFGMFGAFTMFTARebAstPFPtsStartersBobby WanzerG22 1 8 2 2 5 5 2 4Paul WaltherG/F17 1 4 0 0 2 2 1 2Vern MikkelsenF/C23 5 8 2 210 0 212Jim PollardF/C29 217 0 011 5 3 4George MikanC29 919 8 915 1 526BenchBob DaviesG/F27 411 0 0 0 5 4 8Dwight EddlemanF/G26 1 3 0 0 2 2 2 2Frank BrianG25 410 5 6 7 4 213Leo BarnhorstF/G23 716 0 1 2 2 414Arnie RisenC/F19 3 7 0 1 5 1 3 6Larry FoustC/FDid not play due to injuryTeam totals24037103172159272891

References General

Specific

External links NBA All-Star Game History NBA.com: All-Star Game: Year-by-Year Results