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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

February 17, 2006

HOUSTON, TEXAS

CHRIS PAUL: I'm happy to be playing the Rookie game. All of the guys that are in the real All-Star Game are very deserving of it. You couldn't take one of those guys out and not play somebody else there.
I want to win this game. I want to win this game first, and show the sophomores we're not a joke and we can play, also. Hopefully we can come out and get a win.
Q. What do you think about the matchup with T.J. Ford?
CHRIS PAUL: We've played against each other twice this year. He's probably the fastest guy, him and Tony Parker, somebody like that. It's a lot different from the regular-season game. Guys who don't know what it's like to play with each other, and coach only puts in a couple of players.
Q. What was your day like today?
CHRIS PAUL: A couple practices, it was a long day. I didn't even get a chance to take a nap.

LUTHER HEAD: No, we're just going to go out and play. Maybe he'll make a pass to me, I'll make a pass to him.

Q. Are you guys going to out-run these sophomores, is that the plan?
NATE ROBINSON: We're going to work hard, that's something that we're going to do.
Q. Are you going to bring something new, fantabulous, something great where I'm going to be on the edge of my seat?
NATE ROBINSON: Yeah, definitely. I'm going to be playing a little bit of this, a little bit of that and hopefully come out with something great.
Q. Are you surprised when you got the phone call?
NATE ROBINSON: Well, actually, it was just different, just being selected and then guys offering, just asking me to participate in the Dunk Contest. I was on the phone smiling, I couldn't stop smiling. I called my mom. I didn't want to tell nobody, she was like, yeah. It's great, man. It's a blessing.
On a stage like this, I want everybody to know who I am and what I can do.
Q. What's the best thing about playing in New York this year?
CHANNING FRYE: Oh, man, just being in New York. It's the mecca of basketball. I can tell you, from my teammates, to playing in the mecca of basketball, to the celebrities in the front row, just being in the city of New York, just every night I find a new spot to eat out, a new restaurant, something new. Life is new every day.
Q. With the young guys that the Knicks, have obviously you guys are building towards something, do you see any signs of progress? Is it slow, is it big time?
CHANNING FRYE: It's slow, it's very slow right now. I think we're going to pick it up these last 30 games. We got a win against the Toronto Raptors, who was doing good. Hopefully we can continue that and do well.

T.J. FORD: I haven't got a win in Texas since I've been in the league. I definitely want to get a win. It's going to be a lot of fun and everybody definitely will go out and try to win.
Q. How does your back feel?
T.J. FORD: My back is feeling fine. I've got some treatment once I got here, and now I'm feeling back like my old self. I was sore for a day or two, but now feeling fine.
Q. Halfway through the season, averaging 12 points a game, talk about how the year has gone so far.
T.J. FORD: It's definitely been good. I definitely have to improve as a player, and I definitely want to take my team to the next level. I definitely want to try to be more consistent. I think that's the biggest thing. I think that's the difference between All-Stars and guys that are not All-Stars is consistency.

ANDREW IGUODALA: We definitely want to win. That's a big lineup of guys that want to get the job done, just go out there and get a win.
Q. Do you look forward to being in the big game?
ANDREW IGUODALA: Definitely, it's something -- I won't be at All-Star Weekend unless I'm playing on Sunday. Looking forward to that date and hopefully it will be soon.
Q. With the Dunk Contest, talk about what that means to you; it's all about the fans.
ANDREW IGUODALA: That was really the reason why I did the Dunk Contest. I was talking to a lot of different people, being on the West Coast a little bit, hearing people say if I'm going to do the Dunk Contest. This year I decided to do it. Last year -- got my legs a little bit stronger, not as tight as I was last year. Hopefully give a good performance tomorrow and put on a good show.
Q. How do you look at the game?
ANDREW IGUODALA: Everybody wants to win, you just have to go out there and play together to win. I think guys are going to show what they are capable of doing, being that most of the guys are role players on our team. I also think, you know, it can get out of hand if guys start doing too much one-on-one and things like that. We want to keep the game competitive and keep the game fun.
Basketball means we're out there playing real basketball, not just joking around and dunking every time.

Q. Any letdown being that you were this close to possibly playing in the big game on Sunday to now playing in the Rookie- Sophomore game tonight?
DWIGHT HOWARD: No letdown. I'm excited to play in the Sophomore game. I had a chance to play last year. I wish I could play in the All-Star Game, but I am just going to keep working on my game, keep getting better.
Q. How much pride is there in a game like this? Do the sophomores talk amongst themselves; any rivalry between the rookies and the sophomores?
DWIGHT HOWARD: We just go out there and have fun. This is once in a lifetime. Just go out there, play hard, have fun and enjoy each other.
Q. Last year you made it on the Rookie team, this year the Sophomore team, what are you going to be striving for next year?
DWIGHT HOWARD: All-Star Game and the Dunk Contest probably.

End of FastScripts...

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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

February 17, 2006

T.J. Ford

Channing Frye

Luther Head

Dwight Howard

Andre Iguodala

Chris Paul

Nate Robinson