1979 NBA All-Star Game highlights

Some nice highlights on this one. Rosters filled with all-time greats.
6:21 for the beginning of the game's highlights.
-West
Starters:
David Thompson
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
George McGinnis
Paul Westphal
Marques Johnson
Reserves:
Dennis Johnson
Maurice Lucas
Walter Davis
Jack Sikma
Artis Gilmore
Otis Birdsong
-East
Starters:
Julius Erving
George Gervin
Rudy Tomjanovich
Moses Malone
Pete Maravich
Reserves:
Bob Lanier
Elvin Hayes
Bob Dandridge
Calvin Murphy
Campy Russell
Larry Kenon
MVP: David Thompson
Box Score: www.basketball-...

[@anonymouslakernerd7214]

Can't believe how competitive this game was. Those were the days.

[@pangeo1259]

129-134 without 3 points and with serious defense!

[@alleykat6171]

This was great nostalgia,with no commercials.

[@jaycompany4886]

Marques Johnson, bob lanier, elvin hayes, Bobby dandridge, larry kenon, jabber, calvin murphy.....n these were the reserves

[@stevenmccart5455]

The line ups and the game made me soo nostalgic, especially Pistol Pete starting soo well...it kind of brought tears to my eyes....especially hearing an announcer say "Thompson over the top".

[@catboyzee]

NBA All Star Games were fun to watch back in the day. Sure, it was an exhibition game. But you can tell there was a serious undertone by how these guys were competing in every quarter, not just the last few minutes of the game.

[@homerthompson416]

Yeah really sad how the NBA AllStar Game has turned as bad as the Pro Bowl. The last one I really enjoyed watching was when Mutombo decided he was going to play defense in 01 or 02.

[@kenneth7826]

@@catboyzee so true

[@emoryaddison8431]

The "Greyhound aka the man with the velvet touch" Walter Davis, and Paul Westphal!!! Great memories while in Phoenix, Arizona...

[@robertastrop2482]

David Thompson "The Skywalker"!! He would win the slam dunk contest today!!!

[@kenneth7826]

True brother so true

[@clarencesimmons8580]

Dr. J that's why he Is.

[@leojones22]

Walter Davis, DJ and Mo Lucas would all become teammates on the 83 Suns squad.

[@forestgump8357]

Better defensive pressure here than a regular season NBA game in 2024. And this is just the All-Star game.

[@manny4552]

Bob lanier and calvin murphey are underrated great players too.

[@mookeychase0907]

I love how Brent always said "and the Docteeer"

[@kincamell2]

Much Gratitude

[@mookeychase0907]

Yo Pistol was a great freakin showman, rip my dude...

[@impassable]

Had he been on a team with more great players he'd have a few rings

[@mariusloveless7880]

Pistol Pete and the Iceman on the same team, good lord!

[@jingqi9106]

This was the Pistol's last productive year and a couple years later he was out of the league. RIP

[@joemartin1253]

The last NBA All Star Game without the 3 point line.

[@lloydkline6946]

Good old days❤ nba basketball without 3 point line

[@areguapiri]

The 3-point line has ruined true basketball at all levels.

[@jaycompany4886]

Paul westphal was a great shooter and passer and he had great ball handling skills

[@BasketballJones48021]

Plus, one of his best assets was the fact that he had just terrific finishing skills, and that's with either hand, even with some nice dunks plenty of times. Paul's very overlooked these days, also because injuries took him out in his prime even before he got to reach 30 years old. You should watch these 1977 NBA All-Star Game highlights though: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKSteGiboJqZoas Westphal should've been named MVP on that one... Julius played a great ball game but Paul was extremely clutch on both ends while being the best player for the team that WON.

[@manny4552]

Yeah he played really well with each hand always.

[@toddsands6000]

Paul Westphal is finally getting his due. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this September. It was long overdue. I used to remember how effortlessly he was capable of nailing jump shots all over the floor. I always believed he was a great player.

[@toddsands6000]

@slip satch I first watched Paul Westphal during a game on MSG during a Suns vs Knicks game back in 1977-78 season. Westphal was casually hitting jumpers all over the court in the 1st. quarter. As a Knicks fan, Westphal was pissing me off, because the Knicks couldn't stop him. But I always admired his game. The voters did Westphal and quite a few others wrong for not getting him into the Hall sooner. I look forward to listening to his induction speech.

[@toddsands6000]

@slip satch Red Aurbach while with the Celtics knew how to search and find talent. How do players like Westphal, Cowens & others get selected? It was all Aurbach. Red Aurbach and Jerry West were the best on finding talent through the draft or via trade. Once Aurbach retired from the Celtics, the franchise collapsed for a period. Only Danny Ainge has made the Celtics significant again with his work. I continue to read and learn about the Celtics for the moment during their 1970's run.

[@manny4552]

Havlicek is doing color,he had just retired or he would have been in the game,what a huge star he was!

[@andreaspapadakis2602]

Bob Lanier ,Elvin Hayes , George McGinnis ,Maurice Lucas, ,are 4 really big man on pf position with a Dwight Howard type build and 20,10 career then you have Kareem, Gilmore and Moses too! and the adolescents talk of plummers!!

[@mangrove]

Game had a strong Detroit-area flavor. Lanier from the Pistons, Iceman from Detroit, Russell from Pontiac, and Rudy T from Hamtramck.

[@mazarati79]

My favorite old school basketball player on there was Walter the greyhound Davis 😊

[@Veggamattic]

What a backcourt with him and Westy!

[@MyCatIsNamedChubmuffin]

Warm-up suits are spectacular

[@richardhoner7842]

Cool that they introduce the trainer and asst. coach.

[@jackkitchen737]

You know, I forgot that Rudy Tomjanovich was able to come back and make an all star game after the Kermit Washington punch. This is great to see. I know I watched this game at the time, but I really don't remember much of it. I was 12 at the time.

[@johnazcona5223]

I like the way they introduce the players then

[@senseichess8688]

Yes

[@tyronedeener3725]

Greatest of B bball game ever

[@brianarbenz7206]

Maurice Lucas, David Thompson, Artis Gilmore, George McGinnis, George Gervin, Moses Malone, Larry Kenon, Julius Erving. When that many of the NBA's best came directly from the ABA, it's more proof that the ABA was a great league, every bit as good as the NBA.

[@kenneth7826]

True statement

[@ThuNguyen-py1hc]

Kareem's skyhook remains a classic till these days. Always been a fan of Kareem ever since I started watching basketball on TV. He's a classic example of how a basketball center should look like, even though he looks a bit skinny on the court in comparison with today's centers. In the 60's, Kareem awful jabaar and Oscar Robertson had been fans' favorite one-two combo on the basketball as well as off it. He later teamed up with magic Johnson in Los Angeles and together hey won a lot of championships for the people in their community and for Lakers fan all around the world. His movie with Bruce Lee also became a big success in the united states when it first came out and now everyone seems to remember him more for his acting than his plays on the court.

[@kascnef]

35 years ago this year back when watching it was an event.

[@joemartin1253]

Justin Fencsak this is real basketball!

[@master-kq3nw]

fantastic highlights

[@jaycompany4886]

Bullets forwards Elvin Hayes n Bob dandridge great duo, that's why the bullets went to 2 straight finals winning one.

[@archiveprotector]

Don't forget that Bobby Dandridge was also on the 1971 Bucks championship team too!

[@hotrox2112]

...and they played who in those 2 finals?

[@toddsands6000]

Bobby Dandridge was one of my favorite players to watch when he was on the Bullets.

[@senseichess8688]

And wes unseld ...great team

[@toddsands6000]

What happened to the NBA All Star Game? From watching the highlights of this video, the game was exciting to watch from tip off to the end of the game. I guess big time money and players not taking the game seriously hurt it long term.

[@vonholland64]

Players union ruined the sport

[@forestgump8357]

I'll take this basketball 6 days a week and twice on Sunday compared to todays 3 point shoot around style of play.

[@THEREALLORDJ]

AND THATZ ALL I GOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT!!!

[@acornsucks2111]

Westphal was a great addition to the Suns. He had a great skill set and would have help Boston in this era if they would have kept him.

[@anthonygilmore5969]

Wow.....i beloeve that everyone on the floor are HOF's. Great game! Had everything!

[@nellbowie7986]

Milwaukee and Chicago were in the west. Houston and San Antonio in the east WEIRD!

[@billmelton5528]

Nell Bowie IT SURE IS.

[@barrye5376]

For those that crticize the Old School - Just Stop and listen - Many of these guys played in the late 60s early 70s - Gilmore Lanier, Pistol, Kareem, Doctor J ,Gervin, Hayes, Dandridge, McGinnis , Calvin Murphy, Rudy T- who in turn played against that generations oldies Chamberlain, Russell, Havlicek, Oscar, West, and then you see the new blood W Davis, DJ, David Thompson , Maurice etc - and then finally a year later enter Bird , Magic and then in the next few years MJ, Worthy, McHale, Ike Thomas etc. Notably absent is Dan Issel. So each generation is an overlap of the old and new as the game kept evolving -

[@senseichess8688]

Rick Barry.elgin Baylor Billy Cunningham bill Walton Dave cowens Jo Jo white Walt Frazier Willis reed Dave debusschere Gail goodrich...alot of greats in this era

[@vonholland64]

The rules evolve and the players have to evolve their games to the rules. I prefer the talent of the old school game

[@riadanabtawi5880]

They were all deserve to be called stars. All of them were great players. I am 76, and they were fun to watch back then in my time when I was younger, .extremely talented and skilled players.

[@manny4552]

Well said

[@kenneth7826]

@@riadanabtawi5880 well said..i am 73

[@shafiqshabazz5999]

Damn, there was a lot of talent out there!

[@cg62262]

WOW...it's amazing watching NBA players who haven't covered themselves in tramp stamps like they have today. This is definitely from a by-gone era.

[@THEREALLORDJ]

🙄

[@theupsndowns8161]

Otis Birdsong damn haven’t heard that name in a while

[@jaidamann8365]

David Thompson... The best to play the game... True Skywalker.

[@redhorse6652]

Jordan says Thompson was his biggest influence. They both played collage at North Carolina and NC State.

[@Veggamattic]

@@redhorse6652 Jordan was a bigger Walter Davis fan.

[@billmelton5528]

David Thompson was better than Jordan. A better dunker!

[@vonholland64]

Ben DC4L I think Davis was a Carolina man

[@THEREALLORDJ]

😳

[@iess2006]

Iceman! Pistol Pete! Dr J! Big Mo! Skywalker! These guys would mop the floor with today's spoiled candy ass brats. Mentally tougher by far. Shout out to Wilt at 20:40 re his HoF induction announcement. Legends!

[@domudeh3691]

No the fuck they wouldn’t

[@iess2006]

@@domudeh3691 Uh, yeah they would.

[@THEREALLORDJ]

NOPE!!

[@briandonahue8814]

the year before Bird and Magic got to the league

[@3243_]

Another great feature about this All-Star Game: did you notice how each team had its own unique warmup suits? Big difference between then and now, where each team wears the same Adidas design.

[@jamesvickers9476]

threeby8887 .. they wore their own team warmups. . .something they've always done I think

[@lloydkline1518]

❤ 1970s NBA basketball & Brent musburger

[@joemartin1253]

Wow an NBA All-star Game played by men!

[@THEREALLORDJ]

🙄

[@Veggamattic]

Love the cheerleaders in heals and stockings!

[@jingqi9106]

Artis was the strongest player in the NBA at this point in time, he was a beast.

[@homerthompson416]

IDK, I think Moses Malone may have been the strongest. I got to be a ballboy for the Spurs in the late 80s and watching just how ridiculously strong Malone was from 5-10 feet away sitting inside the Hemisfair Arena basket support was just mind blowing. God I would have hated to play against Moses, and this was past his prime Bullets Moses, not Rockets/Sixers MVP Moses. Though Artis was strong as hell, as my dad can attest to having taken a spike to the face playing against him in volleyball at a BBQ put on by the Baseline Bums back when the Spurs players used to come to them (the head of the Bums made an amazing brisket that drew a lot of the players to come).

[@manny4552]

Every one of these guys would be huge stars in todays nba.

[@archiveprotector]

Yes. Grown men who respected competition, the game itself and each other. No crybabies in those days.

[@manny4552]

Why do todays players hug and touch each other after every foul shot,man that looks stupid?

[@archiveprotector]

manny4552 People in general today are soft. the NBA players are all friends and make too much money. They are less competitive and SOFT!

[@MrRevsam0501]

What is interesting, too, is that the league wasn't commercially popular back then, in the pre-Bird vs. Magic days. As a result, the All-Star game was played on Sunday afternoons!

[@vaughnvdg]

This is when guys played to WIN in All Star games......

[@calvinbealer7264]

The Best Looking All-star Jersey in ALL -STAR HISTORY PERIOD. Also The All-star Game back in 70s and 80s were more Competitive.

[@jamesfernandez3627]

All Star game way back is so rough. Unlike today, it's more of hugs and kisses.

[@shinrips]

+bart simpson Yea, when Tom Heinson coached the ASG he used to seriously yell at them for not hustling or turning the ball over.

[@billmelton5528]

Rom 8 YEAH. Today's ALL STAR game SUCKS. To much hoopla & hugs & kisses.

[@toddsands6000]

Kumbaya basketball = Today's modern NBA All Star Games. NBA All Star Game RIP after 1998.

[@senseichess8688]

Lol yes

[@johnzack8739]

Good shot selection.

[@Milordvega]

5:41 Listen to what color commentator John Havlicek was saying about the intensity of the players as they were preparing for the All-Star game. That by itself would explain why All-Star games of decades past were so incredibly competitive (while today's All-Star games are just some weird scoring exhibition). Back then, they played hard on both offense AND defense and wanted to WIN even in All-Star games.

[@toddsands6000]

I miss John Havlicek. I was too young to appreciate his game. Despite learning the game in 1978-79 season. I had two posters in my room. One was of Earl Monroe, the other was of John Havlicek.

[@Milordvega]

@@toddsands6000 AWESOME! And Earl the Pearl Monroe was such a great player too, though I do not remember him from his Baltimore days, but from his later NY Knicks days.

[@toddsands6000]

@Ed Vega - I primarily remembered Earl Monroe when he finished his career as a Knick as well. My poster of "Earl The Pearl" was him driving against a pair of New York Knicks players. I was initially confused at that time being so young because Earl Monroe was wearing a Baltimore Bullets jersey. And I was only aware of the Washington Bullets at my young age. There were so many things at that time I did not understand. But I liked the poster. My old man mentioned to me that Earl Monroe was at his best as a Baltimore Bullet. I grew up a Knicks fan, and I received a Havlicek poster of him making a layup. And I simply taped it to my wall. Although "Hondo" was wearing the dark Celtic green jersey, for some reason, he seemed to be a great player to me despite not knowing too much about him at that time.

[@iess2006]

Back when the game was played by men.

[@senseichess8688]

@@toddsands6000 yeah havlicek was awesome

[@Jay20757]

It was nice to watch an nba game without constant music playing

[@areguapiri]

Exactly!

[@THEREALLORDJ]

🙄

[@rberka555]

Cop fixes Pete Maravich's collar at 5:03.

[@nickbigmann5228]

Dr. J had the best 'fro ever !!!!!!

[@buicklincoln]

Bob Lanier, Artis Gilmore and Pete Maravich are 3 all time greats whose greatness was wasted on bad teams. Poor Pete finally got to an up and coming Celtics team, but retired the year before they won it all. He wasn't that old when he retired. Imagine if he and Bird played together for at least 3 years.

[@alexeim1966]

Artis Gilmore did win an ABA tiltle with Kentucky

[@toddsands6000]

Pistol Pete was an honorable player. He did not play the game just to fill a roster spot. With his knee blown, Pistol Pete was never the same again although he was still a pretty good player post knee injury.

[@homerthompson416]

Artis was a big part of a pretty good Spurs team in 83. Ugh if only the Spurs could have had him in 79.

[@philb.1502]

It's very weird watching an old NBA game and realizing that there's no three point line. The three point line has become so dominant in today's game that it's unimaginable that it didn't always exist in the NBA.

[@steveditko1]

Cool uniforms!

[@lancemousel3457]

Many out of old aba❤

[@brucescott4261]

The NBA All-Star games today are extremely boring.

[@cflo1386]

5:01 Pretty cool moment the police officer fixing Pete's collar.

[@DaMusicMane1]

I liked that too lol

[@Frankincensedjb123]

Why?

[@toddsands6000]

Just a unique period at that time. NBA basketball, especially the All Star Games had that unique camaraderie at games between fans, players and others.

[@ash27slick74]

I think he was trying to hit on him....

[@johnellizz]

That girl at 17:32 is a SMOKESHOW!

[@ash27slick74]

She alright

[@jj3164]

@M soccer should not be considered a sport.

[@homerthompson416]

How can you tell? They only showed her face. You want to see a smokeshow check John Salley's girl in this vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4fPfmSeatuqr7s

[@areguapiri]

She had that 1970s sexiness, femininity, and beauty.

[@williamjorge6943]

buenas nohes como lo puedo grabarlo y bajarlo dvd

[@manny4552]

Pistol pete was such a great player and so was marques johnson.

[@Ryenobal]

Never knew the Rockets were part of the Eastern Conference before...

[@kungflucious2144]

also San Antonio!

[@skuter84]

When the Mavericks were born in 1980, all three Texas teams were placed in the Western Conference. Bulls and Bucks went to the East.

[@jarreauforney1035]

d Thompson and pistol Pete was going hard

[@horaceblige8544]

Never knew Chicago was in the west at one point and San Antonio and Houston were once in the east conference

[@aubhreypender3091]

It actually makes more sense that way though if you think about it

[@brucescott4261]

Horace Blige ...You probably weren't around then.

[@Head318Hunter]

Weird how Chicago, Milwaukee were in the western conference yet San Antonio, Houston and the Jazz (New Orleans) were in the East.

[@toddsands6000]

I remembered the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets at one point in the Eastern Conference which was still a bit confusing at that time. I never knew the Chicago Bulls though were once in the Western Conference. It's almost like the old NFL divisions. The NO Saints and Atlanta Falcons were once in the NFC West back in the day.

[@kevinblanch]

the uniforms ARE THE GREATEST,, LOV EM;;

[@homerthompson416]

Agreed, easily the best All Star uniforms the NBA ever had

[@scotttyson8661]

Rudy T underrated.

[@CLewey44]

Maravich looked great early on.

[@homerthompson416]

Kind of funny that of the 18 players on the two rosters who went pro before the ABA/NBA merger, 8 of them were ABA players: eg Julius Erving, George Gervin, Moses Malone, Artis Gilmore, Larry Kenon, George McGinnis, Maurice Lucas, and David Thompson. And of the four best players on the floor in this game (1. Malone, 2. Abdul-Jabbar, 3. Erving, 4. Gervin), only Kareem wasn't an ABA player. Really tells you how weak the NBA was in the 70s pre-merger.

[@anthonytaylor7928]

Man these stars !!!

[@akbar8477]

Westphal and Gervin!

[@forestgump8357]

Iceman is greatness. Forgot how good Westphal was though.

[@manny4552]

Geez malone.lucas.johnson and maravich are no longer with us,sad.

[@sheldontaylor2002]

marques jihnson is still alive

[@senseichess8688]

I meant dennis johnson

[@JayDogTitan-he6wo]

Pontiac Silverdome was great venue.

[@derricksutton266]

great

[@smoothoperator7023]

2:12 Lenny's 'do! 🤯🤣

[@ericwright2594]

Rip all the players that's dead

[@BasketballJones48021]

Now that I think about it... There "shouldn't" be so many of them - from this ASG - gone; they all died very early in their lifes though, only Moses reached 60 years old... RIP to him, Dennis Johnson, Pistol Pete and Mo Lucas.

[@juliuschapman7707]

Back when reality was still reality

[@manny4552]

If you pick twenty of the top players ever you would probably pick guys like abdul jabbar,erving,maravich and color guy havlicek.In fact you have a slew of the top 50 players ever in the house here.

[@impassable]

Maravich and Jabbar top 10

[@lulusco7210]

I want to watch every NBA game between the 69-70 and 79-80 seasons. Does anyone know where I can find these games?

[@zzzzxxxx341]

Nice game.

[@gavinothegreat5765]

thompson!

[@pmsfar-outgrooviness8025]

McGinnis, Kenon, Campy Russell

[@waynepearson2367]

This is when the big men were the most important players!

[@IsmaelNoria]

San Antonio and Houston were on the east?

[@fredsavage3565]

Lol campy still got that tired look on his face back theb

[@toddsands6000]

@RayDill 6061...Totally lol. I always used to say the same thing when he played for the Knicks. I thought he was half asleep every time I saw him on TV.

[@kern39743]

hot rod was a very good announcer

[@archiveprotector]

The announcers for this game were John Havlicek and Brent Musburger, however, "Hot Rod" Hundley was a good announcer, a good NBA player and a great NCAA player. There is footage of him, at an advanced age, making crazy hook shots from deep out.

[@scottmclaughlin5221]

I blame Musberger for the origins of "Fake News".

[@billmelton5528]

@@archiveprotector COOL

[@brianpizza1344]

How where the rockets on the east and the spurs I'm confused

[@THEREALLORDJ]

THEY LATER SWITCHED CONFERENCES WITH CHICAGO AND MILWAUKEE!!!

[@Jiltedin2007]

Must’ve have been a down year for the Los Angeles Lakers to only have Kareem represent them in this All-Star Game.

[@renorenier438]

Real men! No showmen.

[@TRJ2241987]

I wonder if it would make today's all star game more or less interesting if you suddenly removed the 3 point line? One things for sure, these games used to be legitimate competition...it's too bad they aren't like that anymore. I don't think I've seen an injury in an all star game in well over a decade at this point (Brad Miller)....they just don't play hard on defense in the era that LeBron/Carmelo have been in these. It's just a big show now.

[@joemartin1253]

TRJ2241987 These guys would make today's players look bad!

[@billmelton5528]

@Deplorable White Male: aka Literally Hitler AGREEABLE.

[@billmelton5528]

@@joemartin1253 I AGREE 100%

[@SniffyPoo]

I watched lots of 80s nba, but I dont remember george mcguinness or campy russell

[@manny4552]

Mcguiness had some substance abuse problems i think and he not as effective in the nba as he was in the aba.Had acouple of big years in phily though.Russell was a starter for acouple of good cavs teams that got into th playoffs in the late 70s.and they were fun to watch.

[@franknberry6397]

manny4552 Wrong McGinnis did not have a substance problem. David Thompson did.

[@manny4552]

Maybe your quite right i just seemed to recall that but i cerainly could be wrong about george.

[@franknberry6397]

Deplorable White Male: aka Literally Hitler Yes he smoked cigarettes and so he must also have had an unreported drug problem because it has been proven that cigarette smokers are all drug addicts. Are you for real?

[@billmelton5528]

SniffyPoo Because they played mainly in the 70s . GEORGE McGINNIS was 1 of the BEST to EVER play in the ABA.

[@impassable]

Poor Pete had to wear that knee brace..

[@AnimalUnleashedHD]

Bob Ryan from Around the Horn told me to come here lol

[@anthonytaylor7928]

Dam Moses looked old to be 23 at the Time

[@gavinschuette9826]

pistol!

[@barrywainwright3391]

Back when afros were cool.

[@anthonytaylor7928]

Afros we're always Cool when weren't they?

[@oldeenglishd45]

I need that Bob Lanier jersey.

[@scottmclaughlin5221]

To sleep in? He is a big man....