Brooklyn Nets: History of Nets in NBA All-Star Game

2005: Vince Carter

The New Jersey Nets had something different in 2005 when Vince Carter was voted as a starter for the NBA All-Star Game.

Carter was the Nets’ first elected starter in 11 years and just the third since the team entered the NBA in 1976.

Carter, 28, was in his seventh NBA season and making his sixth All-Star appearance. He had come to the Nets in a December 2004 trade from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for a package of three players and two first-round picks.

At the break, he was averaging 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 35.6 minutes per game in 48 games, while shooting 44.0 percent overall and 39.2 percent on 3.7 3-point attempts per game.

But in 28 games since joining the Nets, Carter had exploded, averaging 26.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 39.4 minutes a night while shooting 45.4 percent overall and a sizzling 42.7 percent on 4.2 deep attempts a game.

New Jersey, however, entered the break at 23-30, three games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the final playoff spot in the East.

In the game at Denver’s Pepsi Center, Carter played 18 minutes and went for 11 points, three rebounds and an assist, going 4-for-8 overall and canning 3-of-5 from long range in the East;s 125-115 win.

Allen Iverson of the 76ers was named MVP after scoring 15 points with 10 assists, five steals and four rebounds.

The Nets, meanwhile, got hot after the break. Their 19-10 finish enabled them to sneak into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the East, but they were quickly swept by the top-seeded Miami Heat.