1969 NBA All-Star recap

EAST 123, WEST 112, at Baltimore Civic Center

ATTENDANCE: 12,348

MVP: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals

Box score

Although the hometown Baltimore Bullets had more players in the 1969 All-Star Game (three) than any other team, it was an old All-Star standby who took the spotlight at the Baltimore Civic Center. Oscar Robertson tallied 24 points, six rebounds and five assists to win his third (and final) All-Star Game MVP award in the East’s 123-112 win.

The East jumped out to a 35-19 lead after the first quarter, but the West kept the game close until the East outscored them 37-29 in the fourth quarter. The Bullets’ Earl Monroe — who was appearing in his first All-Star Game — joined the 1969 Rookie of the Year and 1969 MVP (Wes Unseld) and an All-Star veteran (Gus Johnson) as the three Baltimore players in the midseason game. Monroe had the best game of the three, scoring 21 points, while Unseld (11 points, eight rebounds) and Johnson (13 points, 10 rebounds) were also solid.

After three years on the East All-Star team, Wilt Chamberlain was back on the West squad as a member of the Lakers. Another legendary big man, Elvin Hayes, made his All-Star debut in the 1969 showcase as the West’s starting center. The future Hall-of-Famer finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Bill Russell, one of the NBA’s great winners, was the starting center for the East in his final All-Star Game, finishing with three points and six rebounds.

The two expansion teams that joined the NBA in 1968-69, the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, also had players in this game. Swingman Jon McGlocklin represented the Bucks while guard Gail Goodrich and swingman Dick Van Arsdale represented the Suns.

Joe Caldwell and Lou Hudson of the Hawks were picked as Western Conference All-Stars, too. They are the first two Hawks All-Stars during the team’s Atlanta era, which began before the 1968-69 season.

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All-Star Game rosters

Eastern Conference

Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati Royals)

Earl Monroe (Baltimore Bullets)

Bill Russell (Boston Celtics)

John Havlicek (Boston Celtics)

Jerry Lucas (Cincinnati Royals)

Billy Cunningham (Philadelphia 76ers)

Gus Johnson (Baltimore Bullets)

Hal Greer (Philadelphia 76ers)

Wes Unseld (Baltimore Bullets)

Willis Reed (New York Knicks)

Dave Bing (Detroit Pistons)

Jon McGlocklin (Milwaukee Bucks)

Coach: Richie Guerin (Atlanta Hawks)

Western Conference

Jerry Sloan (Chicago Bulls)

Lenny Wilkens (Seattle SuperSonics)

Elvin Hayes (San Diego Rockets)

Don Kojis (San Diego Rockets)

Elgin Baylor (L.A. Lakers)

Wilt Chamberlain (L.A. Lakers)

Joe Caldwell (Atlanta Hawks)

Lou Hudson (Atlanta Hawks)

Rudy LaRusso (San Francisco Warriors)

Jeff Mullins (San Francisco Warriors)

Dick Van Arsdale (Phoenix Suns)

Gail Goodrich (Phoenix Suns)

Jerry West (L.A. Lakers) *

Coach: Gene Shue (Washington Bullets)

NOTE: * = missed game due to injury; ** = injury replacement