1981 NBA All-Star Game
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| Date | February 1, 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Arena | Richfield Coliseum | ||||||||||||||||||
| City | Richfield | ||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Nate Archibald | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 20,239 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Network | CBS | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Gary Bender (Play by Play) Bill Russell and Rick Barry (Color) Hot Rod Hundley (Sideline) | ||||||||||||||||||
| NBA All-Star Game | |||||||||||||||||||
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The 1981 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game which was played February 1, 1981, at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. This was the 31st edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was played during the 1980–81 NBA season. This was the first All-Star game hosted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the only one to be held at Richfield, as the Cavaliers would host the game twice more in Cleveland.
The Eastern All-Stars won the game 123–120. Nate Archibald was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Coaches
Billy Cunningham, head coach of the Eastern Conference leader Philadelphia 76ers, qualified as the head coach of the Eastern All-Stars. John MacLeod, head coach of the Western Conference leader Phoenix Suns, qualified as the head coach of the Western All-Stars.
Team rosters
Western Conference
| Player, Team | MIN | FGM | FGA | FTM | FTA | REB | AST | PTS |
| Walter Davis, PHO | 22 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 12 |
| Adrian Dantley, UTA | 21 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LA | 23 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| Paul Westphal, SEA | 25 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 19 |
| George Gervin, SA | 24 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Jamaal Wilkes, LA | 25 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 15 |
| Moses Malone, HOU | 22 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 8 |
| Truck Robinson, PHO | 21 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Jack Sikma, SEA | 21 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Dennis Johnson, PHO | 24 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| Otis Birdsong, KC | 12 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 240 | 46 | 90 | 28 | 33 | 51 | 22 | 120 |
Eastern Conference
| Player, Team | MIN | FGM | FGA | FTM | FTA | REB | AST | PTS |
| Larry Bird, BOS | 18 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Julius Erving, PHI | 29 | 6 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 18 |
| Artis Gilmore, CHI | 19 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 11 |
| Eddie Johnson, ATL | 28 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| Reggie Theus, CHI | 19 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| Nate Archibald, BOS | 25 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Robert Parish, BOS | 25 | 5 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 16 |
| Bobby Jones, PHI | 16 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 11 |
| Marques Johnson, MIL | 19 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| Micheal Ray Richardson, NY | 24 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| Mike Mitchell, CLE | 15 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 14 |
| Dan Roundfield, ATL (injured) | ||||||||
| Totals | 240 | 49 | 103 | 25 | 32 | 48 | 30 | 123 |
- Injury replacements
- Cleveland forward Mike Mitchell replaced Atlanta forward Dan Roundfield due to the latter's right calf injury
Score by periods
| Score by periods: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
| Western Conference | 27 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 120 |
| Eastern Conference | 23 | 38 | 36 | 26 | 123 |
- Halftime— East, 61–58
- Third Quarter— East, 97–88
- Officials: Paul Mihalak and Darell Garretson.
- Attendance: 20,239.