In preparation for the 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend that will be in the Dallas area Feb. 12-14, we take a look back at some of the top All-Star moments involving the Mavericks and Dallas.

Losing the battle. Winning the war.

That's what Shawn Marion remembers about his first All-Star appearance. That, and the traffic, and one long walk.

Marion was a reserve on the Western Conference squad that year and the game afforded him the challenge of guarding Michael Jordan, who was playing in his final All-Star Game.

How'd that go, Shawn?

"It didn't go bad," Marion said. "I guarded him some early, and then I came out and they put me back in at the end of the game and I was stiff as a board. And then he hit the last shot over me on the baseline."

"But Kobe came down and sent it into [double] overtime and we won, so it was all good."

Even in All-Star games, which tend to be more about showmanship than anything else, winning conquers all. Many thought the shot by Jordan with 4.8 seconds left in the first overtime would be another of his signature moments. But Kobe Bryant didn't cooperate.

What could not be conquered was the traffic in Atlanta, which was possibly the worst ever for an All-Star site – at least until the game went to Las Vegas a few years later.

"The traffic was so bad that we had to walk three miles or so just to get to the players' party," Marion recalled. "The limo we were in sat there in traffic for about an hour and never moved. So we walked – in dress shoes. And it was cold, too."

Hey, for a good party, supreme sacrifices sometimes must be made.

It's Avery Johnson's second home. Actually, nowadays, it's his first home.

He and his wife, Cassandra, built their dream home off one of the fairways at the exclusive Carlton Woods Golf Club in The Woodlands, just north of Houston. He played for the Rockets. And he loves Houston.

He grew up in New Orleans, and he'll always be part of that city. But if not New Orleans, then Houston was the next-best place to settle. And, there was no more poignant homecoming than when Johnson coached the Western Conference squad in the 2006 game at Toyota Center.

His son, Avery Jr., was a ballboy at the game, and Dad clearly enjoyed taking part in his only All-Star Game (so far) on familiar turf. Not only were his wife and children there, but also many other family members who had been displaced from New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina and settled in the Houston area.

Johnson and his staff had a blast leading the Western Conference squad. It didn't matter that the West lost a 21-point lead and the game, 122-120. The game is less about basketball and more about showmanship on All-Star weekend. Well, for most people, anyway.

"It was a good time, but I always want to win," Johnson said at the time.

Not to worry – the Mavericks did plenty of winning that season. They reached the NBA Finals, and Johnson won coach of the year.