Mark it down. With 3:20 left in the first quarter, Michael Jordan, making his first All-Star appearance after a three-year retirement, missed a wide-open dunk.

It seemed to symbolize the passing of the torch from the game?s greatest to his successor, Kobe Bryant, at the 51st All-Star Game Sunday.

Bryant, 23, has long sought Jordan?s throne but had put his coronation off while the 38-year-old Jordan returned to lead the pitiful Wizards into playoff contention. Sunday he scored 23 of his game-high 31 points in the first half as the clearly dominant West coasted to a 135-120 victory over the East.

However, in a sold-out (19,581) First Union Center that included celebrities galore, the City of Brotherly Love showed none to a native son as they showered Bryant with boos every time he touched the ball and then capped off their behavior by drowning out an embarrassed Commissioner David Stern during the postgame MVP trophy ceremony. Apparently, the diehard 76ers fans couldn?t forgive Bryant for his role in last year?s five-game Lakers? victory over Philly in the NBA Finals.

? I was pretty upset, pretty hurt,? said Bryant, who scored the most points since Jordan had 40 in the 1988 game in Chicago. ?I just wanted to go out there and play hard but they booed. I still like coming home though ? eating Tastycakes and cheesteaks.?

Perhaps the fans, who once booed Santa Claus and Donovan McNabb on draft day, were angry about the abysmal performance turned in by their new favorite son, Allen Iverson, the reigning All-Star and league MVP. Iverson, who was a no-show at Friday?s media session, but didn?t get fined for this no-show as the Answer had none, scoring five points on 2 of 9 shooting, with three assists and two turnovers in 25 forgettable moments. His intentions were commendable, but despite wearing a No. 6 jersey (instead of his customary No. 3) to pay homage to 76ers legend Julius Erving, he didn?t.

?I think it was wrong and I feel bad for him because all he?s trying to do is what?s right,? Iverson said. ?I?ve played in Philly for six years and they boo us in the first quarter if things aren?t going right. You?ve got to deal with it.?

Heat center, Alonzo Mourning, who again proved he belonged on center stage with 13 points in 16 solid minutes despite battling kidney disease, said he was disappointed in the crowd?s rude treatment of a player he respects.

?If my son Trey grew up to be like Kobe, I couldn?t be prouder,? Mourning said. ?He loves the game and is a true role model. There?s too much hate in this world.?

Bryant, who had worn No. 23 earlier in the week to honor his father Joe ?Jellybean? Bryant, a former 76er journeyman, earned the number as he borrowed several of Jordan?s moves and added several of his own as he took over the game right from the start with dipsy-do drives to the basket and several skywalking dunks to go with five rebounds and five assists.

?Kobe is going to play aggressive. The boos won?t stop him from playing,? said Jordan, a 13-time All-Star, who scored eight points but seemed to purposely take a back seat to the rising stars. ?All he wants to do is play basketball. He plays hard and he plays to win.?

West coach Don Nelson, whose team won despite the absence of a true center, was awed by Bryant.

?He was a step ahead of the best in the league,? said Nelson, who has endure despite both he and his wife?s recent bouts with cancer. ?Tonight, he was the man and I?m real proud of him.?

Also making a bid for MJ?s sceptor was Orlando Magic 6-8 swingman Tracy McGrady, 22, who like Bryant skipped college to enter the pros. McGrady, who scored 24 points, drew gasps with several acrobatic dunks that easily would?ve earned him the Slam Dunk crown Saturday night, including one for the ages in the second quarter. McGrady, dribbling in traffic, flipped the ball with his left hand high off the backboard, slithered through, grabbed it and pile-drived it home.

?I?ve done that dunk numerous times,? McGrady said. ?Dirk [Nowitzki] bit on the lob. I guess he thought I was throwing it to one of my teammates and I just threw it down.?

East guards Ray Allen (15 points) and Paul Pierce (19) went on a 3-point tear to spark a 16-3 run that whittled a 24-point deficit to 106-96 with 8:21 remaing. However, Seattle guard Gary Payton (18 points) and Kings forward Peja Stojakovic (11), winner of Saturday?s 3-point shootout and one of a record five foreign stars, answered the charge to help prevent the East from duplicating last year?s 21-point comeback.

Despite Patti LaBelle?s goosebump-bringing rendition of the national anthem, Elton John?s belting out I?m Still Standing, along with camera shots of loving songbirds Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, and the absolute gutwrenching sight of former arch enemies, boxing greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier with their arms linked in unity, this midseason classic was besmirched by the fans? mistreatment of Bryant.

?I?ll use it as motivation,? Bryant said. ?I?m the type of person where if something in my life that?s hurtful, I?m not going to let it hurt me for long. I?m going to turn it around.?