LOS ANGELES (AP) Allen Iverson bounced the ball off the glass to set up Vince Carter's dunk, lobbed an alley-oop almost straight up for another jam and threaded a perfect pass between defenders to Ron Artest.

Iverson, whose 20.8 scoring average was the highest in NBA All-Star history, turned playmaker Sunday night.

The Philadelphia 76ers' star was 1-of-6 from the floor and scored just three points, but he had 11 assists in 23 minutes.

``I just wanted to be a part of it, play unselfish basketball, try to get the other guys involved,'' he said. ``This is not the 76ers team, so I'm not needed to come out here to look for my shot.

``It was funny, the Indiana coaches were saying, `If we put you back in the game at the 2-guard, will you shoot the ball?'''

The Western Conference All-Stars beat Iverson and the East 136-132.

Before the game, Iverson said he expected ``some showtime, with guys being creative.''

He created some of the most crowd-pleasing plays.

When he bounced the ball off the glass in the first quarter and Carter slammed it down, the fans almost collectively gasped, then roared.

A few moments later, Iverson was behind the defense on a fast break, but he pulled up, lobbed the ball high, and Carter came sailing in for another perfectly timed dunk.

``When you're playing with guys like Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, guys that can go after the ball, it's fun,'' Iverson said. ``You just throw it up there. A lot of them are not great passes, but they make them look like great passes.

``It's just easy to play with guys like that. I played 23 minutes and had 11 assists and that's just half of a basketball game.''

Iverson drew cheers when he dribbled back and forth between his legs several times, then put on a characteristic burst of speed to sweep around a defender and into the lane. But he missed the shot and there were sighs from the crowd.

It was the fifth All-Star appearance for Iverson, the MVP of the 2001 game.

``We had a chance to win this game, and it's frustrating. We had our opportunities,'' he said of the East's third consecutive All-Star loss.

The three-time league scoring champion is averaging 27.4 points and 6.3 assists for Philadelphia this season and appears to be back in form after missing 10 games in December because of a bruised knee.

Iverson's playmaking role might be a sign of things to come. Usually a shooting guard, he expects new 76ers coach Chris Ford to give him more time at the point.

``I wouldn't mind at all,'' Iverson said. ``That way, I get to handle the ball more. And anything I can do to help us win, I'm happy to do.''