Dwight Howard, as Superman, Wins NBA All-Star Slam-Dunk Contest

By Mason Levinson

Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard won the National Basketball Association's Slam-Dunk Contest while playing the role of a superhero during last night's All- Star Saturday festivities in New Orleans.

Howard, the NBA's rebounding leader this season, defeated defending champion Gerald Green in the two-dunk final round after scoring perfect 50s in his first two dunks of the night at the New Orleans Arena.

Toronto's Jason Kapono defended his title and tied a record in the 3-Point Shootout, while Utah's Deron Williams won the Skills Challenge in a record time. The San Antonio team of Tim Duncan, David Robinson and Becky Hammon claimed the Shooting Stars competition.

Howard, the 6-foot-11 (211-centimeter) All-Star of the Orlando Magic, scored a 50 on his first dunk by bouncing the ball off the back of the backboard, and then catching it in the air and dunking it.

On his next dunk, Howard removed his Magic jersey to reveal a blue tight-fitting shirt with a Superman emblem, and then tied a red cape around his neck.

The 22-year-old began running from center court as Magic teammate Jameer Nelson threw the ball over the backboard from behind the glass. Howard caught the ball with one hand as he sailed through the air and threw it through the hoop, earning a rousing ovation and another perfect score.

Flying Dunks

``We got the Superman costume down here in New Orleans,'' Howard said in a televised interview after being chosen the winner by 70 percent of fans in Internet and text-message voting. ``I came up with the idea to just take off from as far as I can and just try to fly.''

The highlight of Green's performance came on a dunk he labeled ``The Birthday Cake,'' placing a cupcake with a lit candle atop the rim extension, and then dunking while blowing out the candle. The Minnesota small forward earned a 47 for the effort.

The Raptors' Jamario Moon and Grizzlies' Rudy Gay were eliminated during the first round of competition.

Kapono tied the record Craig Hodges set in 1986 in the 3- Point Shootout with a score of 25 points in the final round to beat Cleveland guard Daniel Gibson (17 points) and Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki (14 points). New Orleans' Peja Stoyackovic, Detroit's Richard Hamilton and Phoenix's Steve Nash were eliminated in the first round.

Williams set the all-time record in the Skills Challenge, a timed test of shooting, passing and dribbling, completing the course in 25.5 seconds to top New Orleans guard Chris Paul (31.2). New Jersey's Jason Kidd and Miami's Dwyane Wade, the two-time defending champion in the event, were eliminated in the first round.

The team of Spurs center Duncan, former Spurs center Robinson and Hammon, a guard on the Women's NBA's San Antonio Silver Spurs, won the Shooting Stars competition, in which the teams must make shots from six different locations on the court. San Antonio beat Team Chicago in the final round as Duncan hit a half-court shot to complete their round in 35.8 seconds.

Did you mess up Valentine’s Day?

There’s a lot of pressure on Valentine’s Day to make sure your lover is happy. Guys, you think you might’ve won her over tonight, but the true test is tomorrow when she tells her friends at work how you fared. If you think for a second that she thought you were a little slack, here are some tips on how you can make it up to her. Or him, for that matter.

Lastminute.com: Sabre Holdings Corp., which owns Travelocity, bought Lastminute.com last year for a little more than $1 billion. So now they both specialize in travel packages for this weekend (and next). But you could pick out something for this weekend and pretend it was all a part of the plan. Flight and hotel packages to Mexico and Central America start at $402 per person, including taxes and fees.

United E-Fares: When considering last-minute travel, I also check United’s E-fares. Right now there are flights across the U.S. for less than $150 each way (pre-tax). Get away from the usual big hubs and try other locations, such as Yellowstone, Monterey, Vail or even Sioux Falls, S.D.

10 ways to get out of town: Even though this was written with Valentine’s weekend in mind, you can use these resources anytime. If you need to, write an IOU card toute de suite—check out this page with great short weekend escapes ranging from Catalina Island to Sequoia National Park.

Things to do in Los Angeles (on Valentine’s Day and beyond): From having no budget to breaking the bank—here are a whole bunch of things for couples and singles to do in and around Los Angeles.

10 amorous trips to know: Expedia has a page full of romantic ideas for you. These ideas are for travelers who have slightly bigger budgets as hot ballooning in Cairns, Australia, and a gondola ride in Venice are on the list. If you’re looking for a deal, try its last-minute Vegas deals.