PHOENIX.  It's been three years since the National Basketball Association adopted its "business casual" dress code in an effort to combat the league's "gangsta" image, personified by a 2004 brawl between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers that started on the court and spilled into the stands.   The results of that initiative are on display here this week as hoop heroes from around the nation gather at the US Airways Center for the league's 58th All-Star Game.

            "Hey, fellas," said the Pistons' Allen Iverson as walked into the Eastern Conference locker.   "What's new?"

            "Not much," replied Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors as he smoothed out his formerly fearsome "corn rows" with Wildroot Cream Oil. 

            "Cool Dockers!" said Paul Pierce of the Celtics with an admiring glance as he greeted Iverson.

            "Thank you," said Iverson with a sheepish look on his face as he smoothed the pleats on his pants.  "I was totally wrong about the dress code!"

            "That's for sure," said Duane Wade as he put the finishing touches on a four-in-hand knot in a British rep tie.

            "Hey 'Duane'-since when did you go from 'Dwyane' to 'Duane'?" Rasheed Wallace asked.

            Now it was Wade's turn to crack a little smile of embarrassment.  "'Dwyane' was kind of-I don't know-d