This year’s biggest show of the NBA is finally all set after the league announced the 14 equally-brilliant players that made it in the Eastern and Western All-star team.
After not being voted as starters, veterans Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul Tony Parker and Dwight Howard will still be with Kevin Durant and the rest of the western starting five as reserves for the All-star game. Dallas superstar Nowitzki, who was a snub last year, earned his 12th All-star selection in his 16-year stay in the league.
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“I have been a part of All-Star weekend every year since I have been in the league and not being there last year felt strange,” Nowitzki said. (From (–foul word(s) removed–)ociated Press article)
Paul on the other hand got his seventh consecutive All-star stint while Parker will play his sixth appearance in his career.
Joining them are Houston star guard James Harden and Portland’s deadly combo of Lamarcus Aldridge and sophomore Damian Lillard, who will play his maiden appearance in the All-star game.
In the Eastern conference, Miami’s Chris Bosh will still play alongside LeBron James and Dwayne Wade while Indiana’s Roy Hibbert will team up with Paul George at New Orleans as the two big men were voted as East reserves again.
Chicago’s Joakim Noah, Brooklyn’s high-scoring guard Joe Johnson and first-time All-stars Paul Millsap of Atlanta, Toronto’s Demar Derozan and Washington’s John Wall are also selected to join forces in the East squad.
“I am very proud to represent the Wizards franchise and the city of Washington as an All-Star and to share this honor with the fans who have supported me and stuck by me since I arrived here,” said the 2010 top pick, who is now the first wizards’ All-star since Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison in 2008. (From (–foul word(s) removed–)ociated Press article)
The seven All-star reserves for the East and West were picked by the NBA head coaches of the respective conferences. The coaches, who were asked to not vote for their own player, selected two backcourt players, three front court men and two wild cards.