The reserves for the NBA All-Star team were announced on Thursday night (1/24) and it was filled with plenty of new faces to the mid-season classic. James Harden, traded from Oklahoma City before the season, makes his first appearance as a member of the hometown Houston Rockets. New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler and Chicago Bulls Joakim Noah are first time All-Stars as well.
Kyrie Irving, the reigning Rookie of the Year, and Jrue Holiday were rewarded for outstanding individual seasons even though their teams are well below .500. Irving is the Cavaliers’ first All-Star since James, the only other East player averaging at least 20 points and five assists. “It’s one of the best days of my life,” Irving said Thursday night, shortly after also being honored as Cleveland’s professional athlete of the year award at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. “It’s a big deal for me and it’s a big deal for the city of Cleveland to be picked as an All-Star for the first time. I’m turning 21 on March 23 and to be with those guys, to see those names on TV, that was truly a blessing.”
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The 22-year-old Holiday, the youngest All-Star in franchise history, is averaging 19.0 points and 9.0 assists but feared the 76ers’ 17-25 mark would work against him. “I thought so. I definitely thought so. I think anybody else probably would, too,” he said while watching a Philadelphia Flyers game. “We’re not getting on a winning streak or anything like that. I just tried to stay positive and not talk about it.”
There was a time when veteran power forward Zach Randolph symbolized everything wrong with the NBA as part of the infamous Portland “jailblazers” of the early 2000s, but he has turned his career around in Memphis with inspired play earning his 2nd All-Star selection. “It is truly an honor to be named by the NBA’s coaches to the 2013 Western Conference All-Star team,” he said in a statement. “I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to playing with the best players in the world.”
Tim Duncan returned to the Western roster after missing the cut for the first time in his career last season. Ofcourse with every All-Star team there are snubs. A case could have been made for Golden State guard Stephen Curry and Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez. At any rate check out the East and West All-Stars below:
Eastern Conference
Starter Appearance
LeBron James, F, MIA 9th
Carmelo Anthony, F, NYK 6th
Dwyane Wade, G, MIA 9th
Rajon Rondo, G, BOS 4th
Kevin Garnett, F, BOS 15th
Reserve Appearance
Kyrie Irving, G, CLE 1st
Jrue Holiday, G, PHI 1st
Tyson Chandler, C, NYK 1st
Joakim Noah, C, CHI 1st
Luol Deng, F, CHI 2nd
Paul George, F, IND 1st
Chris Bosh, F, MIA 8th
Western Conference
Starter Appearance
Kobe Bryant, G, LAL 15th
Kevin Durant, F, OKC 4th
Chris Paul, G, LAC 6th
Dwight Howard, C, LAL 7th
Blake Griffin, F, LAC 3rd
Reserve Appearance
R. Westbrook, G, OKC 3rd
James Harden, G, HOU 1st
Tim Duncan, C, SAS 14th
Tony Parker, G, SAS 5th
L. Aldridge, F, POR 2nd
David Lee, F, GS 2nd
Zach Randolph, F MEM 2nd
The NBA All-Star Game will take place in Houston on February 17th.
First Time All-Stars Fill Out NBA All-Star Rosters was originally published on theurbandaily.com