Duncan gets 14th NBA All-Star nod

NEW YORK - Tim Duncan was selected to his 14th All-Star game, Spurs teammate Tony Parker is joining him, and the Chicago Bulls also had two reserves chosen Thursday for next month’s game in Houston.

Friday, January 25, 2013
Tim Duncan (right) was selected to his 14th All-Star game. Net photo.

NEW YORK - Tim Duncan was selected to his 14th All-Star game, Spurs teammate Tony Parker is joining him, and the Chicago Bulls also had two reserves chosen Thursday for next month’s game in Houston.Joakim Noah and Luol Deng were picked from the Bulls, who have stayed in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race despite the season-long absence of point guard Derrick Rose.Noah is one of five first-time All-Stars for the East, along with New York’s Tyson Chandler, Indiana’s Paul George, Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, and Philadelphia’s Jrue Holiday. Miami’s Chris Bosh, picked for his eighth All-Star team, rounded out the East squad.West forwards David Lee (Golden State), LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland) and Zach Randolph (Memphis) all were picked for the second time. Houston’s James Harden was chosen for the first time and joins former Oklahoma City teammate Russell Westbrook, headed to his third straight All-Star game.Duncan wasn’t chosen last year for the first time in his career but has bounced back with a terrific season at age 36, averaging 17.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots, his best statistics since 2009-10. The co-MVP of the 2000 All-Star game joined a group that includes Michael Jordan for fifth-most selections. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, both voted to start, and Shaquille O’Neal all were picked 15 times. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the career leader as a 19-time All-Star.