Shaq Among List of All-Star Reserves With 15th Appearance

The NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix will have a decidedly Magical feel.

Eastern Conference coaches voted two Orlando Magic players as All-Star reserves, guard Jameer Nelson and forward Rashard Lewis, to join the leading vote-getter in the fans' first-team balloting, center Dwight Howard. The Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns have two All-Stars each.
ROSTERS: 58th NBA All-Star Game

Among those playing the best who did not make the Feb. 15 game are Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mo Williams, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry and Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap.

The Lakers' Phil Jackson will coach the West as Los Angeles has clinched that conference's best record; the East coach will be decided this weekend between Orlando's Stan Van Gundy and Cleveland's Mike Brown.

Shaquille O'Neal is an All-Star for the 15th time, second to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 19 appearances. O'Neal will be reunited with the Lakers' Jackson and Kobe Bryant, with whom he feuded in the past. But hugs and high-fives were exchanged when the Suns and Lakers met in Phoenix in November. Nelson, New Jersey Nets guard Devin Harris and Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger are the only first-time All-Stars, all as reserves for the East squad.

NBA coaches voted for seven reserves from their respective conferences but could not vote for their own players. NBA Commissioner David Stern will select replacements if All-Stars cannot play because of injuries.

New Orleans, San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers also had multiple players on the West roster.

But for the second year in a row, only two of the Boston Celtics' Big Three made the initial roster: Paul Pierce was voted in with starter Kevin Garnett, while Ray Allen was left out.

Traded to the Suns at last season's deadline, O'Neal endured the worst season of his career and had his record-tying streak of 14 consecutive All-Star appearances end. Now he's back in the showcase game, and trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 19 for most appearances.

Abdul-Jabbar, a Lakers assistant, will help coach the West team.

The 36-year-old O'Neal was averaging 18.2 points and 9.1 rebounds entering Thursday night's showdown against the Spurs. He needed five more points to catch Hakeem Olajuwon for seventh on the NBA's career scoring list.

O'Neal isn't the only veteran on a West roster flush with experience. The Spurs' Tim Duncan and the Bryant are each making their 11th appearances, while Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki was picked for the eighth time and Houston center Yao Ming for the seventh time.

Carmelo Anthony, who's missed the last 10 games with a broken bone in his right hand, was left off the roster even though he's been cleared to play Friday night at Charlotte. That leaves point guard Chauncey Billups the lone selection from the division-leading Nuggets.

"I was definitely excited. My next question right directly after that was, 'Did Melo make it?' Of course I'm disappointed in that," Billups told The Associated Press. "The only reason why is because of the injury. It's just an unfortunate situation."

Acquired in a trade with the Pistons on Nov. 3, Billups has given Denver a steady backcourt presence. The four-time All-Star is averaging 19.0 points and 6.5 assists.

Stoudemire, Yao, Bryant, Duncan and Chris Paul of the Hornets were voted by fans to start for the West. The East starters are Garnett, Howard, Dwyane Wade, Allen Iverson of the Pistons and LeBron James of the Cavaliers.

Coaches were then required to vote for two guards, two forwards, a center and two at-large reserves. The other picks for the West were Pau Gasol of the Lakers, Tony Parker of the Spurs, Brandon Roy of the Trail Blazers and David West of the Hornets. Filling out the East roster are Raptors forward Chris Bosh and Hawks guard Joe Johnson.

There was little controversy in fan voting — besides Stoudemire beating out Spurs reserve Bruce Bowen by just 68,000 votes — but the ballots turned in by the league's coaches left a bunch of deserving players with a gripe.

Allen was passed over despite averaging 18.0 points and helping Boston to a 38-9 record. The eight-time All-Star was skipped over last year, too, but was later added by commissioner David Stern as an injury replacement for Caron Butler.

All-Star Game rosters

EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STARS
No.	Player, team	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	College/HS/Country	All-Star Selections
4	Chris Bosh, Toronto	F/C	6-10	230	Georgia Tech	4th
5	Kevin Garnett, Boston	F	6-11	220	Farragut Academy	12th
33	Danny Granger, Indiana	F	6-8	225	New Mexico	1st
34	Devin Harris, New Jersey	G	6-3	185	Wisconsin	1st
12	Dwight Howard, Orlando	C	6-11	265	SW Atlanta Christian Academy	3rd
3	Allen Iverson, Detroit	G	6-0	165	Georgetown	10th
23	LeBron James, Cleveland	F	6-8	250	St. Vincent/St. Mary HS	5th
2	Joe Johnson, Atlanta	G	6-7	235	Arkansas	3rd
9	Rashard Lewis, Orlando	F	6-10	215	Alief Elsik HS	2nd
14	Jameer Nelson, Orlando	G	6-0	190	St. Joseph's	1st
34	Paul Pierce, Boston	F	6-7	235	Kansas	7th
3	Dwayne Wade, Miami	G	6-4	210	Marquette	5th
WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STARS
No.	Player, team	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	College/HS/Country	All-Star Selections
1	Chauncey Billups, Denver	G	6-3	202	Colorado	4th
24	Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers	G	6-6	205	Lower Merion HS	11th
21	Tim Duncan, San Antonio	F	6-11	260	Wake Forest	11th
16	Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers	F	7-0	227	Spain	2nd
11	Yao Ming, Houston	C	7-6	310	China	7th
41	Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas	F	7-0	245	Germany	8th
32	Shaquille O'Neal, Phoenix	C	7-1	315	Louisiana State	15th
9	Tony Parker, San Antonio	G	6-2	177	France	3rd
3	Chris Paul, New Orleans	G	6-0	175	Wake Forest	2nd
7	Brandon Roy, Portland	G	6-6	211	Washington	2nd
1	Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix	F/C	6-10	245	Cypress Creek HS	4th
30	David West, New Orleans	F	6-9	240	Xavier	2nd

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