Ear Hustle

Starters For The 2014 NBA All Star Game Is Announced

nba all star game

NBA fans have spoken, and they’ve made one thing clear: they think it’s time for some new blood at All-Star Weekend.

The NBA announced the starting lineups for the 2014 All-Star Game in New Orleans on Thursday night, with Miami Heat star LeBron James and Oklahoma City Thunder scoring champion Kevin Durant leading their respective conferences atop the fan balloting. The two MVP candidates will be joined by four first-time All-Star starters — Paul George of the Indiana Pacers and Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West — setting up the annual midseason exhibition as a showcase for a new crop of up-and-coming stars ages 25 or younger.

After finishing second to Kobe Bryant last year, James received the most fan support this time around with more than 1.4 million votes, about 20,000 ahead of the West-leading Durant. First-timers George (just over 1.2 million) and Curry (nearly 1.05 million) also topped the million-vote plateau.

James and George are joined in the Eastern frontcourt by New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, who received 935,702 votes. (Remember, as was the case last year, All-Star squads willstart three “frontcourt” players, not two “forwards” and one “center.”) Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who received 929,542 votes, will join Cleveland’s Irving, who logged 860,221 votes.

Despite being limited by injury to only six games, and despite his request that fans vote for other players while he rehabilitates from his second major leg injury of the past year, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Bryant has once again been voted an All-Star, receiving 988,884 votes. He’s joined in the West’s starting lineup by Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin, who received 688,466 votes, and — in something of a surprise — Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love, who finished with 661,246 votes. Both Griffin and Love surpassed Dwight Howard over the past two weeks; in the third round of voting returns, released Jan. 9, the Houston Rockets center led Griffin by nearly 9,000 votes and Love by more than 26,000 ballots. (Minnesotans, it seems, voted early and often.)

all star game 2014

The 63rd NBA All-Star Game will air live on TNT from New Orleans Arena on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014. Here’s how the final returns shook out:

Eastern Conference

Frontcourt

1. LeBron James, Miami Heat: 1,416,419 (10th All-Star appearance)
2. Paul George, Indiana Pacers: 1,211,318 (second appearance)
3. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks: 935,702 (seventh appearance)
4. Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers: 524,809
5. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat: 406,867
6. Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn Nets: 209,398
7. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls: 181,145
8. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons: 163,798
9. Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks: 137,512
10. Luol Deng, Cleveland Cavaliers: 121,754
11. Jeff Green, Boston Celtics: 121,040
12. Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls: 103,502
13. David West, Indiana Pacers: 95,363
14. Paul Pierce, Brooklyn Nets: 95,034
15. Josh Smith, Detroit Pistons: 75,433

Backcourt

1. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat: 929,542 (10th appearance)
2. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers: 860,221 (second appearance)
3. John Wall, Washington Wizards: 393,129
4. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls: 359,546
5. Ray Allen, Miami Heat: 250,909
6. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics: 174,654
7. Lance Stephenson, Indiana Pacers: 148,382
8. DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors: 131,228
9. George Hill, Indiana Pacers: 129,533
10. Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets: 126,423

Western Conference

Frontcourt

1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder: 1,396,294 (fifth All-Star appearance)
2. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers: 688,466 (fourth appearance)
3. Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves: 661,246 (third appearance)
4. Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets: 653,318
5. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers: 609,172
6. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs: 492,657
7. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans: 286,247
8. Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors: 266,611
9. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings: 255,005
10. Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers: 247,323
11. David Lee, David Lee: 232,210
12. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks: 201,873
13. Chandler Parsons, Houston Rockets: 174,512
14. Omer Asik, Houston Rockets: 130,344
15. Andrew Bogut, Golden State Warriors: 127,947

Backcourt

1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors: 1,047,281 (first appearance)
2. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers: 988,884 (16th appearance)
3. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers: 804,309
4. Jeremy Lin, Houston Rockets: 628,818
5. James Harden, Houston Rockets: 470,381
6. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder: 317,338
7. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers: 280,966
8. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs: 258,751
9. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors: 162,984
10. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves: 124,230

Source: Yahoo Sports

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