For the third time in his six-year NBA career, Kevin Durant has been named a starter in the All-Star Game.
Durant gathered 1,504,047 votes, which had him second overall in the West in total votes (behind Kobe Bryant) and third overall in the league.
This is Durant’s fourth total appearance, all consecutive. KD was named All-Star MVP last season in Orlando after he put up 36 points on 14-25 shooting, along with seven rebounds and three assists.
Durant tweeted this after the announcement:
“Thank you thank you thank you thank you for voting me into my 4th all star game..such a blessing, and it means alot to me”
Joining Durant in the West are Chris Paul, Kobe, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard. In the East the starters are Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett.
Russell Westbrook finished fifth in Western backcourt players behind Bryant, Paul, Jeremy Lin and James Harden. Westbrook pulled in 376,411 votes. Still, Westbrook is a lock to be named to his third All-Star team as a reserve.
Serge Ibaka finished eighth among frontcourt players with 197,063 votes.
Reserves will be announced on TNT Jan. 24.
Here are the full voting returns:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Frontcourt: LeBron James (Mia) 1,583,646; Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 1,460,950; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 553,222; Chris Bosh (Mia) 528,014; Tyson Chandler (NYK) 467,968; Paul Pierce (Bos) 294,213; Joakim Noah (Chi) 230,796; Josh Smith (Atl) 187,174; Shane Battier (Mia) 151,877; Anderson Varejao (Cle) 149,246; Amar’e Stoudemire (NYK) 147,720; Luol Deng (Chi) 130,744; Andrew Bynum (Phi) 111,902; Brook Lopez (BKN) 108,978; Jeff Green (Bos) 91,356
Backcourt: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,052,310; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 924,180; Deron Williams (BKN) 449,791; Kyrie Irving (Cle) 445,730; Ray Allen (Mia) 326,186; Monta Ellis (Mil) 123,096; Raymond Felton (NYK) 105,340; Jrue Holiday (Phi) 103,146; Jason Terry (Bos) 88,708; Paul George (Ind) 80,060
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Frontcourt: Kevin Durant (OKC) 1,504,047; Dwight Howard (LAL) 922,070; Blake Griffin (LAC) 863,832; Tim Duncan (SA) 492,373; Pau Gasol (LAL) 310,845; Kevin Love (Min) 283,458; Omer Asik (Hou) 240,467; Serge Ibaka (OKC) 197,063; Rudy Gay (Mem) 182,523; David Lee (GS) 165,875; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 160,197; Marc Gasol (Mem) 153,459; Zach Randolph (Mem) 146,980; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 145,776; Chandler Parsons (Hou) 144,697
Backcourt: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,591,437; Chris Paul (LAC) 929,155; Jeremy Lin (Hou) 883,809; James Harden (Hou) 485,986; Russell Westbrook (OKC) 376,411; Steve Nash (LAL) 270,741; Tony Parker (SA) 176,168; Stephen Curry (GS) 169,083; Ricky Rubio (Min) 150,227; Manu Ginobili (SA) 118,293
http://dailythunder.com/2013/01/friday-bolts-1-18-13/
So we're leadin the league in ppg, free throw%, 3pnt% and third in field goal%
Does anyone have complaints towards Brooks at this point in the season?
@rednuht Yeah, he won't play the goddamn Brookies!
But as far as legitimate criticism, none really. I would have liked to see Perry get 10 games and Lamb 10 games to see if repetition could help them at all. But overall, I think's he's doing well.
@rednuht He is still overplaying Perkins and refuse to play third most versatile scorer on this team.
It'd suck to get the third seed. But it seems like it's going to be a battle the rest of the way with LAC and SAS.
@justin_mia The regular season battles for home court advantage should keep the team sharp heading into the playoffs.
@justin_mia will this help you? http://es.pn/10m3m2h
@wearetougherthanthis @justin_mia what's with the crappy formatting? I took one look at that, and said "I ain't reading that!"
@Tronchaser @wearetougherthanthis @justin_mia http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-130114/nba-odds
@Tronchaser mobile layout
@justin_mia I am not sure it matters that much we still have to face one of them or memphis in the 2nd rd
@f5alcon woverine doesn't get injured
@justin_mia
Its going to be a uphill battle from here, injuries, weak bench , fatique etc can be a factor .
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@MJOKC @justin_mia The difference this year is that if OKC is seeded either No. 2 or No.3 they won't have the luxury of playing an old and slow Laker team in the Western Conference Semifinals. This has to be said. We got a perfect draw last season. We got the two oldest and slowest teams in the first and second round. The two teams who are now both below .500 and in danger of not making the playoffs. Plus...we didn't have to deal with Memphis to advance. Regardless of how we're seeded, you would think the conference semifinals will be extremely tough.
@MJOKC Not having HCA against Spurs or Clippers. I know we beat SA last year but the more we play at home the better off we'll be.
I think that the NBA all-star game would mean more (to fans and everybody else) if the spots were selected by coaches, GMs, and players.
But, you know...money.
Big night for Perk on TNT last night. Second week in a row with the alpha play of the NBA Week on Shaqtin' A Fool. The no look behind the back pass directly leading to a Laker fast break bucket. I love the end of it when Nicholson and Adam Sandler both look at each other, laugh, shrug...and mumble simultaneously..." WTF."
Almost the exact reaction those two black ladies next to me at the Denver game gave when Perk turned into Maurice Lucas for five seconds and rolled to the bucket and finished.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-tdfSQRn7Q
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DIdn't have a chance to comment last night, but dear Lord, Metta World Peace is done. By the eye test he should be the perfect garbage player. Defense, boards, 3s. But I think he put on too much muscle weight since he's been in LA and screwed up all of his joints. He runs as if his ankles and knees are made of glass. He's like LA's Kendrick Perkins. Has no business starting or playing that many minutes, but basically gets them off of reputation.
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@MJOKC @thunder_mike Done?
You're not serious. He's very consistent.
@thunder_mike @MJOKC WHAT?
We're not having this discussion LOL. Look at his numbers for just even the last 7 games. Get back to me...
@MJOKC nah that wasnt aimed at you sorry.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @MJOKC Who is the last guy that he's shut down on D? He jacks up 3's the way that perk thinks he can back people down on the block and he runs like Thabeet. Like I said, the eye test says that he should be good, but he's just not. That being said, I hope he starts forever. But as far as being a solid contributor, yes I think he's done
@MJOKC @thunder_mike don't worry, we have our enforcer, ibaka
Good morning...
I need my daily comment by @Sigmund telling us why Lamb should start. Need to get my juices flowing...
::sips the haterade::
@<--A Benz can make me dance get your juices flowing, will a half naked picture of serge do? http://www.grafxhq.com/serge-ibaka-model-shirtless/
@f5alcon LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
thats the pic you use to shut me up... not start conversation...
#tranceMode
#Kryptonite
@<--A Benz can make me dance I never said he should start.
@<--A Benz can make me dance Unless you mean ASG.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @Sigmund I can give you a lower dose and tell you how Perry and Lamb should be running the bench unit. Would that do anything for you?
@Fezzy @<--A Benz can make me dance @Sigmund how about we just keep blowing out teams and letting them play the whole 4th quarters of every game? hows that sound?
@Fezzy @<--A Benz can make me dance @Sigmund but seriously, neither are ready to "run the bench unit". im all for increased minutes, but im also for our bench unit at least breaking even so our starters dont get overworked in the regular season
@Tronchaser @booles @Fezzy @Sigmund looooooooooool
...in our dreams.
@booles @<--A Benz can make me dance @Sigmund I could accept that I guess......
@booles @Fezzy @<--A Benz can make me dance @Sigmund I approve of this reality
@Fezzy @Sigmund LoL...it certainly will!
Go head!
@Fezzy I love that 2nd unit line-up...for next year.
@Fezzy @<--A Benz can make me dance @Sigmund im not sure we finish 1st in the west with lamb and perry pulling 12-18 minutes a game....
@<--A Benz can make me dance @Sigmund Now for my secret plan that everyone will hate which is why I've kept it hidden. Get rid of KMart and Maynor in a three way trade that gives us back picks. Second unit become Reggie-Lamb-Perry-Collison-Thabeet. Lamb and Perry get 12-18 min a game. Done.
http://imgur.com/SQgfK
That dropoff after Melo in the East is astounding.
GOOOOOOOD Morning, DT! Pumped about tonights game. Can't wait to get off work and head down to the AAC!
@BallSoHard I'll be there too! Thunder up!
Was it PJ that barrelled down the lane, and gave a no look pass to ?Liggins? the other night? There was a foul called so nothing counted, but I was like "holy moses man!"
Anyone remember that, or was I dreaming?
@Tronchaser I thought it was a pass to STUNNA SHEEM... He was fouled on the pass so it only resulted in an inbounds play... Thabeet got hung on a dunk that don't count so I'm not sure how much energy he really put into making the shot... Sweet dish tho
@PJthe3 bka ... @Tronchaser I think that was a different play. I remember that one though.
@Tronchaser @PJthe3 bka ... Yea, completely different play. I oddly remember this one also.
wouldn't have counted > don't count
@Tronchaser <-- was dreaming
@novelisticbee0 <-- is in @Tronchaser 's dream that's how she may have seen it.
@ThunderWins was in @novelisticbee0 's dream and saw it as @novelisticbee0 was watching @Tronchaser see this play.
The rest of us were awake.
#BasketballInception
@<--A Benz can make me dance @novelisticbee0 @ThunderWins Whoa... that's like 5 different ways of deep. *spins top to see if this is reality*
@Tronchaser I can't remember if he passed it, but he did drive down the lane in 1.5 seconds. Lol
@novelisticbee0 @Tronchaser Approximately 11:00 in the 4th is when it happened.
@f5alcon @Tronchaser @BallSoHard @anonymous12345 @ThunderWins @novelisticbee0 I wish I had the clip of the play, because I was definitely impressed by it.
@Tronchaser @BallSoHard @anonymous12345 @ThunderWins @novelisticbee0 i thought it was a defensive foul
@BallSoHard @anonymous12345 @ThunderWins @novelisticbee0 @Tronchaser I thought it was an offensive foul somewhere in there... arggg! *trying to remember*
@anonymous12345 @ThunderWins @novelisticbee0 @Tronchaser Maybe it never happened? Why can't any of us remember? I thought he tried to dunk and got hacked. Maybe it did just go out of bounds...
@BallSoHard @ThunderWins @novelisticbee0 @Tronchaser Was it a foul? I thought it just went out of bounds. Maybe I'm thinking of a different play
@ThunderWins @novelisticbee0 @Tronchaser Too bad they had to call a foul? Liggins got stuffed at the rim after the pass...thank god they called a foul.
@novelisticbee0 @Tronchaser 3 dribbles and bounce pass to Liggins. Too bad they had to call a foul would have been a nice play.