体坛英语新闻：Garnett, Gasol, Nowitzki make NBA All-Star team

NEW YORK, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Kevin Garnett was named to a record-tying 14th consecutive NBA All-Star Game on Thursday by coaches, whose reserve picks also included Spain's Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki of Germany and Argentina's Manu Ginobili.

The selections were announced ahead of the 60th NBA All-Star Game between Eastern and Western conference superstars at Los Angeles on February 20.

Garnett matched Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone and Jerry West for the most consecutive All-Star selections and saw Boston teammates Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo chosen for the East lineup as well.

Also named East reserves were Miami's Chris Bosh and Atlanta's Al Horford and Joe Johnson.

Boston's Doc Rivers will coach the East, whose fan-elected starters include Miami's LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Orlando's Dwight Howard, New York's Amare Stoudemire and Chicago's Derrick Rose.

Gasol, a forward for the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, was named to the West squad along with San Antonio Spurs guard Ginobili and Dallas forward Nowitzki.

Other West reserves include Los Angeles Clippers rookie Blake Griffin, Utah's Deron Williams, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and San Antonio's Tim Duncan, who was selected for the 13th time in a row.

Lakers playmaker Kobe Bryant, NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City, Denver's Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul of New Orleans and Chinese star center Yao Ming of Houston were chosen by fans as West starters.

Bryant is also making his 13th consecutive All-Star appearance.

Yao played only five games this season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, leaving it to NBA commissioner David Stern to select a player to replace him on the West roster, although it will be West coach Gregg Popovich of San Antonio who decides a replacement for Yao in the West starting five.

Griffin and Westbrook are the only first-time players in the NBA All-Star Game. Griffin will become the first rookie to play in the All-Star Game since Yao was selected for the 2003 All-Star Game.