NEW YORK—Allen Iverson(notes) was voted to start in the All-Star game Thursday, while Steve Nash(notes) and Tim Duncan(notes) made late moves to claim starting spots for the Western Conference.
Nash passed the inactive Tracy McGrady(notes) as the second guard, while Duncan disappointed Dallas fans hoping to see Dirk Nowitzki(notes) start by rallying past the Mavericks forward.
LeBron James(notes) was the leading vote-getter for the Feb. 14 game at Cowboys Stadium, becoming the first player to earn at least 2.5 million votes three times. He will make his sixth All-Star appearance, all as a starter.
Starters were decided by fan balloting at NBA arenas and electronically. The reserves will be chosen by votes by the head coaches in each conference and will be announced next Thursday.
The fans still love Iverson, even though he’s played only 19 games during the worst season of his career. He appeared on the West ballot since he began the season in Memphis, but he and the Grizzlies parted ways following only three games.
Iverson’s votes counted in the East since he rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers, his longtime team. He is averaging only 14.8 points with the 76ers, but will get a shot at earning a third All-Star game MVP award if he chooses to play.
A McGrady election would have been a bigger embarrassment for the NBA, since he has played sparingly in only six games for the Houston Rockets. The team gave him permission to leave the team and work out on his own while trying to find a trade, yet McGrady still was second among West guards when the most recent update was released on Jan. 7.
