Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh was named as a reserve for the 2012 NBA All-Star Eastern Conference team, his seventh time selected to the game and his fifth as a reserve.
In his previous five All-Star games (he was selected as a reserve in 2009 but did not play due to injury), Bosh has averaged 14.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 22.2 minutes. Bosh will be joining teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who were both named as starters following the fans vote, on the team for the second consecutive year. All-Star reserves were voted by NBA head coaches.
Bosh posted his fourth 30-point game so far this season with 35 points vs. Cleveland on January 24, already surpassing his total of three 30-point games from all of last year. Among league leaders, Bosh ranks 13th in scoring (19.2), tied for 16th in minutes (36.2), tied for 18th in field goal percentage (.507) and 29th in rebounds (7.8).
Joining Bosh as reserves on the East squad are Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics), Luol Deng (Chicago Bulls), Roy Hibbert (Indiana Pacers), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers), Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks), and Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets). Deng, Hibbert and Iguodala are first-time All-Stars, while Williams earns his third trip, Johnson his sixth and Pierce his tenth.
Dirk Nowitzki, whose 11 selections are consecutive, is joined on the West team by reserves LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers), Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies), Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves), Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns), Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs), and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder). For Aldridge and Gasol, this marks their first All-Star selection. It's the second All-Star nod for both Love and Westbrook, while Parker goes for the fourth time, and Nash, at 38 the oldest player in this year's game, is an All-Star for the eighth time.
The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 7 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Amway Center in Orlando on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.
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