All-Star reserves a week away as starters are selected without Nets

All-Star reserves, selected by the NBA's coaches, will be announced next Thursday. That's when the Nets trio of Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson will learn if they will be wearing the East's colors in Houston next month. Williams finished third in the All-Star balloting, but 375,000 votes behind Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade. D-Will has said he doesn't believe he deserves a roster spot. His coach disagrees.

If Williams is selected, it would his fourth, two in the West, two in the East. It would be Johnson's seventh straight, all in the East, and Lopez's first. All three had supporters in the TNT voting on reserves.

Kobe Bryant was voted to his NBA record 15th consecutive All-Star start. His Lakers teammate Dwight Howard and the Clippers’ Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will join him in the Western Conference lineup for the February 17 game in Houston. Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant rounds out the five. In the East, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo of the Celtics and LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the Heat join the Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony on the team.

• Kobe gets record 15th straight All-Star start - NBA.com
• NBA All-Star Game Fan Voting - InsideHoops
• Lopez deserves All-Star consideration - Gregory Hrinya - Examiner