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[jcisco loboe'77]

http://espn.go.com/b... ... tar-ballot
Five Mavs on All-Star ballot.January, 4, 2012
Comments By Jeff Caplan.

"Dirk Nowitzki, Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd represent the Dallas Mavericks on the 2012 NBA All-Star ballot released Wednesday.

Nowitzki will assuredly land his 11th bid, but the big question is whether the fans will finally vote the NBA Finals MVP in as a starter.

Terry and Odom are still searching for their first All-Star appearance. Kidd, a 10-time All-Star, last played in the 2010 All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium. Marion has appeared in four All-Star Games, the last in 2007.

The All-Star Game is Feb. 26 at Orlando."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.nba.com/2...all-star-ballot

NBA and Sprint tip off 2012 NBA All-Star balloting.

ORLANDO--"The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sprint tipped off 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting today during a special event in Orlando, the Official Host City of NBA All-Star 2012. NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint will begin today at 12:15 PM ET. The 61st NBA All-Star Game, which will air live 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 the Amway Center on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint gives fans around the world the opportunity to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. There are several ways fans can cast their votes as part of this season's all-digital program, including in 16 languages on NBA.com and through mobile phones by texting the player's last name to 6-9-6-2-2 ("MYNBA") or by visiting m.NBA.com on any wireless carrier. Sprint customers can also access the ballot and vote through the new "Sprint NBA Mobile" application, the most comprehensive app in the marketplace for NBA fans.

2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint also includes expanded SMS voting. Fans can now vote for 10 different players per day, per phone number, via SMS voting by sending 10 separate SMS messages, each one with a different player's last name. Fans can vote for All-Stars via SMS at any time by texting from their mobile phones. Message and data rates may apply. Previously, fans could cast one SMS vote for one player per day.

Fans can vote directly on NBA.com or use their Facebook profile information to help create an NBA.com All-Access account, which enables them to complete a ballot. After submitting their All-Star selections, fans will have the ability to share them with their friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter, and encourage others to cast their ballots.

Wireless and SMS balloting, as well as voting on NBA.com, will conclude on Jan. 31. Starters will be announced live on TNT on Feb. 2, during a special one-hour pregame show at 7 p.m. ET featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith. The special will air prior to TNT's exclusive doubleheader featuring the Chicago Bulls at the New York Knicks (8 p.m. ET) and the Denver Nuggets at the Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET).

The NBA All-Star ballot lists 120 players -- 60 each from the Eastern and Western conferences -- with 24 guards, 24 forwards, and 12 centers from each conference comprising the list. Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center from each conference.

The 120 players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media who regularly cover the NBA: Bill Simmons (Grantland), Sekou Smith (NBA.com), Doug Smith (Toronto Star/PBWA), and Ian Thomsen (Sports Illustrated).

NBA All-Star 2012 in Orlando will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league's history for a global celebration of the game. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for a 10th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports' 28th year of All-Star coverage. NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm will feature the Haier Shooting Stars, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and Sprite Slam Dunk. Other events at NBA All-Star 2012 will include the NBA Rising Stars Challenge, Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and NBA All-Star Jam Session. Orlando also hosted NBA All-Star in 1992.

The following is a complete listing of the players as they appear on the ballot:

2012 NBA ALL-STAR EASTERN CONFERENCE BALLOT


EAST GUARDS (24)

Allen, Ray, Boston

Augustin, DJ, Charlotte

Calderon, Jose, Toronto

Collison, Darren, Indiana

DeRozan, DeMar, Toronto

George, Paul, Indiana

Hamilton, Richard, Chicago

Henderson, Gerald, Charlotte

Holiday, Jrue, Philadelphia

Irving, Kyrie, Cleveland

Jackson, Stephen, Milwaukee

Jennings, Brandon, Milwaukee

Johnson, Joe, Atlanta

Morrow, Anthony, New Jersey

Nelson, Jameer, Orlando

Richardson, Jason, Orlando

Rondo, Rajon, Boston

Rose, Derrick, Chicago

Stuckey, Rodney, Detroit

Teague, Jeff, Atlanta

Wade, Dwyane, Miami

Wall, John, Washington

Williams, Deron, New Jersey

Young, Nick, Washington



EAST FORWARDS (24)

Anthony, Carmelo, New York

Bargnani, Andrea, Toronto

Bass, Brandon, Boston

Blatche, Andray, Washington

Boozer, Carlos, Chicago

Bosh, Chris, Miami

Brand, Elton, Philadelphia

Deng, Luol, Chicago

Garnett, Kevin, Boston

Granger, Danny, Indiana

Hansbrough, Tyler, Indiana

Humphries, Kris, New Jersey

Iguodala, Andre, Philadelphia

James, LeBron, Miami

Jamison, Antawn, Cleveland

Jerebko, Jonas, Detroit

Maggette, Corey, Charlotte

Pierce, Paul, Boston

Prince, Tayshaun, Detroit

Smith, Josh, Atlanta

Stoudemire, Amar'e, New York

Turkoglu, Hedo, Orlando

West, David, Indiana

Young, Thaddeus, Philadelphia



EAST CENTERS (12)

Anthony, Joel, Miami

Bogut, Andrew, Milwaukee

Chandler, Tyson, New York

Diaw, Boris, Charlotte

Hawes, Spencer, Philadelphia

Hibbert, Roy, Indiana

Horford, Al, Atlanta

Howard, Dwight, Orlando

McGee, JaVale, Washington

Monroe, Greg, Detroit

Noah, Joakim, Chicago

Varejao, Anderson, Cleveland



2012 NBA ALL-STAR WESTERN CONFERENCE BALLOT


WEST GUARDS (24)

Afflalo, Arron, Denver

Billups, Chauncey, LAC

Bryant, Kobe, LAL

Conley, Mike, Memphis

Curry, Stephen, Golden State

Ellis, Monta, Golden State

Evans, Tyreke, Sacramento

Felton, Raymond, Portland

Ginobili, Manu, San Antonio

Gordon, Eric, New Orleans

Harris, Devin, Utah

Kidd, Jason, Dallas

Lawson , Ty, Denver

Lowry, Kyle, Houston

Martin, Kevin, Houston

Matthews, Wesley, Portland

Miller, Andre, Denver

Nash, Steve, Phoenix

Parker, Tony, San Antonio

Paul, Chris, LAC

Rubio, Ricky, Minnesota

Terry, Jason, Dallas

Thornton, Marcus, Sacramento

Westbrook, Russell, Oklahoma City



WEST FORWARDS (24)

Aldridge, LaMarcus, Portland

Batum, Nicolas, Portland

Beasley, Michael, Minnesota

Duncan, Tim, San Antonio

Durant, Kevin, Oklahoma City

Favors, Derrick, Utah

Gallinari, Danilo, Denver

Gasol, Pau, LAL

Gay, Rudy, Memphis

Griffin, Blake, LAC

Harden, James, Oklahoma City

Hill, Grant, Phoenix

Ibaka, Serge, Oklahoma City

Landry, Carl, New Orleans

Lee, David, Golden State

Love, Kevin, Minnesota

Marion, Shawn, Dallas

Millsap, Paul, Utah

Nowitzki, Dirk, Dallas

Odom, Lamar, Dallas

Randolph, Zach, Memphis

Scola, Luis, Houston

Wallace, Gerald, Portland

World Peace, Metta, LAL


WEST CENTERS (12)

Bynum, Andrew, LAL

Camby, Marcus, Portland

Cousins , DeMarcus, Sacramento

Dalembert, Samuel, Houston

Gasol, Marc, Memphis

Gortat, Marcin, Phoenix

Jefferson, Al, Utah

Jordan, DeAndre, LAC

Kaman, Chris, New Orleans

Nene, Denver

Okafor, Emeka, New Orleans

Perkins, Kendrick, Oklahoma City."

[jcisco loboe'77]

5ive Dallas Mavs on Players on the 2012 NBA All-Star ballot.
3hree Golden State Warriors Players on the 2012 NBA All-Star ballot.

5ive OK Thunder Players On 2012 NBA All-Star Ballot.
3hree MIL. Bucks on 2012 NBA All-Star Ballot.

[jcisco loboe'77]

FINAL
PHX-25-16-25-23=89
DAL 25-24-28-21=98

Phoenix Suns (2-4)...........field goals........rebounds
..............pos min fgm-a 3pm-a ftm-a +/- off def tot ast pf st to bs ba=pts
G. Hill........F 34:19 7-14 0-1 0-0 -1 1 2 3 2 1 1 2 1 0 14
C. Frye....F-C 25:13 3-4 1-1 0-0 +5 1 9 10 0 4 0 4 1 0 7
M. Gortat...C 37:35 10-15 0-0 2-3 0 1 9 10 0 2 0 2 1 0 22
J. Dudley G-F 37:25 4-13 1-4 1-3 +4 2 2 4 1 3 1 2 0 1 10
S. Nash.....G 36:36 6-12 2-6 1-1 +11 2 2 4 12 1 3 4 0 0 15
H. Warrick...19:23 3-8 1-2 2-2 -14 2 1 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 9
M. Morris.....17:05 2-4 0-1 0-0 -8 1 4 5 1 4 0 0 0 0 4
S. Brown......10:35 0-4 0-1 0-0 -13 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0
R. Price.......04:51 0-3 0-1 0-0 -7 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
R. Lopez......10:25 1-1 0-0 2-4 -9 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 4
S. Telfair.....06:33 1-4 0-0 2-2 -13 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 4
J. Childress..DNP - Coach's Decision
Total............240 37-82 5-17 10-15 11 31 42 18 21 6 15 3 2=89
.......................45.1% 29.4% 66.7%.....team rebs: 7 total to: 15

[jcisco loboe'77]

Dallas Mavericks (3-4)...field goals....rebounds
.............pos min fgm-a 3pm-a ftm-a +/- off def tot ast pf st to bs ba pts
S. Marion...F 27:07 6-15 0-1 1-2 -4 6 1 7 2 1 1 2 0 0 13
D. Nowitzki.F 34:32 7-17 0-0 6-7 +8 1 5 6 7 2 0 3 0 1 20
B. Haywood.C 23:27 2-6 0-0 1-2 -1 5 7 12 1 0 1 1 1 2 5
D. West.....G 09:43 3-4 0-0 0-0 -1 0 0 0 3 4 1 1 0 0 6
J. Kidd......G 27:43 1-6 1-4 0-0 0 1 4 5 3 3 4 0 0 0 3
L. Odom......22:53 6-12 1-4 2-4 +10 0 5 5 0 2 2 1 0 0 15
J. Terry.......33:08 6-12 5-8 1-1 +14 0 3 3 5 1 0 3 0 0 18
B. Cardinal...05:31 1-2 1-2 0-0 +5 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3
V. Carter.....22:03 3-10 0-2 1-2 +8 2 4 6 5 1 0 0 0 0 7
I. Mahinmi...24:33 1-1 0-0 2-3 +10 3 2 5 1 4 0 1 1 0 4
R. Beaubois..09:20 2-6 0-1 0-0 -4 1 2 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 4
D. Jones......DNP - Coach's Decision
B. Wright....DNP - Coach's Decision
Total.........240 38-91 8-22 14-21.....19 34 53 30 19 10 13 2 3=98
....................41.8% 36.4% 66.7%....team rebs: 8 total to: 13

inactive
Suns: Redd
Mavericks: Williams

technical fouls
Suns: --
Mavericks: --

scoring
Lead Changes: 6
Times Tied: 5

arena stats
Arena: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Officials: #32 Eddie F. Rush, #40 Leon Wood, #66 Haywoode Workman
Attendance: 19885
Duration: 2:06

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.nba.com/g...l#nbaGIboxscore
Notebook: Mavs 98, Suns 89.
By Dave Ivey, for NBA.com.
"THE FACTS: Dirk Nowitzki scored 20 points in his 1,000th career game and Jason Terry and Lamar Odom fueled another huge effort from the Mavericks' bench in Wednesday's 98-89 victory against the Suns in Dallas. Terry scored 18 points and Odom had a season-high 15 as the Dallas bench outscored the Phoenix reserves 51-21. Marcin Gortat set season highs with 22 points and 10 rebounds and Steve Nash added 15 points and 12 assists for the Suns.
QUOTABLE: "The second unit's goal is to come in and impact the game on both ends of the floor. It's not good enough to just go out and play. We want to dominate every time we step on the floor. When you've got guys like Lamar Odom, Vince Carter and myself, these are All-Star potential guys and anybody we face, we should have the upper hand."
-- Jason Terry, whose team has won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
THE STAT: The Mavericks ripped down a season-high 19 offensive rebounds, including six by Shawn Marion and five by Brendan Haywood (of his season-high 12 boards). They scored 14 second-chance points. Dallas entered the game ranked 27th in the league in that category.
TURNING POINT: Terry drilled a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer to give Dallas a 77-66 lead, then opened the fourth quarter by sinking his first three shots from behind the arc. The last one gave the Mavs their biggest lead at 92-71. Terry was 5-for-8 from 3-point range, whereas the entire Phoenix team was a combined 5-for-17.
QUOTABLE II: "Their bench played well. That's where the separation came. Their second unit did an outstanding job. That's where the lead came from and it was hard for us to overcome."
--Suns coach Alvin Gentry
GOOD MOVE: The Mavericks did a tremendous job of moving the ball around to the open shooters and playing unselfish basketball, finishing with 30 assists on 38 made field goals. Ten players had at least one assist and five dished at least three.
FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Nowitzki added a team-high seven assists and six rebounds. Carter tallied seven points, six boards and five assists off the Dallas bench. Hakim Warrick, the Suns' leading scorer entering the night, was held to nine points on 3-for-8 shooting.
INSIDE THE ARENA: Kim Kardashian attended with her sister Khloe, Odom's wife. ... Also in the crowd were members of the Arkansas and Kansas State football teams, who will meet Friday night in the Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. ... Former Mavericks star Michael Finley received a big ovation when shown on the big screen.
ROOKIE WATCH: Phoenix forward Markieff Morris played just over 17 minutes and finished with four points, five rebounds and four personal fouls.
NOTABLE: Nowitzki became the first player in Mavericks history and 98th in NBA history to appear in 1,000 regular-season games. Dallas is 661-339 in those games. ... Nash became the seventh player in franchise history to score 10,000 points in a Suns uniform. ... This was the Mavericks' eighth straight win against the Suns at the American Airlines Center.
UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Thursday @ San Antonio."

[jcisco loboe'77]

Noteables...
...Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd played in his 1,271st career game, moving past John Havlicek into sole possession of 17th place on the NBA's all-time list.
...Nowitzki's 10-foot fadeaway at 7:40 of the second quarter was the 8,000th field goal of his career. He is the fourth active player and 31st in NBA history to reach that milestone. ...
...Nowitzki became the first player in Mavericks history and 98th in NBA history to appear in 1,000 regular-season games.

[jcisco loboe'77]

.......Suns--Mavericks
FG%--45.1%..41.8%
3FG%-29.4%..36.4%
FT%--66.7%..66.7%

......................PHX-DAL
Total Rebounds......42-53
Offensive Rebounds.11-19
Turnovers.............15-13
Fast Break Pts.........6-4
Biggest Lead..........5-21
Points in the Paint..38-40

..............PHX-------DAL
p...Gortat 22....Nowitzki 20
rb..2 players 10..Haywood 12
a....Nash 12...Nowitzki 7
s.....Nash 3....Kidd 4
b...3 players 1..2 players 1


...SERIES...
01/04 - PHX 89 @ DAL 98
01/23 - PHX @ DAL
01/30 - DAL @ PHX
03/08 - DAL @ PHX

[jcisco loboe'77]

Southwest......W-L PCT GB CONF DIV HOME ROAD L 10 STREAK
San Antonio-3..4-2 0.667 0.0 4-2 1-1 4-0 0-2 4-2 W 1
Memphis----7..3-3 0.500 1.0 3-2 1-1 2-1 1-2 3-3 W 2
Dallas...........3-4 0.429 1.5 2-3 0-0 3-2 0-2 3-4 W 2
Houston........2-4 0.333 2.0 1-3 1-1 2-0 0-4 2-4 L 2
New Orleans...2-4 0.333 2.0 1-3 0-0 1-2 1-2 2-4 L 4

[jcisco loboe'77]

.......W-L...PCT..GB.CONF.DIV.HOME.ROAD.L 10.STREAK.
Dallas.3-4 0.429..1.5...2-3..0-0...3-2...0-2....3-4..W 2.

.............Opponent...........Results....
Sun 25 vs Miami..............L 94-105
Mon 26 vs Denver.............L 93-115
Thu 29 @ Oklahoma City....L 102-104
Fri 30 vs Toronto............W 99-86
Sun 01 @ Minnesota.........L 82-99
Mon 02 vs Oklahoma City..W 100-87
Wed 04 vs Phoenix.........W 98-89

Upcoming Games
January.....Opponent......Time...Local TV........Radio.
Thu 05 @ San Antonio...7:30pm...FSSW...103.3--KESN F.M.

[jcisco loboe'77]

Thursday, January 5, 2012.
7:30 PM cT - AT&T Center, San Antonio,TX.

http://www.nba.com/g...S/gameinfo.html
Mavericks-Spurs Preview.
By MATT BECKER.
"After opening the season in disappointing fashion while trying to incorporate some new players, the Dallas Mavericks seem to be coming together.
The San Antonio Spurs are off to a strong start, but a significant injury to Manu Ginobili is forcing them to adjust on the fly.
The Mavericks seek a third straight victory to get to .500 Thursday night when they visit the Spurs in the season's first meeting between the Southwest Division rivals.
Dallas (3-4) looked completely out of sorts at times while losing its first three games as newcomers Vince Carter, Lamar Odom and Delonte West were trying to get comfortable with a new system.
The defending champs now appear to be on the same page.
Odom had a season-high 15 points on 6 of 12 shooting in Wednesday's 98-89 victory over Phoenix after averaging 5.3 points on 19.5 percent shooting in his first six contests. In the Mavericks' previous game, Monday's 100-87 win over Oklahoma City, Carter finished with a season-best 14 points.
Dallas' defense is also looking much better, yielding an average of 90.3 points on 43.4 percent shooting in the last four after allowing an average of 108.0 points on 51.8 percent shooting in the first three.
"These are steps in the right direction," said forward Shawn Marion, who had 13 points Wednesday despite playing through an illness. "Things are starting to click on both ends of the floor."
While some of the newcomers are stepping up, Dallas' offense obviously still revolves around Dirk Nowitzki. The NBA finals MVP had 20 points and a season-high seven assists Wednesday in his 1,000th NBA game.
"We said at the beginning, we're going to be a piece of work and everybody is going to come along and I think this team is more set up to peak down the stretch and not now," Nowitzki said. "Everybody's got to work themselves back into shape, get the legs strong and play with each other more and I think we're going to be a good team down the stretch."
The Spurs (4-2) hope to say the same, but winning the highly competitive Southwest could be tough with Ginobili expected to miss at least two months after fracturing the fifth metacarpal on his shooting hand.
The injury occurred in the second quarter of Monday's 106-96 loss at Minnesota, and the team announced prior to Wednesday's game against Golden State that he would need surgery and be sidelined until after the All-Star game. It figures to be a major blow for San Antonio's offense with Ginobili averaging a team-best 17.4 points on 59.2 percent shooting.
The two-time All-Star gave the Mavericks problems last season, averaging 20.5 points and shooting 11 of 22 from 3-point range as San Antonio took three of four.
Nowitzki missed two of the losses because of injuries, and combined for 49 points and 17 rebounds in the other two.
The Spurs weren't great in their first game without Ginobili but managed to beat the Warriors 101-95, rallying from eight down with 6:46 to play. Tony Parker stepped up with a season-high 21 points and Richard Jefferson added 17 while making all five 3-point attempts.
"Big, big win for us," Parker said. "Obviously with Manu out, coming off a loss, a lot of different things. Just being at home, we need to continue to protect our home court.
"Good win for us. We're down. We find a way to come back. So all in all a lot of good things."
San Antonio is looking to start 5-0 at home for the first time since opening 2007-08 with 13 straight victories."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.nba.com/m.../news/notes.pdf
"DALLAS MAVERICKS (3-4) at SAN ANTONIO SPURS (4-2)
REGULAR SEASON GAME #8 • ROAD GAME #3
THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2012 • 7:30 P.M. CT
AT&T CENTER (SAN ANTONIO, TX)
FSSW • ESPN 103.3 FM • KFLC 1270 AM (SPANISH)
INJURIES/PLAYER STATUS:
None to Report
PRONUNCIATIONS:
Rodrigue Beaubois (rod-REEG BOH-bwah);
Ian Mahinmi (Yan ma-HEEN-me);
Dirk Nowitzki (Na-VIT-skee);
Delonte West (deh-LON-tay).
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
12/22: Waived G Jerome Randle and G Drew Neitzel…
12/21: Signed F/C Sean Williams…
12/15: Waived G Andy Rautins…
12/14: Signed G Jerome Randle…
12/13: Traded G Rudy Fernandez and F Corey Brewer to DEN for a 2016
second-round pick…
12/13: Signed G Delonte West…12/12: Signed G Vince Carter…
12/12: Re-signed F Brian Cardinal…
12/11: Signed G Drew Neitzel…
12/11: Acquired F Lamar Odom, a 2012 second-round draft pick and other second round
considerations in 2013 from LAL in exchange for a protected first-round draft pick…
12/10: Acquired G Andy Rautins from NY along with a protected 2012 second-round draft pick from WAS…In exchange, NY received C Tyson Chandler, the draft rights to Ahmad Nivins and Giorgos Printezis from DAL, while WAS received F Ronny Turiaf, a 2013 second-round pick and cash considerations from NY and a 2012 second-round pick from DAL…
12/9: Signed F Brandan Wright…"

[jcisco loboe'77]

<div class="content">Southwest....W-L PCT GB CONF DIV HOME ROAD L 10 STREAK<br />
San Antonio..4-2 0.667 0.0 4-2 1-1 4-0 0-2 4-2 W 1<br />
Dallas.........3-4 0.429 1.5 2-3 0-0 3-2 0-2 3-4 W 2<br />
<br />
<br />
..SERIES..<br />
01/05 - DAL @ SAS<br />
01/29 - SAS @ DAL<br />
03/17 - SAS @ DAL<br />
03/23 - DAL @ SAS<span style="display: none"> </span></div>

[jcisco loboe'77]

SERIES HISTORY VS. SAN ANTONIO
.....ALL-TIME...STREAKS
OVERALL 62-86...Lost 3
HOME....36-38...Lost 2
ROAD....26-48...Lost 1

"SERIES NOTES: After ending the Spurs’ 12-game winning streak with a victory at San Antonio on 11/26/10, the Mavericks dropped the final three meetings with the Spurs in 2010-11.
…Dirk Nowitzki shot an impressive 12-of-14 (.857) from the floor en route to a team-high 26 points in the first matchup with San Antonio last season.
…He missed the games against the Spurs on 12/30/10 and 1/14/11 with a sprained right knee.
…The Mavericks have taken five of the last nine meetings with the Spurs, despite losing the most recent three.
…The Spurs have won nine of the last 15 matchups in San Antonio, including a 101-89 victory at the AT&T Center on 1/14/11.
…After winning three straight at home against San Antonio, Dallas has lost the last two meetings at American Airlines Center.
…Jason Kidd averaged 9.5 ppg,6.3 rpg, 7.8 apg, 1.5 spg and 34.0 mpg in four games against the Spurs last season.
…Dirk Nowitzki averaged 24.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 4.0 apg in two games against San Antonio in 2010-11.
…Shawn Marion averaged 14.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg in four meetings with the Spurs in 2010-11.
…Jason Terry averaged 12.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.3 apg and 1.8 spg in four matchups with San Antonio last season.
CONNECTIONS: Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd and Spurs forward Richard Jefferson were teammates in New Jersey for seven seasons from 2001-08…Mavericks guard Vince Carter also played with Jefferson in New Jersey from 2005-08…Jefferson and Mavericks guard Jason Terry played together at Arizona in 1998-99...Mavericks center Ian Mahinmi was drafted by San Antonio (28th overall) in the 2005 NBA Draft and played for the Spurs from 2007-10...Spurs guard Danny Green was a college teammate of Mavericks forward Brandan Wright at the University of North Carolina in 2006-07."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.dallasnew... ... voting.ece
As usual, Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki trails young guys in All-Star voting.
EDDIE SEFKO.
Staff writer.

"The early results of fan balloting to determine the NBA All-Star starters is predictable.

The sizzle is beating the steak once again.

Dirk Nowitzki, who has always said he's not the kind of player fans want to see in an All-Star Game, is well behind the young, trendy (and good) young forwards as the NBA just released the early returns from fans.

Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin already lead Nowitzki by a significant margin. They represent the future and are the golden children of the NBA hype machine. No problem with that.

Nowitzki will just let them see his championship ring whenever they come to town.

Here's the Western Conference results:

Forwards:
Kevin Durant (OKC) 633,538; Blake Griffin (LAC) 394,264; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 231,832; Pau Gasol (LAL) 185,428; Kevin Love (Min) 143,814; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 118,268; Tim Duncan (SA) 81,783; Lamar Odom (Dal) 59,686; Metta World Peace (LAL) 39,006; Danilo Gallinari (Den) 34,438.

Guards:
Kobe Bryant (LAL) 690,613; Chris Paul (LAC) 540,173; Ricky Rubio (Min) 133,520; Steve Nash (Pho) 118,922; Russell Westbrook (OKC) 107,197; Kyle Lowry (Hou) 90,725; Monta Ellis (GS) 63,696; Manu Ginobili (SA) 50,765; Jason Kidd (Dal) 49,596; Chauncey Billups (LAC) 42,657.

Centers:
Andrew Bynum (LAL) 496,597; DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 134,961; Marc Gasol (Mem) 102,116; Nenê (Den) 94,167; Marcin Gortat (Pho) 62,631; Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 41,579."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://tampabay.sbna... ... wyane-wade

NBA All-Star Voting 2012: Dwight Howard Dominates First Returns; LeBron James, Dwyane Wade Also Fare Well
By Evan Dunlap - Newsdesk contributor.

Initial NBA All-Star voting results indicate three-fifths of the East's starting lineup could be players from Florida teams.

"The Orlando Magic host the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, so it's fitting that Dwight Howard, its superstar center, dominated the early All-Star balloting. In the initial results of fan voting, which the NBA released Thursday, Howard leads all players with 754,737 votes, more than 10 as many as Joakim Noah, the next-closes Eastern Conference center. Kobe Bryant leads Western players with 690,613 votes.

The Miami Heat figure to be well represented as well, with LeBron James garnering 640,789 votes, first among East forwards and second among East players overall. Dwyade Wade also looks like a lock to start in the game once again, though he trails Derrick Rose by a small margin for No. 1 among East guards.

Were the lineups set as a result of this balloting, Rose, Wade, James, Carmelo Anthony, and Howard would start for the East. Chris Paul, Bryant, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Andrew Bynum would get the nod out West.

Hedo Turkoglu is the only other Magic player to place in the top 10 at his position, ranking No. 10 among East forwards. Though Jason Richardson and Jameer Nelson appear on the ballot, they are not listed in the first voting results.

Elsewhere for the Heat, Chris Bosh ranks No. 5 among East forwards, while Joel Anthony is No. 4 among East centers.

NBA All-Star Weekend is set for Feb. 24-26."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.nba.com/s.../120112_allstar

2012 NBA All-Star Balloting First Returns Announced.
"Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and LeBron James of the Miami Heat top the Eastern Conference, while Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Western Conference after the first returns of 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting. Howard, the Kia Defensive Player of the Year each of the past three seasons, is the overall leader with 754,737 votes.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 8 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.

Howard paces centers in the East, followed by the Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah (75,038). James leads Eastern Conference forwards with 640,789 votes, followed by Carmelo Anthony (496,351) of the New York Knicks. Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls leads Eastern Conference guards with 640,476 votes, followed by Miami’s Dwyane Wade (637,912).

Bryant’s 690,613 votes leads Western Conference guards, with the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul placing second (540,173). Durant’s 633,538 votes lead forwards in the West, with Blake Griffin of the Clippers next in line with 394,264 votes. The Lakers’ Andrew Bynum paces Western Conference centers with 496,597 votes, followed by the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan (134,961).

2012 NBA All-Star Balloting gives fans around the world the opportunity to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. There are several ways fans can cast their votes as part of this season’s all-digital program, including in 16 languages on NBA.com or by visiting m.NBA.com on any wireless carrier. Fans also can vote through mobile phones by texting the player's last name to 6-9-6-2-2 ("MYNBA") in the U.S. and to 3-8-6-5-7 ("DUNKS") in Canada.


2012 NBA All-Star Balloting also includes expanded SMS voting. Fans can now vote for 10 different players per day, per phone number, via SMS voting by sending 10 separate SMS messages, each one with a different player's last name. Fans can vote for All-Stars via SMS at any time by texting from their mobile phones. Message and data rates may apply. Previously, fans could cast one SMS vote for one player per day.

Fans can vote directly on NBA.com or use their Facebook profile information to help create an NBA.com All-Access account, which enables them to complete a ballot. After submitting their All-Star selections, fans will have the ability to share them with their friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter, and encourage others to cast their ballots.

Updated results for the Eastern and Western Conferences will be issued on Thursday, Jan. 19. Wireless and SMS balloting, as well as voting on NBA.com, will conclude on Jan. 31. Starters will be announced live on TNT on Feb. 2, during a special one-hour pregame show at 7 p.m. ET featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. The special will air prior to TNT’s exclusive doubleheader featuring the Chicago Bulls at the New York Knicks (8 p.m. ET) and the Denver Nuggets at the Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET). There will also be a special one-hour pregrame show on TNT on Feb. 9 to announce the All-Star reserves.

The NBA All-Star ballot lists 120 players – 60 each from the Eastern and Western conferences – with 24 guards, 24 forwards, and 12 centers from each conference comprising the list. Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center from each conference. The 120 players on the ballot were selected by a panel of media who regularly cover the NBA: Bill Simmons (Grantland), Sekou Smith (NBA.com), Doug Smith (Toronto Star/PBWA), and Ian Thomsen (Sports Illustrated).

NBA All-Star 2012 in Orlando will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league’s history for a global celebration of the game. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for a 10th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports' 28th year of All-Star coverage. NBA All-Star Saturday Night will feature the Shooting Stars, Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest and Slam Dunk competition. Other events at NBA All-Star 2012 will include the NBA Rising Stars Challenge, NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and NBA All-Star Jam Session. Orlando also hosted NBA All-Star in 1992.

The leaders of the Eastern players for the first returns of 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting are attached:

2012 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Forwards: LeBron James (Mia) 640,789; Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 496,351; Amar’e Stoudemire (NYK) 178,797; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 173,161; Chris Bosh (Mia) 140,601; Paul Pierce (Bos) 94,071; Luol Deng (Chi) 85,086; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 54,739; Carlos Boozer (Chi) 53,477; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 43,154.

Guards: Derrick Rose (Chi) 640,476; Dwyane Wade (Mia) 637,912; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 253,969; Ray Allen (Bos) 174,934; Deron Williams (NJN) 89,128; Jose Calderon (Tor) 42,929; John Wall (Was) 38,025; Richard Hamilton (Chi) 36,418; Kyrie Irving (Cle) 27,713; Joe Johnson (Atl) 23,384.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 754,737; Joakim Noah (Chi) 75,038; Tyson Chandler (NYK) 61,774; Joel Anthony (Mia) 41,832; JaVale McGee (Was) 24,713; Al Horford (Atl) 23,546.




The leaders of Western Conference players for the first returns of 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting are attached:

2012 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Forwards:
Kevin Durant (OKC) 633,538; Blake Griffin (LAC) 394,264; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 231,832; Pau Gasol (LAL) 185,428; Kevin Love (Min) 143,814; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 118,268; Tim Duncan (SA) 81,783; Lamar Odom (Dal) 59,686; Metta World Peace (LAL) 39,006; Danilo Gallinari (Den) 34,438.

Guards:
Kobe Bryant (LAL) 690,613; Chris Paul (LAC) 540,173; Ricky Rubio (Min) 133,520; Steve Nash (Pho) 118,922; Russell Westbrook (OKC) 107,197; Kyle Lowry (Hou) 90,725; Monta Ellis (GS) 63,696; Manu Ginobili (SA) 50,765; Jason Kidd (Dal) 49,596; Chauncey Billups (LAC) 42,657.

Centers:
Andrew Bynum (LAL) 496,597; DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 134,961; Marc Gasol (Mem) 102,116; Nenê (Den) 94,167; Marcin Gortat (Pho) 62,631; Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 41,579."

[jcisco loboe'77]

2012 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING
WESTERN CONFERENCE
..Dallas Mavericks..
Forwards:
3) Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 231,832;
8) Lamar Odom (Dal) 59,686;

Guards:
9)Jason Kidd (Dal) 49,596;

West guards
Jason Terry, Dallas

West forwards
Shawn Marion, Dallas


(29,888)

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.sbnation.... ... ng-results

2012 NBA All-Star Game: Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant Lead Second Returns
by Tom Ziller-

"The second wave of fan balloting for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game was announced Thursday. Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant continue to lead their conferences.

2012 NBA All-Star Game: No Changes For Likely 10 To Be Voted In By Fans
It appears that we already know who will start the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, as five players in each conference have taken commanding, seemingly insurmountable leads in fan voting.

In the East, Dwight Howard is the leading overall vote-getter as of Thursday, according to a release by the NBA. Howard has received 1.16 million votes to be the East's starting center. He leads No. 2 Joakim Noah by more than 900,000 votes. Reigning MVP Derrick Rose has also eclipsed the 1 million vote barrier; Dwyane Wade is not far behind with 970,000 votes. No. 3 Rajon Rondo is a distant 580,000 votes behind Wade.

The East's starting forwards will almost assuredly be LeBron James (970,000 votes) and Carmelo Anthony (780,000); third-place Amar'e Stoudemire sits at 281,000.

In the West, Kobe Bryant is the only player over the 1 million vote mark, sitting about 50,000 behind Howard for the leaguewide lead. Crosstown rival Chris Paul is No. 2 among West guards at 835,000, almost 600,000 votes ahead of top contender Ricky Rubio.

Andrew Bynum leads DeAndre Jordan more than half of a million votes to become the West's starting center, and Kevin Durant is approaching 1 million votes as the top West forward. In the closest race in the league, Blake Griffin leads Dirk Nowitzki by about 260,000 votes for the No. 2 West forward spot.

Voting continues on NBA.com through Jan. 31.

"The results from the first wave of voting for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game have been released, with familiar names appearing at the top of the lists. Dwight Howard was the leading overall vote getter, earning 754,737 and outpacing the second highest Eastern Conference center, Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls, by nearly 700,000 votes.

Kobe Bryant (690,613 votes) received the most votes in the Western Conference, edging out Kevin Durant (633,538) and fellow LA superstar Chris Paul (540,173). Fans are allowed to place their vote for two guards, two forwards, and one center from each conference per ballot by going on NBA.com or via text message.

Another update will be released on Jan. 19, with voting closing on Jan. 31.
Starters will be revealed on Feb. 2 while the full squads will be issued on Feb. 9.
The All-Star game is set to tip off on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Check out the full results below.

Eastern Conference Balloting:
Forwards:
LeBron James (Mia) 640,789;
Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 496,351;
Amar'e Stoudemire (NYK) 178,797;
Kevin Garnett (Bos) 173,161;
Chris Bosh (Mia) 140,601;
Paul Pierce (Bos) 94,071;
Luol Deng (Chi) 85,086;
Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 54,739;
Carlos Boozer (Chi) 53,477;
Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 43,154.

Guards:
Derrick Rose (Chi) 640,476;
Dwyane Wade (Mia) 637,912;
Rajon Rondo (Bos) 253,969;
Ray Allen (Bos) 174,934;
Deron Williams (NJN) 89,128; J
ose Calderon (Tor) 42,929;
John Wall (Was) 38,025;
Richard Hamilton (Chi) 36,418;
Kyrie Irving (Cle) 27,713;
Joe Johnson (Atl) 23,384.

Centers:
Dwight Howard (Orl) 754,737;
Joakim Noah (Chi) 75,038;
Tyson Chandler (NYK) 61,774;
Joel Anthony (Mia) 41,832;
JaVale McGee (Was) 24,713;
Al Horford (Atl) 23,546.




Western Conference Balloting:
Forwards:
Kevin Durant (OKC) 633,538;
Blake Griffin (LAC) 394,264;
Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 231,832;
Pau Gasol (LAL) 185,428;
Kevin Love (Min) 143,814;
LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 118,268;
Tim Duncan (SA) 81,783;
Lamar Odom (Dal) 59,686
Metta World Peace (LAL) 39,006;
Danilo Gallinari (Den) 34,438.

Guards:
Kobe Bryant (LAL) 690,613;
Chris Paul (LAC) 540,173;
Ricky Rubio (Min) 133,520;
Steve Nash (Pho) 118,922;
Russell Westbrook (OKC) 107,197;
Kyle Lowry (Hou) 90,725;
Monta Ellis (GS) 63,696;
Manu Ginobili (SA) 50,765;
Jason Kidd (Dal) 49,596;
Chauncey Billups (LAC) 42,657.

Centers:
Andrew Bynum (LAL) 496,597;
DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 134,961;
Marc Gasol (Mem) 102,116;
Nenê (Den) 94,167;
Marcin Gortat (Pho) 62,631;
Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 41,579."



..Dallas Mavericks..
West Forwards:
3) Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 231,832;
8) Lamar Odom (Dal) 59,686;

West Guards:
9)Jason Kidd (Dal) 49,596;


West guards
Jason Terry, Dallas

West forwards
Shawn Marion, Dallas

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.star-tele...he-belongs.html
Nowitzki doesn't think he belongs in the All-Star game.
By Dwain Price.

DALLAS—"Dirk Nowitzki won't lose any sleep if he's not chosen to play in this year's NBA All-Star game.
The Dallas Mavericks' power forward has played in the past 10 All-Star games while becoming one of the best basketball players on the planet. But a sore right knee and conditioning issues has the 14-year veteran in the midst of his worst year since his rookie campaign during the 1998-'99 season.
Asked after today's practice if he could make a case for the Western Conference coaches to include him in this year's All-Star game, Nowitzki said: “Not really, not really. Averaging whatever, 15, 16 points, I don't think you should be an All-Star.
“But we'll just have to wait and see.''
Nowitzki is averaging 17.2 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 21.6 percent form three-point range. Those are all career-low stats for Nowitzki since his rookie season, which is why he doesn't think he'll be in Orlando for the Feb. 26 midseason classic.
“I think there is a lot of great young talent in this league that deserves to go,'' Nowitzki said. “I think [Portland's] LaMarcus Aldridge has been stiffed the last couple of years. He's a great young player -- fun to watch.
“You know Blake [Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers] and [Minnesota's Kevin] Love are playing great. There is a lot of talent at my position. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.''
While the All-Star game may be a treat and a nice gesture that someone respects a player's game, Nowitzki has bigger goals than participating in the world's ultimate playground game.
“To me it's more about getting right again and getting my body back in rhythm and getting used to all the grinding and running and jumping again,'' he said. “I think that's more important to me than an All-Star appearance at this point.
“Ultimately, [we want] to make a push after the All-Star break. That's ultimately where my head is at here, have a good little push here the next two weeks until the All-Star break and then whatever happens happens."