Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett got the most votes in fan balloting for the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and will be making his 11th straight appearance and ninth career start. Garnett got 2,399,148 votes in worldwide balloting, the sixth-highest total in All-Star voting history, the NBA said yesterday in a statement. The game will be played Feb. 17 in New Orleans.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, last year’s top vote-getter, was second with 2,108,831 votes, while Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was third with 2,066,991.

Guards Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat (1,608,260 votes) and Jason Kidd of the New Jersey Nets (1,246,386) will join Garnett, James and Howard as Eastern Conference starters.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant received 2,004,940 votes to lead all Western Conference players, with Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony second with 1,723,701 votes.

Also voted as Western Conference starters were Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (1,709,180 votes), San Antonio forward Tim Duncan (1,712,800) and Nuggets guard Allen Iverson (1,203,152).

Only Miami center Shaquille O’Neal has more All-Star appearances (14) among active players than Garnett, who was traded to the Celtics last summer after playing his first 12 NBA seasons with the West’s Minnesota Timberwolves.

Making Appearances

Bryant and Duncan were picked for their 10th All-Star Games; Kidd and Iverson their ninth; Yao his sixth; James and Wade their fourth; and Anthony and Howard — the only first-time starters — their second.

Doc Rivers, who has led Boston to a league-best 33-7 record, will coach the Eastern Conference, while the Western Conference coach hasn’t been determined.

The coach of the team with the best winning percentage in each conference by Feb. 3 is selected for the All-Star Game, but Phoenix’s Mike D’Antoni is ineligible after leading the Western Conference last year.

The reserves for the game will be announced Jan. 31 after being selected by the NBA’s 30 head coaches.

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