NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Boston Celtics' 'Big Four' and Los Angeles Clippers rookie Blake Griffin highlighted the list of NBA All-Star reserves, the league said on Thursday.
Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce of the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics are only the seventh foursome to be selected to the All-Star game.
They will be joined on the East All-Stars by reserves Joe Johnson and Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks, and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat.
Griffin, who scored an NBA season-high 47 points in one game last month, becomes becomes the first rookie to play in an NBA All-Star Game since the Houston Rockets' Yao Ming was selected to start in 2003.
Joining Blake as a West All-Star reserve are Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli of the San Antonio Spurs, Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz.
Starters for the All-Star game, which will be played in Los Angeles on February 20, were announced last week.
(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario; Editing by Frank Pingue)
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.