James, Durant lead NBA All-Star team

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NEW YORK, May 24 (UPI) -- MVP LeBron James and leading scorer Kevin Durant were the top two point earners for the NBA All-Star team announced by the league Thursday.

James, who is trying to push the Miami Heat into the NBA championship series for the second straight year, received 118 of 120 possible first-team votes. Durant, whose Oklahoma City club has already reached the Western Conference finals, received 117 votes for the first team.

James received 596 overall points in the balloting and Durant had 592.

They were joined on the first team by Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers, Dwight Howard of Orlando and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The second team was made up of guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City and Tony Parker of San Antonio, forwards Kevin Love of Minnesota and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers and center Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The third team consisted of guards Rajon Rondo of Boston and Dwyane Wade of Miami, forwards Carmelo Anthony of New York and Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas and center Tyson Chandler of New York.

This is the 12th consecutive year Nowitzki has been a part of the NBA's All-Star team. Bryant has been the only other player voted to the first, second or third teams that many years in a row.

Durant edged Bryant for the scoring title with 28 points per game.

The voting took place among a panel of 120 writers and broadcasters in the United States and Canada. Each voter selected a first, second and third team with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.