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Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The NBA on Tuesday night revealed the reserve selections for next month's All-Star Game in Atlanta, with Brooklyn Nets star James Harden headlining the list. Harden, the league's MVP in 2018, is representing the Nets for the first time in what will be his ninth straight All-Star appearance. The previous eight instances came with the Houston Rockets, who traded Harden to the Nets as part of a blockbuster four-team deal last month.
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Since the trade, Harden has averaged 24.9 points and 11.4 assists in 18 games with the Nets. He will join teammates Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, both of whom were voted in as starters last week.
Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic were the six other selections from the Eastern Conference.
In the Western Conference, Utah Jazz standouts Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were the headliners. Mitchell and Gobert both will be making their second consecutive All-Star appearances.
They were joined by: Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard; Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis; Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson.
Much like in recent seasons, the NBA will combine the All-Star selections into one player pool, which will be divided into two teams by captains LeBron James and Durant. Jazz head coach Quin Snyder will helm James' squad, while 76ers coach Doc Rivers will lead Durant's unit.
This year's All-Star Game also will feature the "Elam Ending," in which the teams play to a final target score as opposed to a traditional timed fourth quarter.
Like last year, that final score will be determined by taking the combined score of the team that is leading through three quarters and adding 24 points -- in honor of late NBA great Kobe Bryant -- to that number.
