Hawks Johnson fills Kidd's spot on 'Star roster



ATLANTA (AP) -- Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks was chosen by commissioner David Stern for the NBA's East All-Star team Wednesday as a replacement for injured New Jersey guard Jason Kidd.
Kidd will miss Sunday's game with a back injury.
Johnson, who will be the fifth replacement player chosen for the game, is Atlanta's first All-Star since Shareef Abdur-Rahim in 2002.
"Obviously, I'm looking forward to my first All-Star experience," Johnson said. "It's a tremendous honor and accomplishment for me, my coaches, teammates and the organization."
Johnson ranks 10th in the NBA with his average of 25.1 points per game. He also averages 4.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals.
He began the season by scoring 25 or more points in each of the first seven games, setting a franchise record.
The other replacements are all on the West squad: Ray Allen of Seattle; Carmelo Anthony of Denver; Josh Howard of Dallas; and Mehmet Okur of Utah.
Wednesday's Cavaliers game in Utah was not completed in time for today's edition. Check Friday's edition for a story and boxscore.
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