Wade and James will be starters for East

Associated Press

NEW YORK

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat are headed to the NBA All-Star game together, and Derrick Rose gave the Chicago Bulls their first starter since Michael Jordan.

They will be joined in the Eastern Conference starting lineup by Amare Stoudemire, who will become the first New York Knicks player to start in nearly two decades, and Orlando center Dwight Howard, the leading vote-getter in the conference with nearly 2.1 million.

The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant earned his 13th straight All-Star selection for the Feb. 20 game at his home arena. He is one shy of the record held by Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal and Karl Malone.

Bryant, a three-time MVP of the All-Star game, was the overall leading vote-getter with more than 2.3 million.

The other starters announced Thursday were Hornets guard Chris Paul, forwards Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City and Carmelo Anthony of Denver, and Houston center Yao Ming, who is injured and will be replaced on the roster by a player of commissioner David Stern’s choosing.

James and Wade, who both received more than 2 million votes from fans, will become the first set of teammates to start for the East since Wade and O’Neal represented the Heat in the 2007 game in Las Vegas.

“We try to represent our team, try to represent our franchise the right way every time we go out on the basketball court, and the fact that we’ve had so many votes by these fans, like I said it’s very humbling and we appreciate it,” James said before the Heat faced the New York Knicks.

Rose beat out Celtics guard Rajon Rondo to earn his first All-Star start and the first by a Chicago player since Jordan started the 1998 game.

“I think it’s recognition for the job he’s done this year,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “All-Star games, those are great. He certainly earned it, but ... I’m more concerned with what he’s done for our team. And he’s done a lot for the team.”