Cavaliers: LeBron James named to All-NBA first team
Rick Noland | The Chronicle-Telegram
BOSTON — The hard work of LeBron James paid off.
The Cavaliers small forward was named to the All-NBA first team for the second time in his five-year career Thursday.
“Any time you’re part of a select group, it’s great,” the 23-year-old said at TD Banknorth Garden prior to Game 2 of a best-of-seven playoff series against the Boston Celtics. “What I do in the offseason to prepare myself as an individual, I want to be one of the best.”
James became the first Cleveland player to lead the league in scoring at 30.0 while adding 7.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists a game.
“He’s a terrific player and good person,” Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. “I’m blessed I get to coach him.
“It’s not surprising to me (that James made the first team). Congratulations to him. It’s well-deserved.”
James, who also earned first-team honors in 2006 and made the second team in 2005 and 2007, received 117 of a possible 127 first-place votes and 610 points, both the fourth-most overall.
The 6-foot-8, 250-pounder joins the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, Phoenix’s Steve Nash and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki as the only players to make the first or second team each of the last four years.
“It’s all about team,” James said. “Me as an individual, I’m nothing without my teammates. I always approach it that way.”
Joining James on the first team in 2008 were league MVP Bryant, the only unanimous selection, New Orleans’ Chris Paul, Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Orlando’s Dwight Howard. Bryant made the first team for the third straight season and fifth time in his career.
Paul, who made the first team for the first time, was second in the voting with 124 first-place votes and 629 points. He was followed by Garnett (118, 612), who made the first team for the fourth time, James and first-time honoree Howard (86, 546).
The second team consisted of Duncan, Nowitzki, Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire, Nash and Utah’s Deron Williams, while Utah’s Carlos Boozer, Boston’s Paul Pierce, Houston’s Yao Ming, Houston’s Tracy McGrady and San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili comprised the third team.
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Filed by Rick Noland | The Chronicle-Telegram May 9th, 2008 in Sports. Popularity: 5% |
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