NBA notebook: Harden, Lillard reportedly headline All-Star reserves

First-time All-Stars dot rosters

New Orleans’ Zion Williamson, Chicago’s Zach LaVine, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, New York’s Julius Randle on Tuesday were named All-Stars for the first time.

They are among the 14 reserves — seven from the Eastern Conference and seven from the Western Conference — selected by NBA head coaches.

And don’t worry Damian Lillard fans. Even though he was not voted in as a starter by fans, players and media, coaches made sure he was selected as a reserve.

East reserves: Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Brooklyn’s James Harden, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic, LaVine, Brown and Randle.

West reserves: Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George, Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, Phoenix’s Chris Paul, Lillard and Williamson.

LaVine is the Bulls' first All-Star since 2017, and Randle is the Knicks’ first All-Star since 2018. Harden joins teammates Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, giving the Nets three All-Stars for the first time in franchise history.

At 20 years old, Williamson is the fourth youngest All-Star behind Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Magic Johnson, and Paul becomes the third player (Moses Malone and Shaquille O’Neal are the others) to become an All-Star with four teams.

Notable omissions included former OU and Norman North High School star Trae Young of Atlanta in the East and Oklahoma City Thunder standout Shai-Gilgeous Alexander in the West.

The starters were announced last week. The two captains — Lakers star LeBron James and Brooklyn star Kevin Durant — will select their teams in a televised draft on March 4.

Bryant blasts Mill for 'extremely insensitive' Kobe lyric

Vanessa Bryant criticized rapper Meek Mill on Monday for insensitive lyrics referencing her late husband Kobe and daughter Gianna in his new song, "Don't Worry (RIP Kobe)."

Vanessa Bryant wrote Monday in an Instagram story directed at Mill: "I am not familiar with any of your music, but I believe you can do better than this. If you are a fan, fine, there’s a better way to show your admiration for my husband. This lacks respect and tact."

Bryant and Gianna Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26, 2020.

Seven others also died in the crash.

The lyrics from the unreleased song leaked last week with Mill rapping in part, "... always tell me that she love but she ain’t ever showed me. ... Yeah, and if I ever lack, I’m goin’ out with my chopper, it be another Kobe."

Mill said on Twitter Tuesday that he personally apologized to Bryant, writing: "I apologized to her in private today, not the public. Nothing I say on my page directed to a internet viral moment or the family of a grieving woman."

Late Monday

WIZARDS 127, LAKERS 124: Bradley Beal scored six of his 33 points on three consecutive possessions late in overtime, and Washington extended their longest winning streak in three years to five straight with a victory over slumping Los Angeles on Monday night. Russell Westbrook scored six of his 32 points in overtime for the Wizards, who rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half.

JAZZ 132, HORNETS 110: Once again, Utah overwhelmed Charlotte with a barrage of 3-pointers. Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz enjoyed another record-breaking performance from long range Monday night in a victory against the Hornets. Utah set a franchise mark for 3s with 28, including 19 off the bench — the most by any team’s backups in NBA history, according to STATS.

SUNS 132, BLAZERS 100: Devin Booker scored 34 points, Deandre Ayton added 19 and Phoenix kept rolling with a win over Portland on Monday night. Booker finished 12 of 17 from the field and hit both his 3-point attempts. He was 8 for 8 at the free throw line.

MAVERICKS 102, GRIZZLIES 92: Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 20 of his 29 points while Dallas built a big first-half lead without much help from Luka Doncic, and the Mavericks returned from a weather-induced break with a victory over Memphis on Monday night. Dallas was playing for the first time in eight days after two postponements because of a wintry weather blast in Texas.

BULLS 120, ROCKETS 100: Coby White scored 24 points, and Chicago used a big third quarter to pull away for a 120-100 win over short-handed Houston on Monday night.

Wire reports