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Fans vote Kobe to start in All-Star gameNEW YORK (AP) Kobe Bryant was selected to start in the NBA All-Star game, voted in by fans despite a sexual assault charge. The Los Angeles Lakers star led Western Conference guards with 1,759,717 votes in final results released Thursday, fourth among all players. He was picked to start in front of his hometown fans at Staples Center on Feb. 15 in the 53rd NBA All-Star game. Bryant's teammate, Shaquille O'Neal, was beaten out for the second straight year by Houston's Yao Ming. The Chinese center edged O'Neal by less than 32,000 votes. ``That's cool,'' O'Neal said. ``Where he's from there are 2 trillion people.'' But it was O'Neal who got more electronic votes from fans around the world, while Yao had the advantage in paper ballots available in the United States and Canada. Joining Bryant and Yao on the Western Conference squad were Rockets guard Steve Francis, San Antonio forward Tim Duncan and Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett, last year's All-Star game MVP. Toronto Raptors forward Vince Carter led all players with 2,127,183 votes. It's the fourth time he's finished first in the voting, tied for second all-time with Julius Erving. Michael Jordan holds the record with nine. Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal will be the other starting forward for the Eastern Conference. The center is Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons, and the guards are Philadelphia's Allen Iverson and Orlando's Tracy McGrady. Bryant is charged with sexual assault for allegedly raping a 19-year-old employee at a Colorado resort during the offseason. He faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation if convicted of felony sexual assault. Bryant, 25, says the two had consensual sex. It's been a tough season for Bryant on the court as well. He leads Los Angeles in scoring at 21.7 points per game, but he missed six games because of a sprained right shoulder and has heard plenty of boos on the road, where the Lakers are 7-12. The 29 head coaches will vote for the reserves in their respective conferences. Those results will be announced Feb. 3. Indiana's Rick Carlisle will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars. Flip Saunders of the Minnesota Timberwolves will lead the West. General Basketball, Los Angeles Lakers Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Bryant placed on injured list because of cut on right index fingerEL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) Lakers star Kobe Bryant was placed on the injured list Friday because of a severe cut on his right index finger that will keep him out of action for at least a week. The Lakers said Bryant needed nine to 10 stitches to close the wound. He was injured Thursday when he accidentally put his hand through a glass window while trying to move some boxes which were in storage in his garage, the team said. Bryant will be eligible to return Feb. 8 when the Lakers play at Orlando in the fifth game of a seven-game road trip leading up to the All-Star break. Bryant played two games after missing six because of a sprained right shoulder that clearly bothered him during Wednesday night's 96-82 victory over Seattle. Bryant was going to have to miss Monday night's game at Indiana to attend a two-day hearing related to his sexual assault case in Eagle, Colo. He has been charged with allegedly raping a 19-year-old hotel employee last summer and faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation if convicted of felony sexual assault. He says the two had consensual sex. The Lakers said Bryant will meet the team in Cleveland and be re-evaluated at that time. They play the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Bryant is averaging 21.7 points to rank ninth in the NBA along with 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He was voted into the starting lineup for the Western Conference in the All-Star game, to be played Feb. 15 at Staples Center. The Lakers didn't immediately replace Bryant on their active roster. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Jazz fined for mock phone call during Jazz gameSALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Utah Jazz were fined by the NBA for a mock phone call that made fun of Karl Malone and teammate Kobe Bryant during a timeout of the Los Angeles Lakers' game at Utah last week. Jazz president Dennis Haslam confirmed Friday that the team had been fined, but would not confirm reports that it was $15,000. The NBA did not return a phone call seeking comment. ``There's really not a lot to say. We had an incident, we sent an apology and the NBA has fined us,'' Haslam said Friday. During a timeout during the game last Saturday, Jazz mascot ``Bear'' answered a fake call that was broadcast over the loudspeakers. The caller imitated Malone's voice and identified himself as ``Mail,'' saying he wanted to come ``home,'' L.A. fans were ``mean'' to him and the Lakers don't pass him the ball. The call ended with the impersonated voice saying, ``I guess it could be worse. I could be Ko...,'' stopping short of saying Kobe. Bryant had spent the previous day in Colorado, where he's facing a trial on a sexual assault charge. Malone, who did not attend the game, was offended that the Jazz alluded to Bryant's sexual assault case in part of a joke. ``For them to put that out there about him, that's disrespectful,'' Malone said before the Lakers' home game against Seattle on Wednesday night. ``I will never, ever forgive them for this. No class at all.'' Malone, who played 18 seasons with the Jazz, is on the injured list and did not return to Salt Lake City for his first game as a Utah opponent. Jazz spokesman Kim Turner, who also would not confirm the amount of the fine on Friday, said Malone's comments were the first negative feedback he had heard about the skit since the game. ``The Utah Jazz have extended an apology to the Los Angeles Lakers organization,'' Turner said Thursday, without elaborating. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Lakers Jan 2004 Archive
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