Karl Malone is back in the NBA All-Star Game.
   
Rusty LaRue is back in the NBA.
   
The league announced Tuesday that Malone was one of seven players voted onto the All-Star team by the 14 Western Conference head coaches. For the 14th time in his 18-year career, Malone will represent the Jazz in the All-Star Game, Feb. 10 at Philadelphia.
   
Meanwhile, the Jazz announced that LaRue had passed a physical, signed a 10-day contract and would be in uniform tonight when Utah faces the Chicago Bulls at the Delta Center. A spot on the 12-man roster opened for LaRue when the Jazz placed John Crotty on the injured list because of tendinitis in his left knee.
   
Through 45 games this season, Malone averages 23.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and four assists in 38.3 minutes. He is shooting 46.1 percent from the field, which would be a career low. But he is also shooting 80.7 percent from the free-throw line, which would be a career high.
   
Those numbers earned him another All-Star appearance -- even though he finished seventh among the Western Conference forwards in the fans' vote to pick the starters.
   
"It's a great honor, to be picked by the coaches," Malone said. "I'm 38 years old and it's pretty neat knowing they still respect your game and you're still a topic in their locker room when they talk about their defenses."