Most NBA players look forward to going home over the All-Star break, Matt Harpring among them. But Harpring wouldn't mind going home this year for another reason.
   
The All-Star Game will be played in Harpring's hometown of Atlanta next month. And while it seemed unthinkable at the start of the season for a guy with a career scoring average of 10.5 points to merit All-Star consideration, Harpring has changed some minds with his stellar play in a Jazz uniform.
   
A USA Today article last week promoted the Jazz forward's candidacy, citing his presence among the league leaders in field-goal shooting, free-throw shooting and three-point shooting, not to mention his 18-point scoring average. And a foxsports.com column listed Harpring among the "Just Misses" choices for the Western All-Stars, which will be announced next week.
   
Harpring, too, knows that, in a conference with highlight-reel players such as Shawn Marion, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki -- not to mention teammate Karl Malone, who wouldn't mind a 16th summons to All-Star weekend -- his candidacy is a long shot. For one thing, as he pointed out, he wasn't even on the fans' All-Star ballot.

But it's still flattering.