Bryant Receives Another Honor

After a one-year absence, Kobe Bryant returned to the NBA all-defensive team.

The Laker All-Star was one of six players selected to the first team in a vote of the league’s 30 head coaches, the NBA announced Thursday. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

Bryant received the same number of votes as New Jersey guard Jason Kidd, so both made the first team.

The four other first-team players are Detroit center Ben Wallace, San Antonio forward-guard Bruce Bowen, Sacramento forward Ron Artest and Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko.

Bowen was the leading vote-getter, with 55 points -- one more than Wallace -- in making the team for the sixth consecutive season.

Wallace was selected to the first team for the fifth consecutive season. He recently was chosen as the league’s top defensive player for the fourth time in five years.

Bryant struggled defensively last season and was left off the team for the first time since 1999.

He was ninth in the league in steals this season, with 1.8 a game.

-- Mike Bresnahan

*

Cleveland Cavalier guard Larry Hughes left the team to be with his family in St. Louis after the death of his brother.

Justin Hughes, 20, died early Thursday, Cavalier General Manager Danny Ferry said in a statement. Justin Hughes was born with a heart defect and had a heart transplant 10 years ago.

No timetable has been set on Larry Hughes’ return to the team.

Cleveland trails Detroit, 2-0, in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 3 is Saturday at Cleveland.

“Right now, basketball should be the furthest thing from his mind,” teammate Damon Jones said.

“He has to be there for his family. They’re going through a trying time right now. If he’s able to get back, that’s good. if he’s not, were going to continue to keep him in spirit in our hearts.”