Bryant, Brand Are All-NBA

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was back on the All-NBA first team after a one-season demotion, and Clippers forward Elton Brand was selected to the second team, the league announced Wednesday.

Bryant received 597 voting points from writers and broadcasters, second only to the 610 received by Cleveland forward LeBron James. Other first-team members were Miami center Shaquille O’Neal, Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki and Phoenix guard Steve Nash, who last week was selected the league’s most valuable player.

Bryant was a third-team selection last season, a downgrade that Lakers Coach Phil Jackson later referred to as a “slap in the face for Kobe.”

Bryant, who averaged a league-best 35.4 points, is now a four-time first-team member. He has made the second team twice.

“I’m more excited to be on first team All-Defense,” Bryant said, referring to an honor he received last week. “I’m really, really pumped about that. The scoring title obviously is cool and being first-team All-NBA is an incredible honor. But All-Defense, it just shows the will to win, to play at both ends.”

Brand made second-team All-NBA after averaging 24.7 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers this season. Other second-team members were San Antonio forward Tim Duncan, Detroit center Ben Wallace, Detroit guard Chauncey Billups and Miami guard Dwyane Wade.

Third-team members were Phoenix forward Shawn Marion, Denver forward Carmelo Anthony, Houston center Yao Ming, Philadelphia guard Allen Iverson and Washington guard Gilbert Arenas.

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All-NBA

Chosen by a panel of 126 writers and broadcasters, who voted for first, second and third teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis (first-place votes are in parentheses):

*--* FIRST TEAM P Player Team Pts F LeBron James Cleveland (116) 610 F Dirk Nowitzki Dallas (105) 584 C Shaquille O’Neal Miami (45) 402 G Kobe Bryant Lakers (110) 597 G Steve Nash Phoenix (106) 583 SECOND TEAM P Player Team Pts F Elton Brand Clippers (15) 309 F Tim Duncan San Antonio (17) 277 C Ben Wallace Detroit (44) 363 G Chauncey Billups Detroit (21) 378 G Dwyane Wade Miami (13) 373 THIRD TEAM P Player Team Pts F Shawn Marion Phoenix (4) 270 F Carmelo Anthony Denver 97 C Yao Ming Houston (30) 261 G Allen Iverson Philadelphia (1) 104 G Gilbert Arenas Washington 79

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Others receiving votes: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota, 94; Tony Parker, San Antonio, 66; Pau Gasol, Memphis, 49; Vince Carter, New Jersey, 47; Paul Pierce, Boston, 29; Jason Kidd, New Jersey, 20; Dwight Howard, Orlando, 11; Marcus Camby, Denver, 9; Richard Hamilton, Detroit, 9; Rasheed Wallace (1), Detroit, 8; Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland, 5; Nenad Krstic, New Jersey, 5; Ray Allen, Seattle, 4; Mehmet Okur, Utah, 4; Michael Redd, Milwaukee, 4; Brad Miller, Sacramento, 3; Joe Johnson, Atlanta, 2; Sam Cassell, Clippers, 2; Mike Bibby, Sacramento, 1; Chris Bosh, Toronto, 1; Boris Diaw, Phoenix, 1; Antawn Jamison, Washington, 1; Andrei Kirilenko, Utah, 1; Chris Kaman; Clippers, 1; Chris Paul, New Orleans, 1.