Deng, Noah picked for NBA All-Star team

Deng, Noah picked for NBA All-Star team

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The Chicago Bulls will be sending two players to the NBA All-Star game in Houston.

Bulls center Joakim Noah and forward Luol Deng will be lining up on the court next month alongside the rest of the Eastern Conference team. Both players are reserve picks for the squad, spots voted in by coaches from each conference.

This is Noah’s first All-Star game. This season, his sixth season the Chicago Bulls, Noah’s averaging 12.2 points, 4 assists and 2.08 blocks, all career highs. He’s also shooting .453 from the field and .769 from the free throw line, according to the Bulls.

In a statement Noah says the selection is more of a team honor than an individual one, as it couldn’t have been possible without his teammates and coaches.

Forward Luol Deng isn’t new to the All-Star squad, he came off the bench in last year’s game in Orlando. This is his ninth season with the Bulls, and he’s averaging 17.4 points per game — a team-high —6.4 rebounds and 3 assists per game. 

This is the seventh time that two or more Chicago players join the All-Star ranks in the same year. Alongside Deng last year was star point-guard Derrick Rose. Rose has been sidelined all season with a knee injury, but Bulls officials this week said he could be running full-contact drills in practice soon. 

The 62nd NBA All Star Game will be played on February 17.