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Max Becherer/Associated Press
Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are teammates again. Gordon Hayward, DeAndre Jordan and Kemba Walker are about to make their first appearances on the All-Star stage.
Conversely, Dwyane Wade’s run of 12 straight selections in the N.B.A.’s midseason showcase is on the cusp of ending.
Oklahoma City’s Westbrook — the N.B.A.’s scoring leader and a triple-double machine — was among 14 reserves selected by the league’s coaches for the All-Star Game, to be played in New Orleans on Feb. 19. Westbrook, the two-time reigning All-Star most valuable player, entered Thursday averaging 30.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game.
“There’s no question in my mind that he should be starting,” Thunder Coach Billy Donovan said Thursday night. “However, I understand that there’s certain things that have to do with who does start.”
The selection will reunite Westbrook on the Western Conference squad with his former…
