Posted on Fri, May. 09, 2008

NBA NOTEBOOK

NBA Notebook | Bryant, Paul make All-NBA

Associated Press

NEW YORK --

Kobe Bryant added another honor Thursday to go with his MVP award, becoming the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team.

The Lakers star was voted to the first team for the third straight season and sixth time in his career.

Joining Bryant on the first team were New Orleans guard Chris Paul, who was three votes shy of being a unanimous pick, along with Boston's Kevin Garnett, Cleveland's LeBron James and Orlando center Dwight Howard.

Garnett was a first-team pick for the fourth time and James made his second appearance. Paul, a former Wake Forest star, and Howard were first-timers.

Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash of Phoenix were voted to the second team along with San Antonio's Tim Duncan, Utah guard Deron Williams and Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki.

The third team consisted of Houston's Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, Utah's Carlos Boozer, Boston's Paul Pierce and the Spurs' Manu Ginobili.

Elsewhere

CLEVELAND: Forward Ben Wallace left Thursday night's playoff game against Boston in the first quarter, complaining of dizziness.

Wallace went to the locker room 3:40 into the game due to dizziness. He sat on the bench for the second quarter and took some shots during halftime warm-ups, but did not return to the game.

MILWAUKEE: Point guard Mo Williams had surgery to repair ligament damage in his right thumb and is expected to be ready for training camp in October.

NEW JERSEY: Forward Richard Jefferson denied assaulting a man who says Jefferson choked him in a Minneapolis club in January. Speaking on Sirius satellite radio, Jefferson said he was attending a birthday party for teammate Vince Carter in a hotel when he was approached in the hotel bar by an individual he described as intoxicated, "very rude and very disrespectful.

"They were saying there was choking," Jefferson said. "It was more of a getting your space."

• Kiki Vandeweghe became the Nets' general manager, less than six months after being hired as a special assistant to team president Rod Thorn. Vandeweghe replaces Ed Stefanski, who left in midseason to become the 76ers' GM.

SEATTLE: Former Utah Jazz player personnel director Troy Weaver is the SuperSonics' new assistant general manager.

Weaver will replace Scott Perry, who recently returned to the Pistons as vice president of basketball operations.

UTAH: Jazz owner Larry Miller says he won't attend Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals because it's being played on a Sunday.

Miller, a member of the Mormon church, says he won't attend because of religious reasons. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages members to avoid non-religious activities on Sundays.