Klay Thompson a first-time All-Star

ByMARC STEIN
January 29, 2015, 7:29 PM

— -- Golden State's Klay Thompson, Chicago's Jimmy Butler and Atlanta's Jeff Teague ?are first-time NBA All-Stars after being selected by coaches in their respective conferences.

The league announced Thursday night that Teague is one of three members of the 38-8 Atlanta Hawks to make the Eastern Conference squad alongside teammates Al Horford and Paul Millsap. It's the first trio of Hawks All-Stars since John Drew, Eddie Johnson and Dan Roundfield in 1980.

"We love for our players to have success and for our players to be appreciated," said Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer, who will coach the East. "Yeah, there's a sense of pride. They work really hard. They do a lot of things we appreciate. If other people are appreciating them, that's a good thing."

Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins -- one of just three players in the league averaging better than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game alongside West starter Anthony Davis and reserve LaMarcus Aldridge -- and Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard were the most prominent players snubbed by the coaches in the packed West.

The Portland Police took to Twitter to support Lillard.

Aldridge, San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant earned frontcourt spots ahead of Cousins, with Durant, as the league's reigning MVP, getting the nod from West coaches ?despite playing in only 21 of the Thunder's first 46 games this season because of injuries.

"I love Kevin Durant, but he hasn't played enough games," TNT's Charles Barkley said. "This isn't a lifetime achievement award. Lillard is having a terrific year."

Houston's James Harden, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul also are West reserves.

The season-ending shoulder injury suffered by the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant means NBA commissioner Adam Silver will be charged with choosing Bryant's replacement. Western Conference coach Steve Kerr will have the right to choose who starts in Bryant's place, with Harden and Thompson believed to be in pole position to step in.

The Bulls' Butler said it was an honor to be named to his first All-Star team.

"I think everybody would love to make the All-Star team in their career," he said. "I feel like I've come a long way since I started here, since I started playing basketball, but I guess you could say that that's one thing that you would want as a kid growing up is to be in this league and to be an All-Star at that."

Joining Horford, Millsap, Teague and Butler as Eastern Conference reserves are Cleveland's Kyrie Irving and the Miami duo of Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.

Yet, with the Heat announcing Thursday that Wade is "out indefinitely" because of a hamstring problem, it's likely that Silver will also have to select a replacement for him in the East.

As it stands, Cousins and Lillard are joined on the list of prominent snubs in the West by the Memphis duo of Zach Randolph and Mike Conley, Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler, Houston's Dwight Howard, San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan.

West starter Marc Gasol said he thought teammates Conley and Randolph should have both been chosen.

"We're the second-best team in the West. I feel like us being there, both (should be there) because they are a huge part of what we do," Gasol said. "All-Stars should be about winning and telling guys that's how you play. You play well on a winning team, you're supposed to be there."

Prominent snubs in the East include Atlanta's Kyle Korver, Orlando's Nikola Vucevic, Cleveland's Kevin Love, Charlotte's Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, Detroit's Greg Monroe and Brandon Jennings, Washington's Marcin Gortat and Milwaukee's Brandon Knight.

Head coaches in each conference had to vote for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players regardless of position. They couldn't vote for players on their own teams.

The All-Star Game starters were announced last week after fan voting.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.