Al Horford selected to All-Star game as reserve

LOS ANGELES -- Al Horford will be making a return visit to Los Angeles next month.

The 31-year-old big man was elected to his fifth All-Star game on Tuesday evening. He'll be joined by six other reserves in the Eastern Conference including Kyle Lowry, Bradley Beal, Victor Oladipo, Kevin Love, John Wall and Kristaps Porzingis. Those players will be put into a draft pool to be selected by All-Star captains Steph Curry and LeBron James in the coming days.

Horford has averaged 13.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and a career-high 5.3 assists for the East-leading Celtics. He's also shooting a career-high 43 percent from 3-point range.

Kyrie Irving will be joining Horford in Los Angeles as an All-Star starter and the point guard made the case for Horford as an All-Star at Tuesday's shootaround.

"I mean, it's just some of the reasons why they put people in varies," Irving said. "But I feel like rewarding winning is always the optimum thing. I feel for that and also the impact that he makes for our team to be successful. Those two cases right there. He's a big part of our team and in order for us to be No. 1 East -- and hopefully to sustain that spot. For us, we understand how valuable he is. The Celtics organization, our team, and all of us value that. He definitely has a case. He has my vote."