Sonics’ Allen on All-Star team

Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen has been named a reserve on the 2006 Western Conference All-Star Team, the NBA announced today.

The selection is the sixth of Allen’s career and third straight since joining the Sonics in 2003. Reserve selections were awarded based on voting from each conference’s head coaches.

Allen is currently averaging a career-best 24.8 points per game for the Sonics and his field-goal percentage (.441) and 3-point percentage (.382) are both up from last year’s All-Star campaign.

He also leads the league in 3-pointers made (154) and ranks fourth in free-throw percentage (.902). Allen finished fourth among Western Conference guards in fan balloting, receiving 693,892 votes.

The other Western Conference reserves are guard Tony Parker of San Antonio, and forwards Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas, the Clippers’ Elton Brand, Memphis’ Pau Gasol, Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett and the Suns’ Shawn Marion.

Detroit had four players picked to the Eastern Conference team as reserves.

Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace all were picked for the team that will be led by Detroit coach Flip Saunders.

Joining the Pistons on the East team for the Feb. 19 game in Houston will be Toronto’s Chris Bosh, Boston’s Paul Pierce and Vince Carter of New Jersey.

Mavericks 112, Heat 76: At Dallas, Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki combined for five 3-pointers in a game-clinching third quarter as Dallas won its 13th straight – one short of the team record.

Kings 98, Bulls 80: At Sacramento, Kevin Martin scored 20 of his 23 points in the first half for Sacramento.

Around the league

Cleveland guard Larry Hughes will be out longer than expected because his broken finger hasn’t healed as quickly as the team had hoped. The team does not have an expected return date for Hughes, 26, who was averaging 16.2 points and 3.9 assists. … The Houston Rockets acquired guard Keith Bogans from the Charlotte Bobcats for forward Lonny Baxter.