ATLANTA - For the first time in 12 years, the Southeast Division-leading Atlanta Hawks will have two players on the All-Star team, as the NBA announced this evening that guard Joe Johnson and forward/center Al Horford have been named as reserves to the 2010 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star squad. The game takes place on Sunday, February 14 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX, with coverage on TNT beginning at 7 p.m.

“It means a lot to me to be selected as an All-Star again,” Johnson said. “It’s really a tribute to the Atlanta Hawks organization, and my teammates and coaches. I’ve put in a lot of hard work over the years, and over the summers, and it’s always nice to see it pay off.”

Averaging 21.3 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.8 rpg and 1.1 spg (.457 FG%, .349 3FG%, .831 FT%) in 44 starts, Johnson becomes the first Hawk to reach four consecutive All-Star games since Dikembe Mutombo from 1997-2001 (the game wasn’t played in 1999). The ninth-year veteran ranks 11^th in the NBA in ppg, 9^th in FGM (370), t17^th in 3FGM (75), t23^rd in apg, t33^rd in FT% and 18^th in mpg, while leading the team in ppg, apg and 3FGM, and is 2^nd in spg.

“I feel honored to have been selected to the All-Star team,” Horford said. “It’s like a dream come true for me. When you’re playing basketball as a kid, you envision yourself making it to the NBA. And once you make it to this level, you work so hard to get to an All- Star level. It’s just a blessing for me to take part in this game.”

In  his third season, Horford has also started all 44 contests, and is averaging 13.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.2 apg and 1.3 bpg (.575 FG%, .756 FT%). He is 5^th in the NBA in FG%, 13^th in rpg, t15^th in off. rpg (2.7) and 19^th in bpg, while recording 18 double-doubles (t19th in the league). Horford has been a part of All-Star weekend each of the last two years, participating in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam.