DeMarcus Cousins is going to the All-Star game, after all.NBA Commissioner Adam Silver selected the Sacramento Kings centre to replace injured Lakers star Kobe Bryant on the Western Conference All-Star team Friday.Silvers choice leaves Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard as the games biggest snub. Lillard could still be picked if another player drops out before the Feb. 15 game at New Yorks Madison Square Garden.Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who is leading the West, will decide who replaces Bryant in the starting lineup. Kerr will choose from a roster that includes Houstons James Harden and Golden States Klay Thompson.Cousins is headed to the All-Star game for the first time in his five-year career. He becomes Sacramentos first All-Star since Brad Miller and Peja Stojakovic in 2004.Im extremely excited to play in my first All-Star game, Cousins said. I appreciate the recognition and want to also thank my teammates and the fans for their support throughout the season. Representing the Kings and the city of Sacramento is a great honour.Last season, Cousins was passed over as an injury replacement — also for Bryant. New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis was chosen instead. Cousins had better traditional statistics, while Davis defensive numbers and efficiency ratings ranked higher. It also didnt hurt that New Orleans hosted the event.Portland already had an All-Star this time in forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was picked by the coaches as a reserve. Sacramento wouldve had no representation at All-Star weekend if Cousins hadnt been selected. That may have helped his campaign over Lillard, who made the All-Star team last season.Everyone in the Kings organization is thrilled for DeMarcus and happy that his diligence and commitment to becoming the best player he can be has been recognized, Kings general manager Pete DAlessandro said.Cousins entered Friday nights contest at Cleveland fifth in the NBA in scoring (23.8 points) and third in rebounding (12.3) per game, both career highs. He also was averaging career-bests of 3.2 assists and 1.6 blocks.The biggest thing hurting Cousins cause — besides the competition — was his teams worsening record.After starting 9-5 this season, the Kings (16-28) have collapsed since Cousins came down with viral meningitis in late November. They went 2-8 during his sick leave — which coincided with Michael Malones stunning firing as coach — and have failed to pick up the pieces under short-term replacement Tyrone Corbin.Lillard began Friday averaging 21.8 points, 6.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds. The Northwest Division-leading Blazers (32-14) were tied for the third-best record in the difficult Western Conference.___Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAPWholesale Seattle Seahawks Jerseys . Patrick Deslisle-Houde and David Rose each scored in the second to give the fourth-seeded Redmen a 3-1 lead after Jean-Philippe Mathieu scored in the first. D.K. Metcalf Jersey . His fellow Finn, 21 years his junior, had just arrived in Anaheim and was hoping to stick with the Ducks. http://www.cheapseahawksjerseysauthentic.com/. Not Peyton Manning. Hes holding on to the heartache to stoke his competitive fire. Steve Largent Jersey . First, Ivan Nova decided to have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery. Then Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games for using pine tar. Cheap Seahawks Jerseys . The light-heavyweight champion and number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world is on an 11-fight UFC winning streak, the longest in the history of the weight class.Nottinghamshire and England batsman James Taylor has been forced to retire because of a serious heart condition. Scans on Monday revealed the 26-year-old is suffering from ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Arrhythmia), a similar condition to that suffered by former footballer Fabrice Muamba, and he will undergo surgery in the coming days. James Taylor wrote on Instagram it had been the toughest week of his life Taylor, who originally withdrew from last weeks fixture against Cambridge MCCU with what was believed to be a viral condition, tweeted on Tuesday morning, writing: Safe to say this has been the toughest week of my life! My world is upside down. But Im here to stay and Im battling on! #lifestooshortLater on Tuesday, he tweeted: Absolutely overwhelmed with all the support Ive received. You dont understand how much it means to me and how much it helps! Thank you!Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell told the clubs official website: Myself and all of James teammates & colleagues are terribly sad to hear this news, which comes as a big shock to us all.He is a model professional, the most hard working Ive ever known in cricket, making it all the more difficult to accept that his career has been cut short in this way.It goes without saying that he has the very best wishes of us all in terms of recovering from his operation, and that we are looking forward to seeing him back at Trent Bridge when he is fit and able. Taylor was part of Englands successful tour of South Africa over the winter Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, Newell added: His reaction is obviously devastation that all hes wanted to do since he was a little kid has been taken away from him now, although the realisation that he is still alive and can have a full and healthy life has tempered that to some extent, because his general all-round fitness has helped him on this occasion and possibly saved him from a worse fate.Muamba, whose heart stopped for 78 minutes after collapsing at White Hart Lane while playing for Bolton against Tottenham in 2012, tweeted Taylor his best wishes on Tuesday, writing: having life is a great option. Retirement is inevitable but for some of us its just earlier than expected. Enjoy life. Mick Newell, Nottinghamshires director of cricket, says the news of James Taylors retirement has shocked everybody at the club England Team Director Andrew Strauss added: It is both shocking and saddening to hear that James career has been cut short in such a sudden and unexpected manner.dddddddddddd.Throughout his career, he has constantly impressed with his determination to make the absolute most of his ability, and it is immensely cruel that such a hard working player will be unable to fulfil his great potential in the international arena. Taylor made 27 ODI appearances for England, scoring 887 runs The ECB will work closely with Nottinghamshire and together we will do everything possible to help James through this difficult period, and aid him in his recovery.Taylor, who began his professional career with Leicestershire before moving to Trent Bridge five years ago, scored more than 9,000 first-class runs at an average above 46, and hit 20 centuries. Social media reaction to James Taylors forced retirement from cricket His 27 one-day international appearances for England yielded 887 runs at an average of 42.23.He made his Test