NEW YORK -- Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni will lead Team Steph in the NBA All-Star Game.
D'Antoni and his staff earned coaching honors on Friday, when the Rockets clinched the best winning percentage in the Western Conference through games of Feb. 4 among eligible coaches. Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is ineligible because he coached in the All-Star Game last year.
D'Antoni has led the Rockets to a 34-13 record, second in the league to Golden State's 39-10.
The 2017 NBA Coach of the Year will be coaching in the All-Star Game for the second time, after having led the West to a rout in 2007 in Las Vegas when he coached the Phoenix Suns.
The NBA has gone to a new format this year, in which captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry drafted teams. D'Antoni will coach Curry's team on Feb. 18 in Los Angeles, while the East coach will be in charge of Team LeBron. Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey has the inside track there, with the Boston Celtics' Brad Stevens ineligible after coaching the East All-Stars last year.
