Pierce a Star, Allen a snub

NBA. Paul Pierce will join teammate Kevin Garnett and his Celtics coaching staff at the All-Star Game in New Orleans.

But Ray Allen will not.

Last night, Pierce was selected as a reserve to the Eastern Conference team based on a poll by the league coaches. Allen, by most accounts, was one of the first snubs.

“It would be fun,” Pierce said of playing in the Feb. 17 All-Star Game before learning his fate. “[The] All-Star [Game] is always fun, getting a chance to be around your peers and being recognized for what you’ve done throughout the beginning of the year. If I had an opportunity to make it, that would be great. If not, I’m more interested in having a bigger goal with this team that I’m playing on right now than making the All-Star Game.”

Pierce, of course, was speaking of winning the NBA championship. Because the C’s entered last night’s game again-st the Mavericks with a league-best 35-8 record, Doc Rivers and his assistants will lead the Eastern Conference from the sidelines.

“He’s been a great coach since he entered the league,” Pierce said of Riv-ers. “He’s finally got an opportunity where he can coach some veterans, and he’s showing what he can do. I think he is one of the more underrated coaches in the league.”

Garnett was selected as a starter last week after it was announced he earned the most votes in the fan balloting.