The NBA announced today that Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have been voted by the fans into the starting lineup for the Western Conference for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. It is the first time since moving to Los Angeles in 1984 that the Clippers have had a starter in the All-Star Game.

After playing in the All-Star Game as a reserve last season, Griffin was selected by the fans to his first All-Star start. This is the fifth All-Star selection for Paul, who has played for the West in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The last Clippers player to start an All-Star Game was World B. Free of the San Diego Clippers in 1980, and the last time the franchise had two players on the All-Star team was when the 1976 Buffalo Braves placed Randy Smith and Bob McAdoo in the starting lineup. The Clippers franchise has now been represented in the All-Star Game a total of 19 times by 11 different players (Chris Paul - 2012, Blake Griffin - 2011, 2012, Chris Kaman - 2010, Elton Brand - 2002, 2006, Danny Manning - 1993,1994, Marques Johnson - 1986, Norm Nixon - 1985, World B. Free - 1980, Randy Smith - 1976, 1978, Bob McAdoo - 1974, 1975, 1976 and Bob Kauffman - 1971, 1972, 1973).

Griffin leads the Clippers with 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game and is ninth in the NBA in scoring and fifth in rebounding. Paul is second in the NBA in assists per game and first in steals while averaging 19.2 points and 9.1 assists per game.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 5 p.m. PT on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at the Amway Center on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

Paul was second in voting for Western Conference guards with 1,138,743 votes behind the Lakers Kobe Bryant and Griffin (876,451) was second in votes for forwards behind Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant.

2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint allowed fans around the world the opportunity to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Fans were able cast their votes as part of this season’s all-digital program, including in 16 languages on NBA.com or by visiting m.NBA.com on any wireless carrier. Fans also had the option to vote through mobile phones. Sprint customers in the U.S. were also able to access the ballot and vote through the new “Sprint NBA Mobile” application, the most comprehensive app in the marketplace for NBA fans. All-Star Balloting also included expanded SMS voting, allowing fans in the U.S. and Canada to vote for 10 different players per day.

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