LeBron James should be getting used to sweeps by now.
The Cleveland Cavaliers star was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA first team yesterday, after leading his team to a franchise-best regular-season record and playoff sweeps of the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks.
James was put on the first team on every ballot of 122 sports writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the league. Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant finished second in voting, making the first team on 119 ballots. Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks rounded out the first team.
James was a first-team selection for the second consecutive season after finishing second in the NBA in scoring at 28.4 points and ranking in the top 10 in steals and assists. He led the Cavaliers to a franchise-best 66-16 record, including a 39-2 mark at home, and the team's first top seed in the playoffs.
"It doesn't surprise me at all," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said of James, who in addition to winning MVP, finished second in voting for best defensive player. "It comes with being the MVP. He's proven he can do it all."
The All-NBA second team consisted of New Orleans guard Chris Paul, Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers, Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets center Yao Ming.
The third team has Denver's Chauncey Billups and San Antonio's Tony Parker at guard, Denver's Carmelo Anthony, the Lakers' Pau Gasol and Phoenix's Shaquille O'Neal.
The NBA isn't likely to punish anyone for the things that happened in the Mavericks-Nuggets series, according to an e-mail from league spokesman Tim Frank. Game 3 ended with a 3-pointer by Anthony after officials failed to call a foul on Dallas' Antoine Wright, a decision the league announced was a mistake a few hours later. In Game 4, Anthony received a technical foul for an open-handed swipe at Wright. ... Hundreds of mourners filled a church in Tequesta, Fla., to say farewell to Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly. ... A woman arrested last week at Nowitzki's house has been transferred to a southeast Texas county to face a theft charge.