NBA: Heat guard Dragic gets All-Star call in place of Love

Miami Heat’s Goran Dragic (7), from Slovenia, drives past Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dwyane Wade (9) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 91-89. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic will replace injured Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love in the NBA All-Star Game.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver named Dragic to replace love on Team LeBron — the team captained by Cavs superstar LeBron James in the new-format exhibition.

They will be taking on a team captained by Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry in the All-Star Game in Los Angeles on February 18.

The two captains picked their own teams in a first for the All-Star Game, which has previously been played in an Eastern Conference v Western Conference format.

With its first All-Star nod, Dragic becomes the first player from Slovenia to earn the honor.

The 10-year veteran is averaging team highs of 17.0 points and 4.8 assists per game for the Heat, who owns the fourth-best record in the East.

Love, a five-time All-Star, will be sidelined after breaking his left hand in a loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. /kga