"Spurs coach Gregg Popovich vows he is "not going to coach a lick" once he gets to Los Angeles for Sunday's All-Star Game. On Thursday, he made the one and only significant decision he'll have to make on the Western Conference squad.

Given the prerogative of choosing an injury replacement for Houston's Yao Ming as starting center, Popovich has opted to go with a name he's been writing into his starting lineup for 13-plus seasons: Tim Duncan.

By earning the nod over L.A. hometown favorite Pau Gasol, Duncan will extend his streak of All-Star starts to 12 consecutive seasons by technicality.

"I think it's totally appropriate and obvious he should be the starter," Popovich said before the Spurs' 109-99 loss to Chicago. "I don't have any problem with it."

Apparently, Duncan will have no problem being called a center, and not a power forward, in this particular instance.

Entering Thursday, Duncan is averaging career lows in scoring (13.4 points), rebounding (9.2) and minutes (28.7), and finished fifth in fan balloting among Western Conference forwards. It marked the first time since 1998 he wasn't voted a starter.

Instead, Duncan was named a starter by a committee of one. Popovich's vote is the only one that counted.

Duncan called the starting bid "a great honor."

"I didn't expect to be there this year, and I definitely didn't expect to start," Duncan said. "Year in and year out, I continue to be on the starting squad. I don't know why I'm there."

Manu Ginobili, the Spurs' other All-Star this season, unsurprisingly agreed with Popovich's decision.

"If there's someone who deserves that spot, it's TD," Ginobili said."