For Arenas, it's a start

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The Hibachi will be cooking next month in Las Vegas.

The NBA announced last night that Gilbert Arenas, snubbed as a reserve last season for the All-Star Game and ultimately placed on the team by Commissioner David Stern, will be a starter.

"It feels great -- my spot is guaranteed!" Arenas said yesterday, barely able to contain himself upon hearing the news. "I don't have to worry about coaches voting for me. They don't have to make tough decisions on me. This is just amazing."

Arenas claimed the starting spot by edging Vince Carter by 3,010 votes, the fourth-closest margin in All-Star Game history. Arenas finished with 1,454,166 votes to Carter's 1,451,146 votes. Two weeks ago Arenas trailed by 214,460 votes.

Last season Arenas, who will be making his third consecutive All-Star Game appearance, wasn't even originally selected as a reserve by the coaches on his way to finishing fourth in the league in scoring (29.3). Stern eventually rectified the situation.

And despite breaking the team's single-game scoring record with 60 points against the Los Angeles Lakers last month, followed by scoring 54 against the Phoenix Suns, Arenas -- the league's player of the month for December -- found himself well behind Carter in the voting.

But Arenas continued playing at a high level in January. And no doubt buzzer-beating jumpers against Milwaukee and Utah -- highlights run over and over again -- helped his cause as Arenas caught and eventually passed Carter.

Ballots were cast both at arenas and via the Internet.

Arenas, 25, will be joined as a starter on the East team by Miami guard Dwyane Wade, Cleveland forward LeBron James, Toronto forward Chris Bosh and Miami center Shaquille O'Neal.

"He's gotten better by leaps and bounds in everything," said Wizards coach Eddie Jordan, adding he still wants Arenas to become a better defender. "But he's gotten better every year in everything. From winning most improved [in 2002-03 with Golden State], to his scoring average to leading a team into the playoffs."