HAWKS REPORT

> ALL-STAR SNUBS? Hawks captain Joe Johnson couldn’t find anything wrong with the seven players chosen as reserves for the Eastern Conference All-Star team. And since he was one of them, becoming the first Hawks player since Dominique Wilkins to be named to three consecutive All-Star teams, his approval was no surprise. Hawks coach Mike Woodson, however, said there were players with the legitimate gripes for not being selected, including Hawks point guard Mike Bibby. “I think they all deserved to be there, but there were some guys that didn’t make it that deserved to be there, like Ray Allen and Mo Williams and even my guy, Mike Bibby,” Woodson said. “But I don’t think you’ve heard anything come out of the Celtics camp because they’re only concerned about one thing, and that’s winning another title. The fact is they can only take 12 [players] for the All-Star team, and some guys are always going to be left out.”

> HORFORD GETTING CLOSER: Center Al Horford missed his 11th consecutive game Friday night, recovering from the bone bruise in his right knee injured Jan. 9 at Orlando. He’s on the way back, though. Woodson said that Horford’s return to action could come as soon Wednesday’s game in Minnesota. “We’re going to step it up [Saturday] in terms of running,” Woodson said before Friday’s game against New Jersey at Philips Arena. “Come Monday, and depending how things go on Sunday, he’ll get a chance to go through a full practice. And if not Monday, he’ll for sure be out there Tuesday. A lot of it depends on how he feels the next few days after working out and how he responds to the increased activity.” The Hawks are 4-6, before Friday’s game, without Horford.