With Kevin Garnett having missed his seventh straight game on Sunday with an abdominal muscle injury, the NBA has named Wallace to replace him. That makes the Pistons the only NBA team with three All-Star representatives.

Wallace in the past has said he would prefer to not play in the All-Star game in order to spend more time with his family for a rare weekend off during the season, but with Garnett unable to play and the East – already a little thin at the two power positions – in need of another big man, Wallace got the call.

“Just something good for the kids,” Wallace said. “Once I get older or out of the game, they can look back on it and check it out. It’s a prestige honor.”

“It’s a great honor for the team,” Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. “Especially now with his kids getting a little older and to understand what it’s all about … sometimes, it’s as much for the organization and for your family as much as for yourself.

In 47 games heading into Detroit’s game with Charlotte on Sunday night, Wallace is averaging 12.9 points and 7.3 rebounds a game in 31.6 minutes. He’s also averaging 1.6 blocks, 1.36 steals and 1.9 assists per game while shooting .354 from the 3-point arc and .433 overall.

It marks the second time in three seasons that Billups, Hamilton and Wallace will be All-Star teammates. At the 2006 game, four Pistons – Ben Wallace being the other – were All-Stars, the most in franchise history. The last time three Pistons were named to the All-Star team was 16 years ago when Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman were named to the 1992 All-Star team.

Billups and Hamilton will be playing in their third consecutive All-Star game. This will be the fourth All-Star appearance for Wallace. In addition to be being named twice as a Piston, Wallace was named twice to the Western Conference All-Star team in 2000 and 2001 as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.

“We get three guys in it,” Billups said. “I don’t think any other team can say that. It’s a tribute to how well we’ve been playing.”

Hamilton last week was named as one of the six participants in the 3-point contest and Wallace has been aiding him in his preparation following the most recent Pistons practices.

“He’ll be able to go down there and help Rip win that 3-point contest,” Saunders joked.