Nothing shocking here: Kobe, LeBron lead All-Star ballot early returns
Dec 13, 2012, 2:32 PM EDT
Getty Images We don’t exactly need Nate Silver to break down these voting returns and trends — the players in the lead early in the NBA All-Star balloting almost always stay on top. Occasionally guys close small gaps, but generally what you see now is what you get.
In which case — good job public. No glaring mistakes here.
The league has released the first NBA All-Star Game ballot returns — fan votes choose the five starters for each conference (coaches votes determine the reserves).
When the All-Star Game tips off Feb. 17 in Houston, your likely starters are:
East: Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett.
West: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard.
Not shockingly, LeBron is the leading overall vote getter (641,348) with Kobe 1,929 votes back of him.
While I can argue the merits of Chris Bosh starting over Kevin Garnett — he’s having a much better season — or if Tim Duncan should be on there instead of Dwight Howard (whether Duncan wants it or not) there are no egregious choices. Yet. The most obvious is Jeremy Lin, the Rockets guard who is third in backcourt voting in the West, but fortunately more than 50,000 back of CP3.
But I want to come and personally smack all of you that have voted for Andrew Bynum, Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. Seriously.
Here is the voting as of now — three frontcourt and two backcourt players for each side will start. You can vote online or at games through Jan. 14. So go online on your new tablet and do that on Christmas day rather than listen to your uncle Jerry tell that same story about the time your father broke his leg again.
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
Frontcourt:
1. LeBron James (Mia) 641,348
2. Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 573,112
3. Kevin Garnett (Bos) 218,246
4. Chris Bosh (Mia) 210,724
5. Tyson Chandler (NYK) 151,744
6. Paul Pierce (Bos) 114,735
7. Joakim Noah (Chi) 73,366
8. Josh Smith (Atl) 69,344
9. Andrew Bynum (Phi) 68,596
10. Amar’e Stoudemire (NYK) 64,266
Backcourt:
1. Dwyane Wade (Mia) 430,925
2. Rajon Rondo (Bos) 382,613
3. Deron Williams (BKN) 211,426
4. Kyrie Irving (Cle) 155,989
5. Ray Allen (Mia) 130,016
6. Monta Ellis (Mil) 47,650
7. Raymond Felton (NYK) 37,974
8. Jason Terry (Bos) 36,147
9. Brandon Jennings (Mil) 35,610
10. Jrue Holiday (Phi) 35,193.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Frontcourt:
1. Kevin Durant (OKC) 605,965
2. Dwight Howard (LAL) 434,168
3. Blake Griffin (LAC) 307,855
4. Tim Duncan (SA) 189,577
5. Pau Gasol (LAL) 139,868
6. Kevin Love (Min) 112,922
7. Omer Asik (Hou) 88,178
8. Rudy Gay (Mem) 85,279
9. Serge Ibaka (OKC) 68,285
10. LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 66,290
Backcourt:
1. Kobe Bryant (LAL) 639,419
2. Chris Paul (LAC) 353,603
3. Jeremy Lin (Hou) 298,319
4. James Harden (Hou) 196,108
5. Russell Westbrook (OKC) 143,437
6. Steve Nash (LAL) 118,073
7. Tony Parker (SA) 69,983
8. Ricky Rubio (Min) 54,744
9. Manu Ginobili (SA) 47,800
10. O.J. Mayo (Dal) 36,495.
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