2009-10 Early All-Star Voting

December 14, 2009

Bet at 5dimes

Five of the NBA’s top six scorers are in position to start the 2010 All-Star game at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on February 14th.   Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, the league’s top scorers, pace the Western Conference voting, while LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, fourth and fifth, lead everyone out East. (See the complete totals in the official release.)

Bryant is the overall leader with 692,518 votes. The three-time All-Star MVP is averaging 28.8 points a game for the defending champion Lakers, who own the league’s best record. One of the few early surprises: Tracy McGrady (281,545) is second among guards in the voting, in line for a starting spot. The injured Houston swingman is a seven-time All-Star, but has yet to play a game this season.

Assists leader Steve Nash (272,135) of the Suns is currently sitting in third. Nash is a two-time MVP, but he didn’t make the All-Star team last season in Phoenix. Chris Paul (Hornets) and Jason Kidd (Mavericks) — second and fifth in assists, respectively — are the only other guards with more than 200,000 votes. Deron Williams (Jazz) is third in assists, but 10th in voting.

Amar’e Stoudemire (Suns) has a healthy lead of nearly 150,000 votes over Andrew Bynum (Lakers) to be the starting center for the West. Chris Kaman (Clippers) is having one of the better seasons for West centers, averaging 18.7 and 8.5 rebounds, but he wasn’t even on the ballot and didn’t grab enough write-in votes to appear among the leaders.

Anthony leads West forwards in votes (588,958) and the league in scoring (29.8). Anthony has been voted the starter once in his career (2008) and appears well on his way to a second selection.  Dirk Nowitzki (Mavs) is second at the forward spot with 366,300 votes. The 2007 MVP is an eight-time All-Star, but he’s never been voted a starter.

Tim Duncan (Spurs) has been the West standard bearer at forward for a decade, with 10 All-Star starts in 11 appearances. Duncan is currently fourth, trailing Anthony, Nowitzki and Pau Gasol of the Lakers. Kevin Durant (Thunder) is third in scoring overall, but just fifth in voting among forwards.

In the Eastern Conference, the trio of James, Wade and Dwight Howard might as well book their tickets to Dallas. James, a five-time starter representing the Cavaliers, has 649,327 votes to top all East forwards. Kevin Garnett (Celtics) is second with a respectable total of 533,187. Chris Bosh (Raptors) is the next on the list at 303,550.

The East backcourt is currently led by Wade (Heat) and the Magic’s Vince Carter, who’s tallied 292,002 votes. Carter may have five All-Star starts under his belt, but a sixth won’t be a slam dunk. Gilbert Arenas (Wizards), Ray Allen (Celtics) and Derrick Rose (Bulls) are all around 200,000 votes. And don’t forget Allen Iverson, who’s in sixth place. Iverson has made very All-Star game since the 2000 game in Oakland, Calif.

Howard (Magic) is running away with the East vote at center with 625,279, more than doubling perennial All-Star scene-stealer Shaquille O’Neal of the Cavs.

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:

Filed Under News