Latest All-Star Voting Returns

[Andrew]

A Few Changes In New All-Star Voting Returns

Eastern Conference

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 1,259,764; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 905,506; Yi Jianlian (NJ) 762,162; Chris Bosh (Tor) 500,700; Paul Pierce (Bos) 313,474; Shawn Marion (Mia) 210,040; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 137,035; Danny Granger (Ind) 116,238; Josh Smith (Atl) 110,186; Michael Beasley (Mia) 100,257; Tayshaun Prince (Det) 98,262.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,229,858; Allen Iverson (Det) 858,469; Vince Carter (NJ) 600,087; Ray Allen (Bos) 354,642; Devin Harris (NJ) 267,504; Gilbert Arenas (Wash) 205,223; Derrick Rose (Chi) 203,687; Luke Ridnour (Mil) 197,933; Jose Calderon (Tor) 193,715; Jameer Nelson (Orl) 174,081; Joe Johnson (Atl) 162,772.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,421,882; Samuel Dalembert (Phi) 232,733; Rasheed Wallace (Det) 163,279; Jermaine O’Neal (Tor) 147,534; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 112,708; Al Horford (Atl) 107,118; Ben Wallace (Clev) 89,809; Emeka Okafor (Char) 69,015; Zyrdrunas Ilgauskas (Cle) 60,970; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 54,772; Brendan Haywood (Wash) 28,182.

Western Conference

Forwards: Tim Duncan (SA) 903,311; Amare Stoudemire (Pho) 626,796; Carmelo Anthony (Den) 602,457; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 553,611; Ron Artest (Hou) 509,717; Pau Gasol (LAL) 424,135; Shane Battier (Hou) 292,287; Bruce Bowen (SA) 286,923; Josh Howard (Dal) 209,802; Luis Scola (Hou) 181,253; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 145,857.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,280,912; Tracy McGrady (746,098); Chris Paul (NO) 725,251; Manu Ginobili (SA) 386,846; Tony Parker (SA) 358,107; Jason Kidd (Dal) 299,107; Steve Nash (Pho) 281,909; Jason Terry (Dal) 226,754; Rafer Alston (Hou) 211,017; Brandon Roy (Por) 174,244; Chauncey Billups (Den) 170,645.

Centers: Yao Ming (Hou) 1,114,709; Shaquille O’Neal (Pho) 546,583; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 259,331; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 235,292; Greg Oden (Por) 144,650; Andris Biedrins (GS) 101,115; Al Jefferson (Minn) 86,296; Tyson Chandler (NO) 85,452; Nick Collison (OKC) 67,338; Marcus Camby (LAC) 49,235; Chris Kaman (LAC) 19,415.

That would result in the following starting fives:

East

C: Dwight Howard
F: Kevin Garnett
F: LeBron James
G: Dwyane Wade
G: Allen Iverson

West

C: Yao Ming
F: Tim Duncan
F: Amare Stoudemire
G: Tracy McGrady
G: Kobe Bryant

T-Mac's leap ahead of Chris Paul only places him about 21000 votes ahead though so that could easily change. I think Yi's votes will continue to draw the most attention but he still trails KG by about 140,000 votes, I still think KG's popularity will win out there. I don't think anyone's pulling ahead of LeBron, Howard, Wade, Kobe, Duncan or Yao at their respective positions. Melo's within 25,000 votes of Amare so he could pull ahead of him before voting closes.

[Clueminati017]

Hedo > Yi....

If Granger, Pierce, Bosh, Marion, Hedo, Tayshaun, & Smith gets snubbed by the talented so-called "Chinese Version of Allen Iverson". I can't believe in NY I had the odassity to say this guy may be doing something where he was one of the biggest names coming out of China. Stern needs to do away the fan All Star voting. No offense to the country of China, and the civilians scattered around in different countries. He's not a All Star.

[Andrew]

The idea of fan voting isn't bad in theory, the All-Star game is as much about the fans as it is an honour for the players because we get to see these "dream" lineups and (in theory) the best of the best going head-to-head. Normally I'm in favour of fan voting because there usually aren't too many players that get voted in who could not in any way be considered All-Stars but if Yi gets in then I'd agree you've got to consider making a change because there's no way he can fairly be considered an All-Star at this point of his career.

I think you need to keep some level of fan interaction because it's such a fan orientated event, so maybe they could have the fan voting contribute to the selection process rather than outright deciding the starting five. Alternatively, the coaches could be given the right to make changes to the starting five if they feel it's appropriate or it could be something that the coaches could vote on after the fan voting has finished. Or maybe fan voting would simply pick five of the players on each side and then it's up to the coach and selected All-Stars to decide who has the honour of starting. That way, someone like Yi could come off the bench, get in the game for five minutes or whatever so that everyone who wanted to see him in the game gets to see him play, and the players deemed most deserving get to start and play the most minutes.

Alternatively you could prepare the ballot a month into the season and limit the selection to the best performers, perhaps with some exceptions made for perennial All-Stars (or at least players who were selected the previous season) and don't allow any write-ins. That way you're more likely to have a selection of players that a majority of fans would like to see. It does potentially take away the ability to vote for your favourite player but if preserving the integrity and a certain All-Star "standard" is the aim then that's a pretty fair way of doing it.

Of course, you could just scrap fan voting altogether but as I said I think that interaction needs to be there because All-Star Weekend is something that's for the fans.

[Oskar]

The most funny thing ? Gilbert Arenas being 6th in the Eastern guards, in front of Rose, Calderon, etc. Unbelieveble.

[Valor]

The most funny thing ? Gilbert Arenas being 6th in the Eastern guards, in front of Rose, Calderon, etc. Unbelieveble.

why is Arenas in front of a rookie, and a crap player unbelievable? he is an all star caliber player..

[Oskar]

I don't usually say that, but LOL ! Arenas hasn't played a single game this year, and is in front of an excellent rookie and the best PG in the East ? Do you do anything else besides play NBA Live and rate players on their ratings there ? Arenas might sit out entire year, and you call him an all-star caliber player. C'mon, earth !

[Cartar]

I don't usually say that, but LOL ! Arenas hasn't played a single game this year, and is in front of an excellent rookie and the best PG in the East ? Do you do anything else besides play NBA Live and rate players on their ratings there ? Arenas might sit out entire year, and you call him an all-star caliber player. C'mon, earth !

Arenas IS an all-star caliber player, but I agree with you, of course he doesn't deserve to be an all-star this year, since he hasn't played a single game yet.

[Fcuk Orlando]

I dont like the Guard Forward Center Idea I think they should be alot more specific so we dont have players like Kobe playing out of their position

[Andrew]

I don't usually say that, but LOL ! Arenas hasn't played a single game this year, and is in front of an excellent rookie and the best PG in the East ? Do you do anything else besides play NBA Live and rate players on their ratings there ? Arenas might sit out entire year, and you call him an all-star caliber player. C'mon, earth !

I think it's fair enough to continue to call him an All-Star calibre player until his play suggests otherwise, the fact he's missed the entire season to date doesn't mean he's no longer a star player. However, it's certainly fair to say he's currently not doing anything to earn an All-Star selection but he remains a popular player and someone a lot of people would like to see in the game, so he garners his fair share of votes all the same.

[Oskar]

Well, yes, I practically meant the same as you do, but said it worse.

[buzzy]

If Arenas doesn't get the votes to be a starter, he won't be in anyways, because the bench will be selected by the coaches. Same goes with Yi, as long as he isn't voted a starter he isn't going to play. I highly doubt NBA coaches will put those two on the bench.

Oh and even if Arenas would be voted a starter, he would sit out the game and another player would have gotten the chance to play.
That, if you don't have an ego like Kobe, he played like two minutes last year, they should have given the spot to someone else and made him sit out the game completely.

[Andrew]

I disagree there, I thnk Kobe did the right thing by the fans who voted him in by making a quick appearance and then stepping aside and sitting out the rest of the game. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, if you're selected and capable of playing then doing so would be the gracious thing to do. However, stepping aside and letting someone else start would certainly be a classy gesture too.

I don't think it'll become an issue though, Arenas currently trails AI by 600,000 votes and I doubt he'll make that up before voting closes. Yi's got a better chance of catching KG but I still think KG will prevail.

[buzzy]

I just don't see how you can't give your playing spot to someone else if you know you'll barely play.
Last year Caron Butler and Kevin Garnett, who was the top vote-getter, were in suits because they were injured.
It wouldn't have made much sense to send Garnett on the court and make him run two laps and sit down again, just because he got the most votes and the fans wanted to see him on the court. The other way someone else, I think Ray Allen, got the chance to play.

[Andrew]

Well, you can but a lot of people voted for Kobe and him making a token appearance was a gracious acknowledgment of that. It's also worth noting that he didn't miss any time with that injury, he appeared in all 82 regular season games and all 21 games the Lakers played in the postseason. Both KG and Butler missed time with their injuries, so it's safe to say theirs were more severe which is why they didn't participate in the All-Star game. Kobe was obviously healthy enough to go but requested to play fewer minutes so as not to aggravate his injury, which is fair enough.

I get where you're coming from and I agree it's certainly noble when players step aside, if Arenas was somehow voted in then giving up his starting spot for someone else would be a very glassy gesture even though he'd have no real obligation to do so. But if you get voted in, you're in and if you're fit to play, you play.

[shadowgrin]

I think there is also a league fine if you're voted as a starter and you didn't play even though you're healthy and capable. Something like if a player was able to play a certain number of games right just before the Allstar weekend itself and didn't get injured at the last game before the Allstar weekend, then he must play. (Certain exceptions do apply though like if you were hit by a truck during Allstar Saturday)

[Andrew]

That too, a player must adequately demonstrate that they're truly unable to play. I recall Karl Malone being threatened with a five game suspension one year when he indicated he was planning to skip the game.

[Sportsgamer]

Damn, Marbury isnt in

[nba_baller]

I really want to see Shaq in there, his play in the All-Star Games' he has been in have always been something to watch. I'm hoping for a 3 point attempt from him, or maybe an isolation against Dwyane Wade? That would make my day.

[Andrew]

If he's selected again before his career is over, I'd like to see him make good on the promise to attempt five threes in the game, at least one or two at the end of a quarter or if the game is a blowout in the fourth.

[buzzy]

Latest Returns:

Eastern Conference

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 1,521,272; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,101,541; Yi Jianlian (NJ) 959,324; Chris Bosh (Tor) 601,204; Paul Pierce (Bos) 387,105; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 236,360; Shawn Marion (Mia) 230,119; Danny Granger (Ind) 155,484; Josh Smith (Atl) 131,281; Michael Beasley (Mia) 121,632; Tayshaun Prince (Det) 114,869.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,473,225; Allen Iverson (Det) 1,027,153; Vince Carter (NJ) 708,699; Ray Allen (Bos) 435,945; Devin Harris (NJ) 359,442; Gilbert Arenas (Wash) 283,030; Luke Ridnour (Mil) 276,009; Derrick Rose (Chi) 242,740; Jose Calderon (Tor) 221,946; Jameer Nelson (Orl) 198,050; Joe Johnson (Atl) 189,343.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,709,088; Samuel Dalembert (Phi) 239,089; Rasheed Wallace (Det) 197,785; Jermaine O’Neal (Tor) 177,121; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 151,043; Al Horford (Atl) 140,637; Ben Wallace (Clev) 112,014; Emeka Okafor (Char) 100,114; Brendan Haywood (Wash) 89,664; Zyrdrunas Ilgauskas (Cle) 78,035; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 68,513.

Western Conference

Forwards: Tim Duncan (SA) 1,132,095; Amare Stoudemire (Pho) 743,639; Carmelo Anthony (Den) 725,411; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 673,720; Ron Artest (Hou) 662,510; Pau Gasol (LAL) 495,835; Bruce Bowen (SA) 375,079; Shane Battier (Hou) 374,413; Luis Scola (Hou) 228,598; Josh Howard (Dal) 228,157; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 170,056.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,534,020; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 961,852; Chris Paul (NO) 867,889; Manu Ginobili (SA) 500,158; Tony Parker (SA) 459,718; Steve Nash (Pho) 345,948; Jason Kidd (Dal) 331,203; Rafer Alston (Hou) 282,767; Jason Terry (Dal) 265,521; Brandon Roy (Por) 210,755; Chauncey Billups (Den) 205,554.

Centers: Yao Ming (Hou) 1,396,126; Shaquille O’Neal (Pho) 727,975; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 294,381; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 256,902; Greg Oden (Por) 162,299; Andris Biedrins (GS) 129,488; Tyson Chandler (NO) 112,949; Al Jefferson (Minn) 100,480; Nick Collison (OKC) 69,039; Marcus Camby (LAC) 57,474; Chris Kaman (LAC) 21,814.

shit me, Yi is closing in ..

[Drex]

But he won't catch KG.

[bowdown]

Dang still no love for brandon roy

[hova-]

What I really find suprising is that Tim Duncan is always one of the top vote getters. Don't get me wrong. TD has been awesome from the very first year and is still one of the league's best 5 players. (at least for me)

But it is strange that he gets so much votes since he is not known for being spectacular, neither with his playing nor with his character. Although this is a positive feat imho, the prototype NBA fan usually tends to give his attention to players who want it and who attract it. (in different ways)

So you can blame all those Yi voters for a reason, but this time I want to praise all those who vote for TD despite his "fundamental" style. It's good that success and efficiency also get honored.

Or is there any special reason why he gets so much votes?

[el badman]

Or is there any special reason why he gets so much votes?

Probably because he's arguably the best PF in the league's history.

[Andrew]

Yi is awfully close, I know I've been asserting that KG's popularity will win out but with the way the gap has closed I have to admit that now I'm not so sure.

What I really find suprising is that Tim Duncan is always one of the top vote getters. Don't get me wrong. TD has been awesome from the very first year and is still one of the league's best 5 players. (at least for me)

But it is strange that he gets so much votes since he is not known for being spectacular, neither with his playing nor with his character. Although this is a positive feat imho, the prototype NBA fan usually tends to give his attention to players who want it and who attract it. (in different ways)

So you can blame all those Yi voters for a reason, but this time I want to praise all those who vote for TD despite his "fundamental" style. It's good that success and efficiency also get honored.

Good point. For a fanbase that supposedly no longer values fundamentals, a lot of people do recognise Duncan's abilities and support him being an All-Star. For a player of Duncan's stature though, I think that acknowledgement and respect is there, even amongst those who call him boring to watch.