LeBron James and Kevin Durant Continue to Lead All-Star Voting

The third returns of NBA All-Star balloting are in — LeBron James and Kevin Durant, separated by just over 21,000 votes, remain well ahead of the pack. From the press release:

James, the top overall vote-getter with 1,076,063 votes, is followed in the Eastern Conference by the Indiana Pacers’ Paul George. Durant (1,054,209) is followed in the Western Conference by the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant.

James, George (899,671) and the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (702,869) pace the Eastern Conference’s frontcourt players. The Heat’s Dwyane Wade (718,109) and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving (652,522) lead Eastern Conference backcourt players.

Durant is joined in the frontcourt in the West by the Houston Rockets’ Dwight Howard (509,116) and the L.A. Clippers’ Blake Griffin (500,964), with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kevin Love (483,031) making a strong push for a starting spot. Bryant (844,538) and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (677,372) pace all Western Conference backcourt players.

Balloting concludes on Monday, Jan. 20, and starters will be announced live on TNT on Thursday, Jan. 23, during a special one-hour edition of the Emmy Award-winning pregame show Inside the NBA at 7 p.m. ET.