In the final public NBA All-Star ballot returns before fan voting closes on Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James remain the leaders for the Eastern and Western Conference captain spots.
The leading vote-getters from each conference serve as captains for the Feb. 16 All-Star Game in Chicago, selecting teams from the remaining pool of 22 players.
James, whose 4,747,887 votes are more than any other player has received, leads Luka Doncic by 149,564 votes for the West captaincy. Antetokounmpo leads Pascal Siakam, the East’s next-highest vote-getter, by more than two million votes. James and Antetokounmpo also served as captains of last year’s All-Star Game in Charlotte.
James, Davis, Leonard, Doncic, Harden, Antetokounmpo, Siakam and Embiid are all likely starters once votes from players and the 100-person media panel are submitted by Monday. Irving would be the most controversial starter, should his peers and reporters follow fans’ lead, since he missed two months with a shoulder injury and has played just 14 games. Young, whose 29.1 points per game trail only Antetokounmpo in the East, is the next-biggest question mark, given his Atlanta Hawks are in last place.
Sourced by: Yahoo news
