LeBron, Kobe Lead Voting, AI to Start

LeBron James led all NBA players with 2,549,693 All-Star votes and became the first player in history to draw at least 2.5 million votes on three separate occasions.

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant led the West and was second overall with 2,456,224 votes.

No surprise there, right?

But how about the fact that Allen Iverson, who was out of basketball for a chunk of the season and has played a total of 19 games, will start for the East alongside James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade?

This guy basically quits on Memphis because he’s not playing enough and then ends up on a bad Philly team…and he’s a starter in the All-Star Game?

And how is David Lee, who averages 19.1 points and ranks sixth in the NBA in boards (11.2) and double-doubles (41) , not among the Top 10 centers?

Bryant will lead a Western squad that includes Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tim Duncan.

Read below for all the vote totals…

The final returns of both the Eastern and Western Conference for the 2010 NBA All-Star Balloting program presented by T-Mobile are attached:

Eastern Conference Western Conference
F – Kevin Garnett, Boston                F – Carmelo Anthony, Denver
F – LeBron James, Cleveland                F – Tim Duncan, San Antonio
C – Dwight Howard, Orlando                C – Amar’e Stoudemire, Phoenix
G – Allen Iverson, Philadelphia                G – Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
G – Dwyane Wade, Miami                G – Steve Nash, Phoenix
Head coach: TBD                        Head coach: TBD

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 2,549,693; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,978,116; Chris Bosh (Tor) 1,164,007; Paul Pierce (Bos) 525,677; Josh Smith (Atl) 475,671; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 313,827; Danny Granger (Ind) 309,808; Rashard Lewis (Orl) 302,743; Michael Beasley (Mia) 277,400; Hedo Turkoglu (Tor) 213,369.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 2,327,550; Allen Iverson (Phi) 1,269,568; Vince Carter (Orl) 1,048,977; Ray Allen (Bos) 710,045; Derrick Rose (Chi) 571,911; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 545,860; Joe Johnson (Atl) 496,255; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 425,590; Jose Calderon (Tor) 292,909; Mike Bibby (Atl) 223,759.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 2,360,096; Shaquille O’Neal (Cle) 856,056; Al Horford (Atl) 270,532; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 265,024; Brook Lopez (NJ) 223,246; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 202,072; Jermaine O’Neal (Mia) 159,327; Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 131,084; Brad Miller (Chi) 102,994; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 90,278.

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony (Den) 2,137,560; Tim Duncan (SA) 1,156,696; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 1,093,005; Pau Gasol (LAL) 1,051,784; Kevin Durant (OKC) 870,567; Trevor Ariza (Hou) 645,937; Luis Scola (Hou) 580,243; Ron Artest (LAL) 368,281; Shawn Marion (Dal) 363,516; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 309,497.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 2,456,224; Steve Nash (Pho) 1,222,235; Chris Paul (NO) 1,055,789; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 1,022,492; Aaron Brooks (Hou) 591,930; Jason Kidd (Dal) 523,708; Manu Ginobili (SA) 465,211; Chauncey Billups (Den) 452,983; Tony Parker (SA) 439,536; Brandon Roy (Por) 422,290.

Centers: Amar’e Stoudemire (Pho) 1,824,093; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 981,355; Nene (Den) 364,543; Marc Gasol (Mem) 353,155; Antonio McDyess (SA) 328,717; Al Jefferson (Min) 252,777; Greg Oden (Por) 225,245; Marcus Camby (LAC) 188,240; Emeka Okafor (NO) 182,626; Andris Biedrins (GS) 167,481.

Player                                 Year                         Votes
1.   Dwight Howard, Orl        2009                        3,150,181
2.   LeBron James, Cle                2009                        2,940,823
3.   Kobe Bryant, LAL                2009                        2,805,397
4.   Dwyane Wade, Mia        2009                        2,741,413
5.   Tim Duncan, SA                2009                        2,578,168
6.   Yao Ming, Hou                2005                        2,558,278
7.   LeBron James, Cle        2010                        2,549,693
8.   Yao Ming, Hou                2009                        2,532,958
9.   LeBron James, Cle                2007                        2,516,049
10. Kobe Bryant, LAL        2010                        2,456,224

Player                                                 Votes
1.   LeBron James, Cle                                2,549,693
2.   Kobe Bryant, LAL                                2,456,224
3.   Dwight Howard, Orl                        2,360,096
4.   Dwyane Wade, Mia                        2,327,550
5.  Carmelo Anthony, Den                        2,137,560
6.   Kevin Garnett, Bos                                1,978,116
7.   Amar’e Stoudemire, Pho                        1,824,093
8.   Allen Iverson, Phi                                1,269,568
9.   Steve Nash, Pho                                1,222,235
10. Chris Bosh, Tor                                1,164,007

(Photo courtesy NBA.com)

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