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Injured Yao still leads NBA All-Star balloting
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-12-30 09:08
NEW YORK (AFP) - Chinese center Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets remains the
top vote recipient in updated National Basketball Association All-Star Game
balloting results.
Yao has 1,319,868 votes in
global fan balloting with Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, the NBA's number
two scorer at 32.7 points a game, second with 1,213,387 votes.
Yao, elected a Western Conference All-Star starter by fans in each of his
three seasons, is averaging a career-high 19.5 points and 9.1 rebounds a game
for Houston, where the 55th NBA All-Star Game will be played on February 19.
But Yao has been sidelined since December 19 following surgery on his left
big toe by team physcian Tom Clanton to clean out infection. Yao was suffering
from osteomyelitis, a bone inflammation caused by bacteria.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash, a Canadian playing for the
Phoenix Suns, is second among Western Conference guards with 981,623.
Yao's Rockets teammate Tracy McGrady is the top vote getter among Western
Conference forwards with 1,066,013, followed by Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota
Timberwolves with 793,078.
Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal is the leader among Eastern Conference
players with 1,188,830 votes, owning a 37,910-vote lead on Cleveland Cavaliers
forward LeBron James.
Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers is second among East forwards with
689,526 votes.
Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, last season's All-Star Game Most Valuable
Player, leads Eastern Conference guards with 1,144,250 votes and Miami's Dwyane
Wade is second with 827,913.
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