Sixers’ Joel Embiid still fourth in Eastern Conference in fan voting for NBA All-Star Game
James Harden slipped to fourth in the voting for guards. Fans account for 50% of the votes to determine the 10 starters for the NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City.
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PORTLAND, Ore. — Joel Embiid remained fourth among Eastern Conference frontcourt players in fan balloting for the NBA All-Star Game after the third round of returns was released Thursday.
His 76ers teammate. James Harden, dropped one spot to fourth among the conference’s guards in voting by the fans.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward and four-time MVP LeBron James is the league’s top vote-getter with 6,506,682 votes, while Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the East with 5,970,196.
Fans account for 50% of the votes to determine the 10 starters for the NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City. A media panel and current NBA players will each account for 25% of the vote. The voters must pick two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference on their ballots. Voting concludes at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday.
TNT will reveal the All-Star Game’s starters, including the two team captains, next Thursday. The network will announce the All-Star reserves on Feb. 2.
The top three frontcourt and top two backcourt vote-getters in each conference will make up the 10 All-Star starters. The reserves are selected by league coaches.
The East’s top three frontcourt vote-getters are Antetokounmpo, followed by the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant, (5,838,182) and the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (4,521,414). Embiid (4,318,035) is a close fourth.
The Nets’ Kyrie Irving (3,968,041), Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, (3,851,233), Boston’s Jaylen Brown (2,097,700), and Harden (1,991,721) are the conference’s four leading guards. Harden was in third place while Brown was fourth in the first two rounds of returns.
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Embiid was voted a starter in the last five NBA All-Star Games. Meanwhile, Harden has been named an All-Star in each of the last 10 seasons.
Embiid is second in the league in scoring at 33.6 points per game behind Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Dončić (33.7). The Sixers center also averages 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.7 blocks.
Harden averages 21.7 points and 11.1 assists. The point guard would be the league’s assist leader if he played in at least 70% of the Sixers’ games. Because he has played in only 66% of their games, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (10.2) is listed as the league leader.