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.