Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers continued to lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, after the league announced on Thursday the fourth results of balloting to determine the starters for the NBA All-Star Game.

Yao leads all players with 1,775,413 votes for the league's mid-season centerpiece, which will be played in Las Vegas on February 18, even though 7-foot-6 Chinese (2.26m) superstar is recovering from a fractured bone beneath his right knee suffered on December 23.

The Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett leads all Western Conference forwards with 1,068,168 votes, followed by San Antonio's Tim Duncan (1,025,812).

The high scoring duo of Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (1,536,556) and Tracy McGrady of Houston Rockets (1,331,511) lead all Western Conference guards. However, seven-time All-Star guard Allen Iverson (1,300,248) of the Denver Nuggets is just 31,263 votes behind McGrady.

James heads the East with 1,774,281 votes, followed by Dwyane Wade (1,371,850) of the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat.

Chris Bosh is second among Eastern Conference forwards, but is just 63,144 votes ahead of Jermaine O'Neal (621,476) of the Indiana Pacers for a starting spot. The New Jersey Nets' Vince Carter (1,002,709) is second to Wade among Eastern Conference guards.

Miami's Shaquille O'Neal leads all Eastern Conference centers with 1,143,904 votes, followed by the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard (978,007).

The balloting program continues through Jan. 21 with the 2007 All-Star starters to be announced four days later.

Following the completion of starting line-ups, the head coaches in each conference will vote to determine the remaining all-stars in their respective conference, which will be announced on Feburary 1.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2007)