The first round of NBA All-Star Game voting has been released, and the Los Angeles Clippers are in position to have something they have never had: an All-Star starter, perhaps even two. Both Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are second in the Western Conference in voting at their respective positions, but both currently occupy starting roles were the voting to end today.
The last Clipper to start an All-Star Game was World B. Free, who started the 1980 All-Star Game as a San Diego Clipper.
Paul received 540,173 votes, second only among western guards to Kobe Bryant, who led all Western Conference players with 690,613 votes. Paul holds a massive lead over Ricky Rubio, currently third among guards with 133,520 votes. Paul has made the All-Star team in each of the last four years, including being voted as starter for the last three seasons.
Griffin made the All-Star team as a reserve in his rookie season last year, and this year so far has accumulated 394,264 votes. Kevin Durant leads Western Conference forwards with 633,538 votes, with Dirk Nowitzki third among forwards at 231,832 votes.
DeAndre Jordan is second among Western Conference centers with 134,961 votes, but it's a distant second, as Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers leads with 496,597 votes. The 2012 NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at Amway Center in Orlando.
For more news and analysis of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and the Clippers, be sure to read Clips Nation.