Houston Rockets center Yao Ming continues to lead the balloting for the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, which will be held at the Toyota Center in Houston, February 19.

Yao has collected 1,759,574 votes, which leads all Western Conference centers by a substantial margin. Denver's Marcus Camby is currently second among big men, as he has garnered 602,446 votes.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is currently second in votes received with 1,653,770, while Yao's teammate, Tracy McGrady, leads all West forwards with 1,421,456 votes. San Antonio's Tim Duncan is second amongst Western forwards with 1,071,115 votes while Kevin Garnett of the Timberwolves is third with 1,064,512 tallies.

Bryant and Phoenix's Steve Nash, the reigning league MVP, have distanced themselves as the top two vote-getters from the guard position in the West. Nash currently has 1,332,848 votes.

In the Eastern Conference, Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal has the most votes (1,627,198) with Cleveland forward LeBron James (1,598,649) a close second.

Allen Iverson leads all East guards, as the Sixer has racked up1,544,496 votes. Miami's Dwyane Wade is in second with 1,112,792. 

Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal is second for forwards and has 931,671 votes, while Detroit's Rasheed Wallace has accumulated 552,738 tallies.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2006)