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Get-well wishes Ailing Mourning leads Eastern centers in All-Star voting
Updated: Tuesday December 19, 2000 8:24 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat, sidelined for the season by a kidney ailment, leads all Eastern Conference centers in the first voting returns for the NBA All-Star Game. Mourning has 109,584 votes, just ahead of Philadelphia's Theo Ratliff with 108,450 for the Feb. 11 game in Washington. "Obviously he has gained a tremendous amount of respect," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "People know that he's probably the top center in the Eastern Conference, and I'm sure they'd probably like to see him there, whether he's able to play or not. He would represent the Heat in some way, shape or form, as they did with Earvin Johnson back in the '90s." The overall voting leader is Toronto forward Vince Carter, with 291,551, followed by Orlando's Grant Hill, with 119,676. The Eastern Conference leaders at guard are Philadelphia's Allen Iverson, with 238,772, and Orlando's Tracy McGrady, with 103,110. In the Western Conference balloting, Los Angeles Lakers teammates Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant lead at their positions. O'Neal, who shared the MVP Award with Tim Duncan at last year's game, has 283,556 votes for the starting center spot, ahead of San Antonio's David Robinson, with 55,884. Bryant, the league's leading scorer, tops the guards with 221,138, followed by Jason Kidd of Phoenix, with 151,952. Kevin Garnett of Minnesota leads the West forwards with 189,155, followed by Rasheed Wallace of Portland, with 177,250. Balloting continues through Jan. 14.
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