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NEW YORK, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Kobe Bryant led in fan balloting and will be among the Western Conference starters for next month's All-Star Game, the NBA announced Thursday. Miami's LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will start for the Eastern Conference.
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Bryant received 2,380,016 votes from the fans and the Los Angeles Lakers superstar will be starting his 13th straight All-Star Game. The contest will be played Feb. 20 at the Staples Center, Bryant's home court.
Joining James and Wade on the East team will be starters Dwight Howard of Orlando, Amare Stoudemire of New York and Derrick Rose of Chicago. Howard led the East balloting with 2,099,204 votes and more than doubled the votes received by his closest competitor for the center spot -- Boston's Shaquille O'Neal (906,284).
Stoudemire edged Boston's Kevin Garnett for the second forward spot by 267,394 votes and Rose led Rajon Rondo of the Celtics by 327,699.
Houston center Yao Ming was voted in as a starter for the eighth time but he will miss the game due to season-ending ankle surgery. No replacement for Yao has been named.
The announced starters for the West in addition to Bryant were Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and New Orleans' Chris Paul.
The reserves for the game have yet to be announced.
