BOSTON (CBS) — NBA All-Star fan voting closes next week, but Celtics players hoping to make the team aren’t gaining any traction. The NBA released the third returns for fan voting on Thursday, and Kemba Walker still trails Kyrie Irving among Eastern Conference guards.
Irving, who just returned from a right shoulder injury and has played in just 14 games this season, has nearly 17,000 more votes than Walker for the second guard spot in the East. Atlanta’s Trae Young remains the king of Eastern Conference guards with over two millions votes.
Walker’s teammates in Boston haven’t climbed up the standings, either. Jaylen Brown is sitting at seventh among Eastern Conference guards, while Jayson Tatum is still fifth among Eastern Conference forwards. Tacko Fall, who has played just 21 NBA minutes this season, is right behind Tatum, while Gordon Hayward is currently eighth among East forwards.
The third returns from #VoteNBAAllStar 2020!
Make YOUR vote count twice today by voting here ➡️ https://t.co/VMuxMjeZQO pic.twitter.com/EBav1KNLgT
— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2020
So it doesn’t appear as though the Celtics will have any All-Star starters, unless there is a big push before fan voting closes on Monday (get going, Celtics fans), or players and the media push them over the edge when it comes their turn to vote. Fan voting accounts for 50 percent of the process, while players and the media will count for 25 percent each.
All-Star starters and the two team captains will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 23, with the annual exhibition being held on Feb. 16 in Chicago.