Siakam bound for all-star glory thanks to fan balloting

Pascal Siakam seems destined to make his first appearance in an NBA all-star game.

The Raptors forward has moved into second place among Eastern Conference forwards in fan balloting for starters in the Feb. 16 game in Chicago, the league announced Thursday afternoon.

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is the runaway leader among East forwards with 4,474,107 votes, but Siakam (2,433,411) has vaulted past Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid (2,398,743) and into second place in the final public release of vote totals. Miami’s Jimmy Butler (2,046,257) is fourth.

Fan voting continues until Monday and counts for 50 per cent of the final tally, with players and a media panel each representing 25 per cent of the total.

Starters will be announced next Thursday, with the seven reserves in each conference — voted solely by coaches — named Jan. 30.

Voting by coaches seems to be the only way any of Siakam’s teammates will participate.

Kyle Lowry moved up to fifth among Eastern Conference guards with 848,293 votes, but he’s almost one million behind Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving (1,814,618) for the second and final starting guard spot. Atlanta’s Trae Young (2,066,924) is the leading vote-getter; Toronto’s Fred VanVleet (546,471) is 10th.

In the Western Conference, Los Angeles Lakers teammates LeBron James (4,747,887) and Anthony Davis (4,421,619) and Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers (2,973,076) are tops among frontcourt players.