Durant, Curry lead West All-Star vote

Antetokounmpo of the Bucks leads all players in fan vote

The Warriors’ Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are in a neck and neck battle for the highest vote-getter in the Western Conference, but the overall leader for the NBA All-Star Game after the first fan returns is the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo received 863,416 votes to edge the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James (856,080) by 7,336 votes for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and overall after the first 12 days of fan voting. Voting runs through Monday, Jan. 15 for the Feb. 18 AllStar game.

Durant leads with 767,402 votes and Curry is next with 735,115 – a difference of 32,287 votes.

Durant is joined at the top of the West frontcourt by New Orleans Pelicans Anthony Davis (393,000) and DeMarcus Cousins (356,340), followed by the Warriors’ Draymond Green (325,612).

In voting for the West guards, Curry is followed by the Houston Rockets’ James Harden (602,040) and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder (438,469). TheWarriors’ Klay Thompson is fourth (359,442 votes).

Under a new All- Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, the team rosters will be chosen by two captains from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves. The captains will be the All- Star starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes in his conference. THUNDER 127, CLIPPERS 117 » Russell Westbrook had his 13th triple- double of the season and Paul George scored 31 points to snap Los Angeles’ four- game winning streak.

Westbrook finished with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Carmelo Anthony added 22 points for the Thunder.

DeAndre Jordan led the Clippers with a season-high 26 points and 17 rebounds.