All-star firepower
Giannis gunning for starting role
New York — Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be an allstar.
That much is clear after the 22-year-old continued his stunning rise with his first buzzerbeater Wednesday night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
But will the Greek Freak be in the Eastern Conference’s starting lineup for the Feb. 19 All-Star Game in New Orleans?
That is becoming a much stronger possibility as Antetokounpo dunks, blocks and yes, shoots his way up the ladder of the NBA’s elite players.
Antetokounmpo ranked third overall among Eastern Conference players — behind only Cleveland’s LeBron James and Kyrie Irving — in the initial fan voting results released by the league Thursday. He was second among conference frontcourt players and doubled the total of the No. 3 frontcourt player, Kevin Love of the Cavaliers.
Antetokounmpo totaled 500,663 votes, behind James with 595,288 and Irving with 543,030. The starting five leaders for the East are James, Antetokounmpo and Love in the frontcourt and Irving and the Chicago Bulls’ Dwyane Wade in the backcourt.
In the Western Conference, the leaders are Golden State’s Kevin Durant and Zaza Pachulia and San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard in the frontcourt and the Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Houston Rockets’ James Harden in the backcourt.
The Bucks are also hoping forward Jabari Parker will receive strong consideration from conference coaches for a reserve role on the Eastern allstars. He ranked 10th among frontcourt players in the East in the voting. So is Antetokounmpo. “I think it’s a good feeling,” the Greek Freak said of the chances of becoming an all-star starter. “It’s really good for the franchise; we get exposure out there.
FRIDAY Knicks at Bucks, 7 p.m. TV: ESPN. Radio: AM-620