Strong presence for OKC Thunder in NBA All-Star voting

The first tally of the NBA All-Star votes are in, and the OKC Thunder have their big three in the mix with Paul George leading the way.

Nearly a month has passed since the NBA All-Star voting officially opened and the race is beginning to take shape. Unsurprisingly, usual suspects like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are among the top vote-getters, but there are a few new faces.

The OKC Thunder are as well represented as any team in the league, with Russell Westbrook listed as the fourth guard in the West with 459,792 votes, while his teammates Paul George and Steven Adams rank fifth and sixth respectively among Western Conference forwards with 580,055 and 261,327 votes.

For Thunder fans, it’s hard to complain about Westbrook’s spot as the fourth guard, seeing as how he trails only the league scoring leader James Harden, fan favorite Curry and lovable comeback player Derrick Rose. Perhaps one could argue Westbrook should be higher given he’s averaging a triple-double per game, but it’s hard not to root for Rose and Curry is too popular.

George and Adams, on the other hand, seem to have gotten the short end of the stick, placing fifth and sixth in a stiffer race among forwards. Hey, at least they’re in the mix, but George is largely the reason OKC sits at second in the West. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are struggling to stay relevant at second to last. Although Davis is a great player and worthy of a spot, winning has to be a factor to some extent.

With that being said, there are a few surprises. Not the least of which is Nikola Jokic coming in at sixth among forwards as the lone representative of a great Denver Nuggets team. And DeMarcus Cousins, who hasn’t taken the floor once this season, is three spots below him. It’s too bad because Jusuf Nurkic is on the outside looking in, despite having a breakout season.

In the East, things are going about as one might expect. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyrie Irving are the top vote getters, with Vince Carter and Dwayne Wade getting a lot of love in their final seasons.

Jeremy Lin is a bit of a surprise at eighth among guards, although deserving of some recognition, and John Wall will likely slide down off the board now that he’s out for the season. The Boston Celtics are well represented in what has been a rocky season for them, but I would expect the Raptors to get some more love with Pascal Siakam making a push.

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The first tally gave us plenty to think about, but the important thing to remember is there’s still plenty of time to vote. Players will continue to slide up and down the polls, so it’s important Thunder fans vote for their big three. George and Westbrook will probably get a lot of love from the public, so be sure not to overlook Adams.

The next poll updates are set to be announced on January 10 and 17, with the voting concluding on Jan. 21. The two-for-one voting days, where each vote counts as two, are scheduled for Jan. 10 and 11.

Starters and captains will be announced on Jan. 24 and the All-Star game will be played on Feb. 17 in Charlotte, N.C.

Votes can be cast on NBA.com, through the NBA App or through Google and Google Assistant.