In the fourth and final update before the All-Star starters are announced on Jan. 25, Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets leads the Western Conference and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers leads the Eastern Conference in returns of 2007 NBA All-Star Balloting.

The 2007 NBA All-Star Balloting program continues through Jan. 15 for paper balloting and Jan. 21 for online balloting. The 2007 All-Star starters will be announced on Thursday Jan. 25 prior to a TNT doubleheader.

Through the 2007 NBA  All-Star Balloting program, NBA fans worldwide are responsible for voting in the starters for the 56th NBA All-Star Game, which will be played in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 18.

Tight races for starting spots exist in both conferences. The Denver Nuggets? Allen Iverson (1,300,248) trails the Houston Rockets? Tracy McGrady (1,331,511) by 31,263 votes among Western Conference guards. In the East, the Toronto  Raptors? Chris Bosh (684,620) and the Indiana Pacers? Jermaine O?Neal (621,476) are separated by just 63,144 votes for a starting forward position.

Yao leads all players with 1,775,413 votes. The Minnesota Timberwolves? Kevin Garnett leads all Western Conference forwards with 1,068,168 votes, followed by San Antonio?s Tim Duncan (1,025,812). The Los Angeles Lakers? Kobe Bryant (1,536,556) and McGrady lead all Western Conference guards.

James leads all Eastern Conference players with 1,774,281 votes, followed by the Miami Heat?s Dwyane Wade (1,371,850). Bosh is second among Eastern Conference forwards.  

The New Jersey Nets? Vince Carter (1,002,709) is second to Wade among Eastern Conference guards. Miami?s Shaquille O?Neal leads all Eastern Conference centers with 1,143,904 votes, followed by the Orlando Magic?s Dwight Howard (978,007).