Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets top the Western Conference, while LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat lead the Eastern Conference after the third returns of 2010 NBA All-Star Balloting.

Bryant, a three-time All-Star MVP, is the overall leader with 1,606,032 votes, while James, a two-time All-Star MVP, is second overall with 1,579,530.

In the Western Conference, Bryant, who shared the MVP award with Shaquille O?Neal in last year?s All-Star Game and who also garnered the honor in 2002 and 2007, is followed at guard by the Houston Rockets? Tracy McGrady (649,563). Anthony paces forwards in the West (1,410,356) with the Dallas Mavericks? Dirk Nowitzki (753,971) second. The Suns? Amar?e Stoudemire (1,143,849) is the leading vote-getter among Western Conference centers, with the Lakers? Andrew Bynum (676,634) following.

The guards in the Eastern Conference are paced by Wade (1,539,968), followed by the Philadelphia 76ers? Allen Iverson (806,749). While Iverson appears among Western Conference guards on the paper ballot because he began the season with Memphis, his votes count towards the Eastern Conference guards due to his signing with Philadelphia Dec. 3.  James, a two-time All-Star MVP (2006, 2008), paces Eastern Conference forwards, followed by the Boston Celtics? Kevin Garnett (1,317,739), MVP of the 2003 All-Star Game. The Orlando Magic?s Dwight Howard leads all centers with 1,479,625 votes; the Cavaliers? O?Neal is second among centers in the East (536,681).

The leaders of both the Eastern and Western Conference players for the third returns of the 2010 NBA All-Star voting program are as follows:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 1,579,530; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,317,739; Chris Bosh (Tor) 644,473; Paul Pierce (Bos) 320,499; Josh Smith (Atl) 293,680; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 201,312; Danny Granger (Ind) 198,478; Michael Beasley (Mia) 163,737; Hedo Turkoglu (Tor) 117,168; Rashard Lewis (Orl) 114,359; Caron Butler (Was) 99,079.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,539,968; Allen Iverson (Phi) 806,749; Vince Carter (Orl) 651,134; Ray Allen (Bos) 452,708; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 407,581; Derrick Rose (Chi) 344,435; Joe Johnson (Atl) 288,841; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 237,648; Mike Bibby (Atl) 139,484; Jose Calderon (Atl) 138,479.  

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,479,625; Shaquille O'Neal (Cle) 536,681; Al Horford (Atl) 157,050; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 146,595; Brook Lopez (NJ) 133,106; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 115,915; Jermaine O'Neal (Mia) 98,397; Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 77,848; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 48,612; Samuel Dalembert (Phi) 47,135; Tyson Chandler (Cha) 38,337; Brad Miller (Chi) 35,295.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony (Den) 1,410,356; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 753,971; Tim Duncan (SA) 685,390; Pau Gasol (LAL) 667,767; Kevin Durant (OKC) 474,506; Trevor Ariza (Hou) 436,088;
Luis Scola (Hou) 371,914; Shawn Marion (Dal) 282,421; Ron Artest (LAL) 234,618; Lamar Odom (LAL) 175,271; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 155,933.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,606,032; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 649,563; Steve Nash (Pho) 648,558; Chris Paul (NO) 622,619; Jason Kidd (Dal) 405,027; Aaron Brooks (Hou) 374,635; Chauncey Billups (Den) 281,911; Deron Williams (Utah) 255,059; Brandon Roy (Por) 224,350; Manu Ginobili (SA) 222,743; Jason Terry (Dal) 212,242.

Centers: Amar?e Stoudemire (Pho) 1,143,849; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 676,634; Nene (Den) 235,276; Marc Gasol (Mem) 190,476; Antonio McDyess (SA) 130,058; Greg Oden (Por) 124,037; Al Jefferson (Min) 119,580; Marcus Camby (LAC) 100,399; Andris Biedrins (GS) 90,464; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 87,838; Emeka Okafor (NO) 82,616; Spencer Hawes (Sac) 25,109.