NBA All-Star Voting: Damian Lillard in Middle of the Pack

With 117,857 votes, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers ranks sixth among Western Conference guards in the first round of 2017 NBA All-Star voting returns. Lillard has missed the last five games with a left ankle sprain, but is averaging a career-high 27.0 points per game this season.

Of the guards in front of Lillard, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors seems the most out of place, but market size and winning records have always factored into fan voting, so this is not entirely surprising.

CJ McCollum, who is averaging a career-high 23.2 points per game (and 31.2 points per game since Lillard went down) is not listed among the top-10 vote receiving guards. However, the 39-year-old Argentinian Manu Ginobili is ranked eighth, despite his lowest scoring average since his rookie season almost 15 years ago.

To vote for Lillard or McCollum, follow these instructions per NBA.com:

NBA.com voting page at NBA.com/vote: Fill out one full ballot per day (once every 24 hours) on NBA.com/vote from a desktop or mobile browser. Fans can select up to two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference when choosing starters.

NBA App: Access the ballot and vote through the app, which is available on Android and iOS. Fans can fill out one full ballot per day and select up to two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference when choosing starters.

Twitter: Tweet, retweet or reply with an NBA player’s first and last name or Twitter handle, along with the hashtag #NBAVOTE. Each tweet may include only one player’s name or handle. Fans may vote for 10 unique players each day throughout the NBA All-Star voting period.

Facebook: Post the player’s first and last name along with the hashtag #NBAVOTE on your personal Facebook account, or comment on another’s Facebook post. Each post may include only one player’s name. Fans may post votes for 10 unique players per day throughout the voting period.

Google Search: Search “NBA Vote All-Star” or “NBA Vote Team Name” (ex: NBA Vote Celtics) and use respective voting cards to select teams and then players. Fans may submit votes for 10 unique players per day throughout the voting period.

The next round of voting returns will be released one week from today, on January 12. Be sure to vote for your favorite players!

Blazer’s Edge Night 2017

Want to assist us in sending 2,000+ underprivileged Portland-area kids to a Trail Blazers game this spring? Check out Blazer’s Edge Night 2017 for information on how to get involved, and help spread the word!