Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard has been to the NBA All-Star Game seven times in his career. He has, however, never been a starter throughout his decorated career.
Dame will be headed to his eighth appearance in the All-Star Game this season, and he could be in line for his very first start. Standing in his way, though, is Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young.
Milwaukee Bucks Star Damian Lillard in Close Race With Trae Young
The third and final fan returns are in and it isn’t very good news for Dame fans. He is currently third among Eastern Conference guards behind Tyrese Haliburton (2,718,973) and Trae Young (1,815,898). Lillard currently has 1,730,036 votes to his name.
Lakers’ LeBron James and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo finish as leaders in the NBA’s final 2023-24 All-Star fan returns; voting ends Saturday: pic.twitter.com/Mlp2PWR6cD
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 18, 2024
The All-Star Game starters will be comprised of three frontcourt and two backcourt players. Based on the fan votes, it’s likely going to be Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Jayson Tatum who will be the frontcourt starters.
For the backcourt, Tyrese Haliburton has a commanding lead atop. It’s now a tight race between Dame and Young for the final backcourt spot, with the latter holding an 85,862 lead over Lillard.
All Hope is Not Lost
The good news here is that Dame still has a good shot at getting his first-ever career start in the NBA All-Star Game. The fan votes represent only 50% of the final tally, with the player votes and a media panel accounting for 25% apiece.
We shall now see how Lillard is viewed among his peers as well as by the media. The vote ends on Saturday.
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