Yao Ming is leading Shaquille O'Neal by more than 60,000 votes in the race to finish No. 1 overall in NBA All-Star game balloting, reports from New York said on Thursday (Dec 30th).

Through two rounds of voting, Houston Rockets Yao has 1,373,458as the center for the Western Conference while O'Neal, who was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Miami Heat in the offseason, tops the Eastern Conference with 1,311,762 as of Thursday.

Yao's lead among centers in the West is insurmountable. He is followed by Sacramento's Brad Miller, who gets 197,784 votes.

Fans can vote through Jan. 23, and All-Star starters will be announced Feb. 3. The game is Feb. 20 in Denver.

Minnesota's Kevin Garnett, the reigning league MVP, is third overall, leading West forwards with 1,142,804 votes, followed by San Antonio's Tim Duncan (886,547).

Yao's teammate Tracy McGrady (1,065,230) is the top guard in the West, trailed by the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (1,005,050).

In the East, New Jersey's Vince Carter (938,817) and Orlando's Grant Hill (848,061) lead the forwards. Cleveland's LeBron James (843,363) and Philadelphia's Allen Iverson (825,179) top the guards.

Editor: Wing