NBA’s all-star fan voting returns solid numbers for Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Jimmy Butler

Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler are third and fourth, respectively, in the second fan returns for NBA All-Star voting for Eastern Conference frontcout players.

Meanwhile, the 76ers duo’s teammate, Ben Simmons, is fourth for conference guards.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo leads all conference players with 2,670,816 votes. But Los Angeles Lakers forward and four-time league MVP LeBron James is the top overall vote-getter at 2,779,812 in the second returns.

Fans account for 50 percent of the vote to determine the 10 starters for the NBA All-Star Game, scheduled for Feb. 17 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. A selected media panel and current NBA players will each account for 25 percent of the vote. The voters must pick two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference on their ballets. Voting concludes at 11:59 p..m. on Jan. 21.

The top three frontcourt and top two backcourt vote-getters in each conference will make up the 10 all-star starters. The all-star reserves are selected by the coaches.

The captains will be the all-star starters with the most votes in their respective conference. The two captains will draft rosters from a pool of players voted as starters and reserves regardless of their conference affiliation.

The Eastern Conference’s top three frontcourt vote-getters remain unchanged from the first return. Antetokounmpo is the leader followed by Toronto Raptors small forward Kawhi Leonard (2,092,806) and Embiid (1,710,229). Butler dropped one place to fifth (569, 354).

Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving (2,381,901), Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (1,199,789), Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker (858, 798) and Simmons (695,032) are the conference’s four leading guards.