Los Angeles  - Orlando Magic centre Dwight Howard and reigning league Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers remain the leading vote-getters in their respective Eastern and Western Conferences, after the fourth returns of the 2009 NBA All-Star balloting was announced Thursday.

Howard, the league's top rebounder, leads all players with 2,102,368 votes, while Bryant is next with 1,903,798.

Howard is joined on the Eastern Conference squad by Cleveland's LeBron James (1,940,162) - the 2006 and 2008 All-Star Game MVP, followed by Boston's Kevin Garnett
(1,375,814). Miami's Dwyane Wade, the league's top scorer, leads at the guard spot (1,818717) along with Detroit's Allen Iverson (1,278,600).

Houston's Tracy McGrady (1,216,224 votes) is currently paired with Bryant in the Western Conference backcourt. China's Yao Ming of Houston (1,758,499) is tops among the centres, while San Antonio's Tim Duncan (1454,918) and Denver's injured Carmelo Anthony (905,121) lead at the forward positions.

Voting will continue through Saturday for paper balloting and January 19 for wireless balloting on the NBA's website.

The starters will be announced on January 22, and the reserves will be chosen by their respective conference head coaches one week later, setting the stage for the 58th NBA All-Game at Phoenix, Arizona on February 15. (dpa)