The National Basketball Association announced yesterday the leaders and official list of starting players of both the Eastern and Western Conference. The 2012 NBA All-Star Game will be played on February 26, 2012 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, home of the Orlando Magic. This is the second time the All-Star Game is set in Orlando, and the first time in nine years the East Conference hosts the All-Star game (the last being in Atlanta, Georgia in 2003).

Orlando Magic’s center Dwight Howard, winner of three NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards; leaded the 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting with 1,600,390 votes and will guide the Eastern Conference Team this coming Sunday, Feb. 26th. Joining Howard on the East's squad are forward Carmelo Anthony (1,041,290 votes) of the New York Knicks, forward LeBron James (1,360,680) and guard Dwyane Wade (1,334,223) of the Miami Heat and point guard Derrick Rose (1,514,723) of the Chicago Bulls.

Four-time All-Star MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant closed the balloting process as the highest vote-getter in the Western Conference with 1,555,479 votes. Bryant ties Jerry West, Karl Malone, and Shaquille O'Neal for the most consecutive All-Star nods in NBA history with 14, and joins Hall of Famer Bob Pettit (1956, 1958, 1959 and 1962) as the only four-time All-Star Game MVPs in NBA history.

Also in the Western Conference starting team is L.A Clippers' forward Chris Paul (1,138,743 votes), Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant (1,345,566) and Clippers' Blake Griffin (876,451). Lakers' Andrew Bynum, a first-time All-Star, gets the nod at center (1,051,945). This is first time in 15 years that two pair of teammates is selected to start for a Team conference (1997 Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, and Seattle's Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton).

For more NBA Updates & News, click here.

Eastern Conference Balloting

Forwards: LeBron James (Mia) 1,360,680; Carmelo Anthony (NYK) 1,041,290; Amar'e Stoudemire (NYK) 383,734; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 367,914; Chris Bosh (Mia) 324,605; Luol Deng (Chi) 276,205; Paul Pierce (Bos) 215,020; Carlos Boozer (Chi) 175,828; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 152,362; Josh Smith (Atl) 119,638.

Guards: Derrick Rose (Chi) 1,514,723; Dwyane Wade (Mia) 1,334,223; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 547,110; Ray Allen (Bos) 382,147; Deron Williams (NJN) 208,697; Jose Calderon (Tor) 132,167; Richard Hamilton (Chi) 111,368; John Wall (Was) 96,606; Kyrie Irving (Cle) 96,346; Joe Johnson (Atl) 66,145.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 1,600,390; Joakim Noah (Chi) 236,497; Tyson Chandler (NYK) 163,077; Joel Anthony (Mia) 101,307; JaVale McGee (Was) 63,765; Al Horford (Atl) 50,396.

Western Conference Balloting

Forwards: Kevin Durant (OKC) 1,345,566; Blake Griffin (LAC) 876,451; Pau Gasol (LAL) 470,353; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 468,435; Kevin Love (Min) 373,880; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 279,500; Tim Duncan (SA) 185,069; Lamar Odom (Dal) 142,830; Danilo Gallinari (Den) 110,245; Rudy Gay (Mem) 95,228.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,555,479; Chris Paul (LAC) 1,138,743; Ricky Rubio (Min) 397,456; Steve Nash (Pho) 276,268; Russell Westbrook (OKC) 262,186; Kyle Lowry (Hou) 185,584; Monta Ellis (GS) 156,603; Chauncey Billups (LAC) 120,961; Jason Kidd (Dal) 114,924; Manu Ginobili (SA) 111,273.

Centers: Andrew Bynum (LAL) 1,051,945; DeAndre Jordan (LAC) 322,056; Marc Gasol (Mem) 285,525; Nenê (Den) 207,102; Marcin Gortat (Pho) 136,168; Kendrick Perkins (OKC) 99,811.

Sign Up for an Free Insider Account

P.S. If you like this article, feel free to share it with your own list, post it on your site, on your blog, or add it to your autoresponder. Twitter it, Facebook it, translate it. As long as you leave it intact and do not alter it in anyway. All links must remain in the article. No textual amendments permitted. Only exception is Twitter.

Any links to your own products or services, need to be done separate from the article itself, so that your audience can clearly tell it's your own link.