Tracy McGrady the Biggest Surprise Among Early All-Star Returns

And Tracy McGrady's debut this season will be...

In the All-Star Game?

One thinks Houston coach Rick Adelman will throw his beleaguered guard into a game well before the Feb. 14 midseason classic at Cowboys Stadium in the Dallas area. After all, the Rockets no doubt want to give him a run before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

Just in case they don't, he might just start the All-Star Game.

In first balloting returns announced Thursday, McGrady, who wants to play but hasn't yet logged a second this season while recovering from knee surgery, is amazingly second in the West at guard behind the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. He's in line to start ahead of third-place Steve Nash, 35, who is merely defying age while averaging 17.5 points and a league-high 11.0 assists and leading Phoenix to a surprising 15-7 mark.

McGrady is very popular in China because his teammate is native hero Yao Ming. And with the injured center not on the ballot and fellow Chinese big man Yi Jianlian of New Jersey also not listed, perhaps McGrady is giving folks over there additional reasons to go to NBA.com.

As for the rest of the initial voting results, there aren't a tremendous number of surprises.

In the East, Cleveland's LeBron James and Boston's Kevin Garnett head the forwards, Miami's Dwyane Wade and Orlando's Vince Carter the guards and Orlando's Dwight Howard leads at center.

Some might say Garnett's frontcourt mate, Paul Pierce, is more worthy there, but it's hard to question KG too much considering he's the heart and soul behind the Celtics being 17-4. Atlanta's Joe Johnson is more deserving than Carter, but there's never been a question Carter is far more popular with fans.

In the West, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki head the forwards, Bryant, the leading vote-getter so far at 692,518, and McGrady pace the guards and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire is on top at center.

While the Suns might be miffed at Nash being third, they did get a break since Stoudemire should have been listed on the ballot at forward, having started every game there this season, with Channing Frye at center for the Suns. If Stoudemire had been listed at his proper position, there's no way he would be in line to start. And the Lakers' Andrew Bynum, second in the voting at center, would be in position to open the game.

Maybe this is the year Tim Duncan, who wasn't thrilled to be listed at center rather than his normal forward spot two years ago before the ballot was changed, wishes he was at center. The San Antonio star is a distant fourth in West voting at forward, and his streak of starting 10 straight All-Star games looks to be about to end.

In the East, another streak is in serious jeopardy. Philadelphia guard Allen Iverson, listed on the ballot with Memphis in the West although his votes will go to the East, is a distance sixth among guards. Since there's little chance of Iverson being named to the team as a reserve, his streak of 10 straight All-Star Game selections (nine of those were as a starter) looks as if it will end.

As for McGrady, he's been itching to play for a while but Adelman doesn't believe he's ready to go. While it's almost certain he'll be back well before the All-Star Game, at least that's one game Adelman might not be able to keep him from playing.

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2010 NBA All-Star Balloting

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: LeBron James (Clev) 649,327; Kevin Garnett (Bos) 533,187; Chris Bosh (Tor) 303,550; Paul Pierce (Bos) 131,379; Josh Smith (Atl) 109,404; Danny Granger (Ind) 100,122; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 75,146; Michael Beasley (Mia) 58,461; Hedo Turkoglu (Tor) 55,416); Rashard Lewis (Orl) 46,073; Luol Deng (Chi) 37,428.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 672,227; Vince Carter (Orl) 292,002; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 212,526; Ray Allen (Bos) 208,276 Derrick Rose (Chi) 196,059; Allen Iverson (Phi) 136,976*; Joe Johnson (Atl) 118,964; Rajon Rondo (Bos) 113,371; Jose Calderon (Tor) 68,084; Mike Bibby (Atl) 48,935.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 625,279; Shaquille O'Neal (Cle) 206,657; Andrea Bargnani (Tor) 67,310; Al Horford (Atl) 52,747; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 45,920; Brook Lopez (NJ) 39,420; Jermaine O'Neal (Mia) 38,956; Rasheed Wallace (Bos) 36,855; Kendrick Perkins (Bos) 19,408; Brad Miller (Chi) 17,188; Tyson Chandler (Cha) 14,062; Samuel Dalembert, S. (Phi) 13,969.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony (Den) 588,958; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 366,300; Pau Gasol (LAL) 280,758; Tim Duncan (SA) 271,321; Kevin Durant (OKC) 177,205; Trevor Ariza (Hou) 168,167; Shawn Marion (Dal) 161,653; Luis Scola (Hou) 134,321; Ron Artest (LAL) 99,209; Lamar Odom (LAL) 85,817; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 70,588.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 692,518; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 281,545; Steve Nash (Pho) 272,135; Chris Paul (NO) 248,049; Jason Kidd (Dal) 207,247; Jason Terry (Dal) 131,422; Aaron Brooks (Hou) 131,167; Chauncey Billups (Den) 112,509; Brandon Roy (Por) 106,416; Deron Williams (Utah) 94,715; Manu Ginobili (SA) 75,392.

Centers: Amar'e Stoudemire (Pho) 447,776; Andrew Bynum (LAL) 299,484; Nene (Den) 90,439; Marc Gasol (Mem) 75,765; Greg Oden (Por) 73,874; Al Jefferson (Min) 48,676; Antonio
McDyess (SA) 46,323; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 35,606; Marcus Camby (LAC) 35,471; Andris Biedrins (GS) 28,287; Emeka Okafor (NO) 19,827; Spencer Hawes (Sac) 10,733.

*While Allen Iverson appears among Western Conference guards on the paper ballot because he began the season with Memphis, his votes will count towards the Eastern Conference guards due to his signing with Philadelphia Dec. 3.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson.