Devin Booker slides behind Austin Reaves in All-Star fan voting

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker slid from eighth to ninth among Western Conference guards in the updated NBA All-Star fan voting totals released Thursday, putting him behind Los Angeles Lakers backup guard Austin Reaves.

Booker’s 388,308 votes are fewer than Reaves’ 392,546. Just ahead of Reaves is Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard’s 668,169 votes and then Lakers guard Russell Westbrook’s 973,226.

In order from most to least, the top of the Western Conference guard list includes Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Klay Thompson.

Booker has been out since Dec. 25 with a groin injury. He got off to a hot start to the year and is averaging 27.1 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds on 48% shooting from the floor and 37% accuracy from three-point range.

Fans can vote until Saturday, with Friday votes counting three times in 29 games.

The large Los Angeles fan base has boosted role players behind Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the former of whom leads all NBA All-Star vote-getters at 6,506,682.

Westbrook has settled into a bench role in 42 games played by averaging 15.8 points, 7.7 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game.

Reaves, a second-year pro out of Oklahoma, has started 12 of 36 games. He is averaging 10.8 points and 2.2 assists per night.

The fan voting accounts for 50% of the total, with media and players adding a weight of 25% each.

That total will ultimately decide the starters, who will be announced next Thursday. NBA coaches select the bench players, and Booker is surely a strong candidate to make the game if healthy.

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo lead their respective conferences in the third fan returns of #NBAAllStar Voting presented by AT&T.

Fans account for 50% of the vote to decide All-Star starters. NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each. pic.twitter.com/nqNZqkeVJw

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 19, 2023

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