The second round of returns for the fan vote of the 2023 NBA All-Star game have come back with a bit of an improved outlook for the Boston Celtics per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, who would have one starter as of today if it were the fan vote alone that determined who made the cut for being an All-Star starter.

That of course is not the case with the player and media vote outweighing fans 3-to-1 in weight, with Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum getting enough of the fan vote to qualify for one of the Eastern Conference’s three frontcourt spots with nearly 3.3 million votes. That places Tatum well behind Kevin Durant (4.5 million votes) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (4.4 million votes), with a small edge over Joel Embiid, who he leads by about 40,000 votes.

The two backcourt spots are a tighter race, and have Boston star wing Jaylen Brown still in fourth place with 1.5 million votes, trailing Kyrie Irving (3 million votes), Donovan Mitchell (2.7 million votes), and James Harden by just about 60,000 votes.

It seems likely that even with the boost he will likely see from the media and perhaps player votes that Brown will not start unless he begins to pick up votes in a hurry, but Tatum ought to, barring a drop-off in fan support in the remaining time left for the fan vote to be completed.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

Related

What is behind all of the absurd scoring going down in the NBA right now?

List

Not every 1981 Boston Celtics champion was a fan of Bill Fitch's coaching style

List

Jaylen Brown on partnership between the NBA and HBCUs: 'I think that's a high point for the NBA'

List

Why the Celtics should not be starting Robert Williams III

List

Every Boston Celtic who has received MVP votes in more than one season

Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire