"Judging by the latest snapshot of fan balloting, Tim Duncan is likely to see his string of 11 consecutive All-Star starts end next month. Whether he earns a spot on the team at all will be left to a vote of Western Conference coaches.

Though Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hasn't directly stumped for Duncan, it is clear he believes his starting power forward remains All-Star caliber.

"As far as what he means to the team, and what he does, it's all the same," Popovich said. "He's the base of everything we do. Everything starts there, and we fit every?thing around him."

The 34-year-old Duncan, who has appeared in every All-Star Game held since he joined the NBA in 1997-98, is averaging career lows in scoring (13.3 points), rebounding (9.7) and minutes (29:11). Those numbers have hurt him at the ballot box.

In order to be voted in as a starter for the Feb. 11 game in Los Angeles, Duncan would need to make up 191,058 votes on the No. 2 Western Conference forward - Denver's Carmelo Anthony - before balloting ends Jan. 23.

If Anthony, the subject of myriad trade rumors, is dealt to the East before the All-Star break, Duncan would still need to close a 151,634-vote gap on the Lakers' Pau Gasol."