LEBRON VS GIANNIS. Not for the title of the best player on the planet (at least not yet) but for the spoils in the annual NBA All Star Game, taking place on Sunday in Charlotte with Messrs James and Antetokounmpo helming their respective teams.
A bit of fun, as ever. 24 basketballing leviathans showing off their skills to their peers. A chance to bond but also to burnish their in-house reputations.
A contest that means nothing but can signify where each lies in the stellar pecking order, with even the A-List divided into Alphas and Betas and perhaps a Gamma here and there.
Following last week’s draft conducted by the two leading vote-getters, it would seem that LBJ out-picked the Greek Freak, a reason why Team LeBron is 1.40 to triumph.
How did @KingJames do drafting #TeamLeBron for #NBAAllStar 2019? pic.twitter.com/u410nHqwpQ
— 2019 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) February 8, 2019
James has corralled Kevin Durant (currently with chip on shoulder), Anthony Davis (even bigger chip), Kyrie Irving (always chip-stacked) and James Harden (whose astonishing scoring streak will have him targeting the MVP award for the first time in his career – a very solid pick at 5.50).
Admittedly, Team Giannis has the Bucks’ goliath, not a bad starter, plus Steph Curry, the hometown hero returned, who may be the best value of all for MVP at 7.50, a prize he too has never claimed.
Yet in going very international, Antetokounmpo has been encumbered with the likes of Nikola Vucevic and Nikola Jokic, fine players both, but not entirely suited to the up and down ping-ping of this contest.
Because, as the respective coaches know, their role is to untethered the hounds and let them fly. What the fans want are dunks, ridiculous passes, absurd mis-passes (always a comic feature) and Harden-esque defence from start to finish.
Who's ready for #NBAAllStar Weekend?
#TBT pic.twitter.com/kelYZOFXOZ
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 15, 2019
This is the big guns come to play. And play hard. Off the court as well as on it. The NBA’s largest party but with invites truly VIP.
Points will come in bunches. And this year’s starters appear ready to push for baskets aplenty.
Two years ago, when Davis landed his first All Star MVP award, was the highest-scoring contest yet with the soon-to-be ex-Pelicans forward sparking the West’s 192-182 beatdown to the East.
Last year, Team LeBron edged Team Steph 148-145. Closer to par in recent times, but going over 314.5 total points pays out at 1.91 and there’s a decent bet that it goes above that.
Six of the last ten All Stars have been decided by five points or less, which speaks to the competitiveness of its performers, especially in the fourth quarter. The reason these stellar heroes are so good is because they like to win. Golden boys but with glitter scattered on top.
Best bet: Take Team Giannis at +5 at 2.07.
ON A MISSION #FearTheDeer | #Giannis pic.twitter.com/DPS9lyiTxW
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 14, 2019
Friday night’s Rising Stars Challenge is notable for the presence of the new A-Lister who is not – shockingly – an All Star.
Luke Doncic’s exclusion can be explained by a requirement to pay one’s rookie dues. But the Slovene sensation nevertheless gets a platform for his dazzling armoury of skills, with the added perk of Ben Simmons pulling double duty as his wingman as Team World square off against rookies and sophomores of the USA.
Their presence makes World a fine punt at 2.35 for victory with Doncic 5.00 for MVP. He’s also the same price to win Saturday’s Skills Challenge, so could have a rewarding weekend despite his snub elsewhere.
All Star Weekend Picks
NBA MVP: Steph Curry 7.50
Rising Stars MVP: Luka Doncic 5.00
Slam Dunk Contest: Dennis Smith Jr 2.50
Three Point Contest: Steph Curry 3.15
All Star Trivia
Charlotte will host NBA All-Star for the second time. The Queen City also hosted in 1991.
• When the Lakers’ LeBron James takes the court in Charlotte, he will tie Kobe Bryant for the most starts in NBA All-Star Game history (15). James will also become the first player to start 15th consecutive All-Star Games.
• Each participant on the World Team’s 10-player roster for the Rising Stars hails from a different country, with four continents represented (North America, Africa, Europe and Australia).
• In Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki’s rookie season (1998-99), the NBA had 38 international players representing 27 countries and territories on opening-night rosters. This season, which is Nowitzki’s record-tying 21st, the NBA featured 108 international players from 42 countries and territories – increases of 184% and 56%, respectively, from 1998-99.
• Dirk Nowitzki first appeared in the 3-Point Contest in 2000, when defending champion Devin Booker was 3 years old.
• A 7-footer has won two of the last three Taco Bell Skills Challenge titles (Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016 and Kristaps Porzingis in 2017). Two 7-footers are in this year’s event: 2019 All-Stars Nikola Jokic? of the Nuggets and Nikola Vuc?evic? of the Magic.
