The NBA All-Star game is tonight. There is a buzz in Salt Lake City as the world’s best players converge to showcase their skills in an exhibition of talent and flair.
Let’s take a look at the betting odds for tonight’s exciting game to find some winning wagers
Picks Summary
- LeBron James MVP (+500) at FanDuel
- Nikola Jokic MVP (+1600) at FanDuel
Team Giannis vs. Team LeBron
Sunday, February 19, 2023 – 07:30 PM EST at Vivint Arena
The NBA All-Star Game takes place tonight in Salt Lake City. It is the culmination of a weekend to celebrate basketball. We have had the Rising Stars game, a Celebrity game, a Skills Competition, a Three-point Contest, and of course the Slam Dunk Contest.
The culmination of the weekend is when the world’s best players take the court for an exhibition game designed to celebrate the sport of basketball.
The NBA has tinkered with the All-Star Game in order to try to give it a boost in popularity. I believe that they are battling a losing cause.
The NBA already suffers from overexposure as the season is too long. Many stars sit out key games, such as last week’s game between the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics, and the team that is number two in the standings, the Milwaukee Bucks.
This should have been a huge game, a potential playoff preview, and in a sport like the NFL it would have commanded a ton of attention. Instead, the Celtics sat many players, including star Jayson Tatum. Although it ended up being a good game, it did not have the same ramifications as if the teams had played at full strength. Tatum will, however, play in the All-Star game tonight.
What Changes This Year?
So in an effort to return popularity and eyeballs to the All-Star game, which is in essence a glorified exhibition of the best players in the sport, the NBA has instituted a draft.
No longer is there an Eastern versus Western Conference rivalry. Now the teams are drafted by two star players that the NBA wants to market.
The Stars
This year’s marketable stars are LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The NBA’s insistence on marketing players over teams has led to one of the biggest inefficiencies in the sports betting market, however, as casual bettors bet on star players and don’t understand the importance of team basketball. So while it does seem like I am complaining, it is something we can take advantage of.
What Should You Bet On?
Unfortunately, in terms of creating content, this puts us in a precarious position, as the players will not be drafted until right before the event begins.
This makes writing a comprehensive preview tough as we don’t know which players will be on which team.
All-Star MVP Award
LeBron James
One market I think that we can take advantage of, however, is the All-Star MVP award. LeBron James is the favorite to win it at plus 500. He will be the captain of his team. LeBron is considered to be one of the elder statesmen in the NBA, players will defer to him and he should have plenty of opportunities.
James could also get credit for breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record this year. It’s hard to make an argument against LeBron James.
Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell returns to Salt Lake City after being traded away.
Mitchell also is sitting at plus 500. He has a strong narrative and the players could be enthusiastic about getting Mitchell an opportunity to shine in the city in which he grew up and made his name.
Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic also has a great opportunity to win and he is at plus 700.
Doncic is a great three-point shot maker, which gives him a chance to rack up plenty of points the way Steph Curry did last season by hitting 16 3-pointers en route to a 50-point performance. Draining 3-pointers is a great way to capture the eyes of the voters and be named MVP.
Nikola Jokic
We must also look at the reigning MVP of the league, Nikola Jokic. Jokic has the ability to put up a triple-double, which could impress the voters. Jokic is also smooth around the rim and his brilliant passing should get him plenty of assists. Jokic also has a fantastic opportunity to be named MVP.
Our Top Picks
The All-Star Game is meant to be fun. We will not see a lot of defense or the typical competitive spirit of an NBA game. Instead, it’ll be a showcase of flashy moves and rim-rattling dunks.
The two best bets to make for the All-Star game are on the face of the NBA, LeBron James, and Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP. Put a half a unit on each and enjoy the festivities tonight.
NBA Pick: LeBron James MVP (+500) at FanDuel
NBA Pick: Nikola Jokic MVP (+1600) at FanDuel
