NBA All-Star Weekend Odds and Best Bets
Trying to predict the outcome of the annual NBA All-Star Game and the other competitions surrounding it is a bit crapshoot-y.
But face it, with the NFL season over and no regular-season NBA games from Friday, Feb. 17 until Thursday, Feb. 23, you’ll be itching to bet.
We’ve got you covered.
The odds I’m using are from FanDuel Sportsbook, one of the great gambling options available in your state that also include DraftKings Sportsbook and more.
Skills Challenge
Team Jazz (-125):
Jordan Clarkson
Collin Sexton
Walker Kessler
Team Rookies (+145):
Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets)
Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons)
Team Antetokounmpo (+500):
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Alex Antetokounmpo (G Wisconsin Herd)
For the complete Skills Challenge format and rules, go here, but essentially it’s a set of drills that involve three rounds: Team relay, team passing, and team shooting.
My bet: Team Antetokounmpo
The Jazz trio is the trendy pick but I’m betting the Antetokounmpo brothers – who finished third out of three in last year’s All-Star Skills Challenge in Cleveland – will get rollin’, find their rhythm and, this time, finish first.
2023 Jordan Rising Stars
© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Per NBA.com: “The NBA’s annual showcase of premier young talent – the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars – is set for Friday, Feb. 17 (9 p.m. ET, TNT) at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City as part of NBA All-Star 2023. A player draft by honorary coaches and former All-Stars Pau Gasol, Deron Williams and Joakim Noah was held with Paolo Banchero going first overall to Team Pau.
For the second straight season, Rising Stars will feature a three-game mini-tournament among four teams comprised of NBA rookies, sophomores and NBA G League Players.”
Let’s look at the odds and rosters:
Team Deron (+165)
Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic)
Jalen Green (Houston Rockets)
Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets)
Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans)
AJ Griffin (Atlanta Hawks)
Bones Hyland (Denver Nuggets)
Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz)
Team Pau (+185)
Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
Benedict Mathurin (Indiana Pacers)
Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons)
Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors)
Jose Alvarado (New Orleans Pelicans)
Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings)
Andrew Nembhard (Indiana Pacers)
Team Joakim (+330)
Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Jeremy Sochan (San Antonio Spurs)
Quentin Grimes (New York Knicks)
Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets)
Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons)
Team Jason (+470)
Per NBA.com: “The team of NBA G League players will be led by 2008-09 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year and 2011 NBA champion Jason Terry, a current Utah Jazz assistant coach and former coach of the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Gold.”
Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite)
Scoot Henderson (G League Ignite)
Mojave King (G League Ignite)
Kenneth Lofton Jr., Memphis Hustle
Mac McClung, Delaware Blue Coats
Leonard Miller, G League Ignite
Scotty Pippen Jr., South Bay Lakers
My bet: Team Pau
I’m honestly surprised that Team Deron is the favorite. Two reasons I like Team Pau: Did you take a good look at that gulp!-worthy roster? Plus, I’ve got ten bucks that says Jose Alvarado, the Pels guard and professional NBA pest, takes the game seriously, steals a couple of passes, drives opponents nuts and sparks a victory.
3-Point Contest
Buddy Hield (Indiana Pacers) +400
Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) +420
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) +500
Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz) +550
Kevin Huerter (Sacramento Kings) +550
Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) +600
Tyler Herro (Miami Heat) +800
Anfernee Simons (Portland Trail Blazers) +850
My pick: Markkanen (+550)
Hield is the favorite and should be. He has made the most 3’s in the NBA this season and has the best 3-point FG percentage in this group. Damian Lillard, a Weber State (Ogden, Utah) grad, will want to perform well in front of the Salt Lake City crowd and should. But I’m gonna take Markkanen, who is shooting a career-best .412 from downtown — the second-highest of anyone in the contest. With the hometown Vivint Area faithful behind him, Markkanen will become the first Jazz player to win the event since Jeff Hornacek (1998).
2023 NBA All-Star Game
© David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Team Giannis (+108) vs. Team LeBron (-126)
Before we get to the pick let’s look at the rosters:
Team Giannis
Starters
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (captain)
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks (voted in as Brooklyn Net)
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (replaces Kevin Durant as starter)
Reserves
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks
Julius Randle, New York Knicks
Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors (injury replacement)
Team LeBron
Starters
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (replaces Kevin Durant as starter)
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies (replaces Stephen Curry as starter)
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz (replaces Zion Williamson as starter)
Reserves
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves (injury replacement)
De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings (injury replacement)
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers
Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
My Pick: Team Giannis
For what it’s worth – absolutely nothing – the Eastern Conference has a 37-29 all-time record over the Western Conference. But over the past five seasons, James has captained his squads to a perfect 5-0 record over Team Steph Curry (2018), Team Giannis (2019, 2020) and Team Durant (2021, 2022). That one may matter, although just slightly. But the reason I like Team Giannis is Antetokounmpo’s bunch is better, especially since Kyrie Irving is starting for his side – not LeBron’s. Plus, there’s a possibility Boston star Jaylen Brown (facial fracture) will sit this one out and may be replaced by deserving New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson who could provide a big boost.
Finally, good luck figuring out the Slam Dunk Contest winner. FanDuel didn’t even offer odds as of this writing. Maybe they’re as clueless as I am. Highly doubt that, and they’ll certainly have odds up soon, so check back.
