NBA All-Star betting trends, odds and predictions for Sunday, February 19th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
NBA All-Star Preview
By Tony Mejia
VegasInsider.com
Russell Westbrook has won MVP in consecutive games and is always a good bet since he's programmed differently than most of these guys. He's got no chill, approaching this exhibition like he does every game, which means he'll be chasing down rebounds and going to the rim with reckless abandon. How Steve Kerr employs him given the fact that he's coming off the bench and beefing with former teammate Kevin Durant remains to be seen, but odds are strong that he'll put up numbers and it's unlikely that Kerr will keep him sidelined long if he wants to play. Posting a triple-double here while working on averaging one for the entire season is something you definitely shouldn't put past him.
Davis is also going to be out there to put on a show in front of the home crowd, so they'll be the driving force behind a Western Confeence that has opened as a 6.5-point favorite. The total is way up there at 344 following last year's remarkable 196-173 West win, but keep in mind that the previous record was set in '15 at "just" 321, as the West posted a 163-158 win. The highest scoring quarter in that Brooklyn-based contest was 83 points. Last year, 83 points ended up being scored in the lowest-scoring. There were 89 points scored in the second and third quarters and 88 fired in despite the fact the game was out of reach. The Western Conference topped 50 points over the last three after being "held" to 40 in the first. An average of 86 points will have to be scored in each quarter this season to reach the posted total.
Prediction: Western Conference 175, Eastern Conference 171.
NBA All-Star Game Betting Preview
By Covers.com
Western Conference vs. Eastern Conference (+5.5, 284.5)
The best basketball players in the world descend on Smoothie King Arena this weekend in the 66th edition of the NBA All-Star Game - and for those who crave drama, there should be plenty to go around in this one. Both the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers and the runner-up Golden State Warriors are well represented, boasting four of the 10 starters. And then there's the reunion of Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook - the two-time defending All-Star MVP - and former teammate Kevin Durant, who gets the start at small forward as a member of the Warriors.
The other major point of intrigue: Just how many points the two teams will score. The annual superstar showcase has always been defense-averse, but last year's edition in Toronto took that to a whole other level as the teams combined for an absurd 369 points - 50 higher than the Vegas total. The West pulled out a 196-173 victory between 31 points from Westbrook, and will undoubtedly be looking to do even better against the LeBron James-led East Roster. The West has prevailed in five of the last six All-Star Games, with Durant and Westbrook combining for three MVP awards in the past five years.
LINE HISTORY: Western Conference is a 5.5-point favorite while total is set at 284.5 points.
ROSTERS
East Starters: PG Kyrie Irving, SG DeMar DeRozan, SG Jimmy Butler, SF Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF LeBron James
East Reserves: PG Isaiah Thomas, PG John Wall, PG Kyle Lowry, PG Kemba Walker, SF Paul George, PF Paul Millsap
West Starters: PG Stephen Curry, SG James Harden, SF Kevin Durant, SF Kawhi Leonard, PF Anthony Davis
West Reserves: PG Russell Westbrook, SG Klay Thompson, SF Gordon Hayward, PF Draymond Green, PF DeMarcus Cousins, C Marc Gasol, C DeAndre Jordan
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We are looking for Russel Westbrook to have a standout game, as he is likely the person on the court with the most to prove. The West will likely dominate, but its going to be interesting to see how Kawhi Leonard will impact the game from the West, considering he is one of the best defensive players in the league, playing in a game that is known for its lack of defense." - Line manager, GTBets.eu.
ABOUT THE EASTERN CONFERENCE: More than in previous years, this All-Star game will feature a significant contrast in styles. The Eastern Conference is rolling with an ultra-small lineup, with only one true power forward in Millsap and zero centers on the roster. It will be interesting to see how East head coach Brad Stevens employs the five point guards on the roster; don't be surprised to see Thomas used at shooting guard, given his propensity for shooting. A Butler-Antetokounmpo-James pairing has a significant athletic advantage over whatever three-man frontcourt the West will use, and should have no trouble exploiting it.
ABOUT THE WESTERN CONFERENCE: The West has been a frighteningly efficient unit for more than a half-decade - and that isn't about to abate in 2017 as Harden, Leonard and Davis join Curry and Durant in what might be the best starting unit in All-Star history. And if that weren't enough, the West has triple-double machine and All-Star legend Westbrook coming off the bench. A significant size advantage would come in handy in the regular season, but it won't help the West much in a game like this - so don't be surprised to see Gasol and Jordan take a backseat to more athletically versatile big men in Green and Cousins.
ALL-STAR GAME MVP ODDS
Russell Westbrook +350
Stephen Curry +600
Anthony Davis +650
James Harden +700
Kevin Durant +700
LeBron James +700
Kyrie Irving +750
Giannis Antetokounmpo +1100
Kawhi Leonard +1500
Isaiah Thomas +1500
Jimmy Butler +2200
Paul George +2500
DeMar DeRozan +2800
John Wall +4500
Carmelo Anthony +4500
Klay Thompson +4500
Kyle Lowry +4500
DeMarcus Cousins +5500
Draymond Green +5500
Kemba Walker +6500
DeAndre Jordan +6500
Gordon Hayward +7000
Marc Gasol +8000
TRENDS:
* West is 4-2 SU and ATS last six All-Star Games
* Favorite has covered in each of last four years and is 4-2 ATS last six games
* Last three ASG have gone Over the total and Over is 5-1 last six games
* The West is averaging 159.5 points over the last six games.
* No All-Star team has scored fewer than 138 points since 2009.
* The East has won both previous All-Star games played in New Orleans.
NBA All-Star Preview
By: Zach Cohen
StatFox.com
The NBA’s best players will do their best to put on a show in New Orleans on Sunday.
The All-Star Game will be taking place on Sunday and the league’s superstars are probably thrilled to be in New Orleans for this one. It’s a good time to unwind and have fun for these guys, but there is still plenty of competition. Bragging rights are on the line, and the Western Conference is going to want to continue its recent dominance over the East. The West crushed the East last year, winning 196-173 at the Air Canada Centre. Russell Westbrook took the MVP honors for a second straight year, as he also led the Western Conference to a 163-158 victory in New York in 2015. The Western Conference has now won five of the past six meetings with the Eastern Conference, but the Eastern Conference has been a lot stronger this year than it has been in the past. There is a lot more talent in the East now and that should translate to a better game on Sunday. The East also happens to be 37-28 all-time in this head-to-head. It’s worth noting for the East that Kevin Love (Knee) is out for the next couple of months and has been replaced by Carmelo Anthony. A lot of people felt that Anthony did not deserve to be the replacement, but this will allow Anthony to play in his eighth straight All-Star Game.
The Eastern Conference is going to be hoping to snap a two-game All-Star losing streak on Sunday, and they definitely have the talent to do just that. The starting lineup for the East is going to include PG Kyrie Irving (24.4 PPG, 5.9 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.2 SPG), SF Giannis Antetokounmpo (23.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.0 BPG, 1.8 SPG), SF Jimmy Butler (24.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.8 SPG), SF DeMar DeRozan (27.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.1 SPG) and SF LeBron James (25.9 PPG, 8.8 APG, 7.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG). Irving and James obviously have chemistry from playing together every day, and they should put on a show in this game. James will also be one of the favorites to win the MVP award, which is something he has done twice in his career. Antetokounmpo could also be a guy that comes away with that award, as he will definitely electrify the crowd in this game. “The Greek Freak” is capable of dunking the ball from pretty much anywhere, and he’ll also most likely have a nice block or two. Coming off the bench will be PG Isaiah Thomas (29.9 PPG, 6.3 APG), PG John Wall (22.8 PPG, 10.6 APG, 4.4 RPG, 2.1 SPG), PG Kyle Lowry (22.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG), SF Paul George (22.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.5 SPG), PG Kemba Walker (22.5 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.2 SPG), PF Paul Millsap (17.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG) and SF Carmelo Anthony (23.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.9 APG). There are a lot of talented players in that group, but Thomas, George and Wall stand out as guys that might be able to really thrive off the bench. All three could potentially win the MVP award for this game, and they need to be taken seriously. The one issue for this team will be size. The Eastern Conference does not have any true big men, and that could be a difference in this game.
The Western Conference All-Star team is headlined by starters PG Stephen Curry (24.7 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG), SG James Harden (29.2 PPG, 11.3 APG, 8.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG), SF Kevin Durant (25.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.7 BPG, 1.1 SPG), SF Kawhi Leonard (25.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG) and PF Anthony Davis (27.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 1.3 SPG). Of that group, Harden, Durant and Davis are probably the three guys most likely to win the MVP award. All three of them can put up huge numbers and they also have some serious flash to their games. Leonard, meanwhile, will likely bother a few of the East’s players, as his tenacious defense is not something you often see in the All-Star Game. Coming off the bench for the West will be PG Russell Westbrook (31.1 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 10.1 APG, 1.6 SPG), C DeMarcus Cousins (27.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG), SG Klay Thompson (22.1 PPG), PF Draymond Green (10.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 7.3 APG, 2.1 SPG, 1.5 BPG), C Marc Gasol (20.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.0 SPG), C DeAndre Jordan (12.0 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.7 BPG) and SF Gordon Hayward (22.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.0 SPG). The one thing that jumps out here is that Russell Westbrook was not a starter. Westbrook is averaging a triple-double this season, and he has been the MVP of this game two years in a row. Look for him to come out angry and do his best to win a third straight MVP. Also, the West is massive inside. That difference in the paint could be a major reason that this team blows out the East.