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All-Star Best Bets

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read

NBA All-Star Game Betting Odds

Opening Line
Team LeBron -6, Total (O/U) 303
Team Giannis 

Current Line (As of Sunday)
Team LeBron -6.5, Total (O/U) 304.5
Team Giannis

Follow the NBA All-Star Game Line Moves!

Odds to win 2020 NBA All-Star Game MVP

Odds provided by FanDuel (IN, NJ, PA & WV only)
Subject to Change - T&C's Apply, 21+

Giannis Antetokounmpo +350
LeBron James +400
Anthony Davis +550
James Harden +600
Trae Young +900
Russell Westbrook +1400
Joel Embiid +1600
Luka Doncic +1600
Kawhi Leonard +2000
Ben Simmons +2500
Devin Booker +2500
Kemba Walker +3000
Pascal Siakam +3000
Jimmy Butler +4000
Donovan Mitchell +5000
Jayson Tatum +5000
Nikola Jokic +5000
Bam Adebayo +10000
Brandon Ingram +10000
Chris Paul +10000
Khris Middleton +10000
Kyle Lowry +10000
Domantas Sabonis +15000
Rudy Gobert +15000

NBA All-Star Game Analysis

VegasInsider.com NBA Expert Tony Mejia provides his "Best Bets" on Sunday's All-Star Game.

While NBA All-Star weekend will provide an extended tribute Kobe Bryant, the league will mourn by celebrating.

There were issues getting to Chicago due to inclement weather affecting travel throughout the country but those who experienced turmoil will be able to zap it out and perform. That goes for players, coaches and reporters who know that overcoming adversity is part of the gig.

Bettors shouldn’t feel bad about letting it ride in this All-Star Game either. Some who refuse to let their money ride on exhibitions wouldn’t have touched this game outside of blindly betting the ‘over’ and now have no angle due to the league’s decision to honor Bryant by changing the format.

Scores will reset after every quarter and will therefore be more attractive to bet since each 12 minutes will produce a $100,000 winner for charity. The combined score of the first three quarters will be added to open the fourth and we’ll get a target score that will need to be reached to close out the contest. In tribute to Bryant, the team that has the lead will then need 24 points to win the game. If Team LeBron is up on Team Giannis 121-115 through the first three quarters, the game would end when either team arrives at 145 points.

My hope is that the players selected to star in this game honor their fallen brother by playing with some tenacity. For that reason, I fully expect that we’ll see the lowest-scoring All-Star Game in over a decade.

Tony Mejia's pick: Under 304

Back in 2009, the Western Conference, led by Bryant’s 27 points, defeated the LeBron-led East 146-119. He shared MVP with former teammate Shaquille O’Neal, leading his group on a game-clinching 19-0 run. Bryant won top honors once more two years later since he had to represent at Staples and went for 37 points and 14 boards, The 291 points produced in that showcase are part of a run now spanning 10-plus years where at least 280 points have been scored.

Last year’s total closed at 316 and was surpassed easily as Team LeBron routed Team Giannis 178-164. The year prior to that featured James’ squad edging Stephen Curry’s group 148-145 as he won MVP at Staples Center in his final season with the Cavs. Scoring has skyrocketed over the past 15 years. In 2006, there were 242 points scored on the heels of 240 the previous season. In 2016, the West beat the East 196-173. They won 192-182 in ‘17.

This All-Star Game’s rule changes mean we won’t be able to accurately rely on past behavior to try and forecast this exhibition game. The total moving 10-15 points to the north has been a trend that bettors have been able to count upon over the past few years, although the ’18 game did manage to cash for ‘under’ bettors. Typically, you bet the ‘over’ as soon as numbers are released and rejoice at getting in early as the closing figure skyrockets as tip-off approaches. That’s unlikely to be a sound strategy this time around, although this figure opened at ‘under’ 300 and climbed as high as 305 at some shops on Saturday.

If the NBA sticks to using this “Elam Ending” where they post a final score to reach in order to end the game, we’ll at least have this year’s game as an indicator of what to expect. Resetting the scores at the beginning of the second and third quarters to set up three mini games is also something you should probably get used to since Commissioner Adam Silver is very interested in “fixing” the competitive balance of the All-Star game and views the teams playing for prize money for charity as something that should yield results.

The number ‘24’ is being used for the fourth quarter to honor Bryant, so it will be interesting to monitor whether that figure ends up closer to 35 points down the road. Even with the team trailing likely to lock in on the defensive end in pursuit of a comeback, notching 24 points doesn’t sound too challenging for a team of All-Stars, which may result in a fairly brief fourth quarter.

James’ team was always going to be favored and the chemistry he shares with Chicago native Anthony Davis should serve as a driving force for Team LeBron. If you’re laying the points and backing James to improve to 3-0 since drafting your own teams became the norm, find a way to ride Davis to win All-Star MVP if you can find it. A top point scorer prop is available at FanDuel Sportsbook and pays out +400. His individual number is set at 21.5, which is my top player prop for this game.

Team Giannis has the ability to clamp down if they really take playing defense to heart. Although they would only be able to close with one of their starting guards, Trae Young or Kemba Walker, the group has Jimmy Butler, Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo and Rudy Gobert capable of closing out a game on the defensive end. I’m a big fan of the Team Giannis/under parlay as a result. His points total at FanDuel is 25.5, which looks a little too steep given the atmosphere. I’d ride the ‘under’ there at -135. Take a shot at teammates Young (16.5) and Butler (9.5) going ‘over’ their projections. Young winning MVP and leading the entire contest in points carries a solid return at +750.

Tony Mejia's Player Prop Picks:

Over – Anthony Davis Points (21.5)
Over - Trae Young (16.5)
Over - Jimmy Butler (9.5)

Under - Giannis Antetokounmpo (25.5)



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