LeBron James and Kevin Durant have assembled their All-Star teams and we're ready to watch Team LeBron look to win back-to-back All Star games after defeating Team Giannis last year. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Team LeBron-Team Durant prediction and pick.
This will be the second year in which the All-Star game will adopt the end of game format honoring Kobe Bryant.
Team LeBron and Team Durant will play the first three quarters like a normal game. The fourth quarter is untimed, and will be played until one team hits the Final Target Score.
The Final Target Score is the leading team's cumulative points of the first three quarters, plus 24 points.
For example, if Team LeBron leads Team Durant 120-110 at the end of three, the Final Target Score would be 144. The first team to score 144 wins the game.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening All-Star Game odds.
NBA Odds: Team LeBron vs. Team Durant Odds
Team Durant +4 (-110)
Team LeBron -4 (-110)
Over 317.5 Points (-110)
Under 317..5 Points (-110)
Breaking Down The Starters
LeBron's starting five consists of the following players:
Stephen Curry (Golden State)
Luka Dončić (Dallas)
LeBron James (L.A. Lakers)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)
Nikola Jokić (Denver)
Durant's starting five consists of the following players:
Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn)
Bradley Beal (Washington)
Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)
Jayson Tatum (Boston)
Zion Williamson (New Orleans)
After the draft, most pundits agreed that LeBron had a better draft than Durant. Head to head, you could make an argument that LeBron has the advantage in every position at starter.
At center, Zion is a great young player, but the edge goes to Nikola Jokic. The Joker currently holds the third highest odds to win MVP at sportsbooks for good reason, averaging a near triple-double of 27.1 points, 8.6 assists, and 11.0 rebounds per game.
At forwards, LeBron has himself and the reigning MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis was his team's leading scorer in last years All-Star Game, and he's a walking highlight waiting to happen. LeBron has won three All-Star MVP's and is still playing at a ridiculous level.
They'll be matched up against Jayson Tatum and Kawhi Leonard. Leonard's game doesn't scream flashiness, but he's historically played pretty well in the ASG. Last year, he took home the MVP after dropping 30 points. Tatum will be making his second appearance in the ASG after scoring only six points in his last appearance.
At the guard spot, Team Durant boasts the highest scorer in the league in Bradley Beal, who is averaging 32.9 points per game. Flanked by the ever flashy Kyrie Irving, this is probably the area that Team Durant comes closest to matching Team LeBron.
James will have Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic in his backcourt, a dynamic duo that is sure to launch plenty of bombs. Curry might be one of the best players to have on the court in this situation, and he'll have the greenest of green lights to let it fly from 35+ feet.
ADVANTAGE: Team LeBron
Breaking Down The Bench
Durant's bench consists of the following players with inactive players marked by asterisk:
Mike Conley (Utah)
Anthony Davis (L.A. Lakers)*
Devin Booker (Phoenix)
Joel Embiid (Philadelphia)*
James Harden (Brooklyn)
Zach LaVine (Chicago)
Donovan Mitchell (Utah)
Julius Randle (New York)
Nikola Vučević (Orlando)
LeBron's bench consists of the following players with inactive players marked by asterisk:
Damian Lillard (Portland)
Chris Paul (Phoenix)
Domantas Sabonis (Indiana)
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia)*
Jaylen Brown (Boston)
Paul George (LA Clippers)
Rudy Gobert (Utah)
The last minute contact tracing robbed Team Durant of their best big man in Joel Embiid, an even deadlier blow with the absence of Anthony Davis.
Durant's squad will be seriously lacking in size, as their only true center will be Nikola Vucevic. They should use small ball lineups for most of the game, which could suit the All-Star game format anyway.
As the O/U line shows, All-Star Games have been ridiculously high-scoring affairs over the past few years.
In a fast paced game where three's and dunks reign supreme, Team Durant has a slight upper hand.
Players like Domantas Sabonis and Rudy Gobert are out of their element here. Sabonis is a bruising post scorer who struggles playing perimeter defense. Gobert is a lockdown paint defender who doesn't score outside of the paint. While the Jazz center is a lob threat, defense won't be seriously played until the final quarter.
On the other hand, Team Durant's roster is tailor made for the All-Star format.
Devin Booker and James Harden are all electric perimeter scorers who prefer not to play tough-nosed defense anyway. Zach LaVine is a microwave scorer who can score in bunches when he catches fire, and is guaranteed to throw down at least one hammer that looks like it should've been saved for the halftime dunk contest.
Damian Lillard is probably the biggest X-factor on LeBron's bench, but Durant has more players that could sway the game.
ADVANTAGE: Team Durant
Final Pick and Prediction
Overall, LeBron has constructed a nearly perfect roster to go out and win his second straight All-Star contest. I expect Team LeBron to run out to a decent sized lead and take it home on James' back. It probably won't be a double digit win, but James and company should cover the four point spread.
FINAL PICK: Team LeBron -4
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