Kevin Durant said it best. Asked last week by The Athletic's Anthony Slater for his thoughts on Team LeBron, which made him the number one pick in last week's All-Star draft, the Golden State Warriors superstar took a shot at opposing captain Giannis Antetokounmpo's ability to evaluate talent.
“Giannis is not from here,” a smiling Durant said, “so I understand. Next year he'll be better picking his team.
“For sure [Team LeBron should be favorites],” he continued. “I mean, look who you got on the team.”
Durant has a point. Team LeBron starts Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Durant, and James, while bringing the likes of Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, and Klay Thompson off the pine. Team Giannis is certainly nothing to scoff at, with a starting five of Kemba Walker, Steph Curry, Paul George, Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid, but their bench definitely can't match the notoriety and firepower of their opponents'. Even Milwaukee Bucks fans would have to admit that Team LeBron's starters are superior, too.
The powers that be in Las Vegas seem to agree. According to online sportsbook BetOnline.ag, Team LeBron is a six-point favorite to beat Team Giannis in Sunday's All-Star game.
To be clear, it's almost never talent alone that decides the winner of the All-Star game. Case in point: The Eastern Conference won six times in the 2000s prior to the league switching to the current draft format last season, despite the Western Conference holding the objectively superior roster most every season. These players are so good that almost anyone playing in the All-Star game could emerge as its best player on a given night.
Whether Team LeBron or Team Giannis is ultimately victorious, let's just hope both sides work to keep it close heading into the fourth quarter. Last year's game, remember, provided some awesome moments in crunch-time, and both teams would surely rather compete late than merely go through the motions of a glorified scrimmage with the entire basketball world watching.
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