2024 Slam Dunk contest predictions, odds, start time: NBA All-Star Weekend picks, best bets by proven expert

Few states are as synonymous with basketball as Indiana, and the Hoosier State will host 2024 NBA All-Star festivities this weekend. One of the highlights will take place on Saturday night with the 2024 Slam Dunk contest as Mac McClung will look to defend his crown. The G-Leaguer will have fierce challengers in order to repeat, including the Celtics' Jaylen Brown, who is the first current All-Star in six years to compete. The rest of the Slam Dunk Contest 2024 field includes a pair of rookies in New York's Jacob Toppin and Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis hosts NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which begins at 8 p.m. ET. The dunk contest is the final event of the evening. McClung is the -280 favorite (risk $280 to win $100) in the latest 2024 NBA Slam Dunk contest odds. Toppin is at +800, with Brown at +500 and Jaquez the biggest longshot at +950. Before making any 2024 Slam Dunk contest picks or All-Star weekend predictions, you need to see the picks and best bets from SportsLine's NBA expert Matt Severance.

Severance is a well-connected writer and high-volume handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. After joining SportsLine, Matt quickly established himself as a top expert in multiple sports. Over the past two NBA seasons, Matt has returned $3,215 and he is 108-57 in his last 165 NBA picks, returning more than $1,900 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed his picks is way up.

Now he has analyzed the 2024 NBA Slam Dunk contest from all angles and locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Severance's NBA Slam Dunk contest best bets.

Top NBA Slam Dunk contest picks, predictions

One shocker: Severance is fading the defending champion McClung, despite him being the -280 favorite. McClung is actually at a disadvantage with this being his second year competing, as everyone's already seen what were likely his best dunks. He'll have to display an entirely new set of slams than what he had last year to win over the judges, while the other three competitors are first-time participants.

Since the first NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1984, there have been 17 winners who then entered another contest seeking to become a multi-time dunk champion. Just six have prevailed, which is only 35.3%. McClung's -280 odds have an implied probability of him winning nearly 74% of the time, so there's a huge discrepancy between the historical odds and McClung's betting odds. Severance also notes that the novelty factor of McClung being an unknown G-Leaguer has worn off in his reasons to fade him. You can see who to back here.

How to make 2024 Slam Dunk contest picks 

Severance's Slam Dunk contest winner is a player who is looking to replicate a legendary dunk. He is including this player in his All-Star weekend bets, and so should you. You can find out who it is, and see the rest of Severance's NBA Slam Dunk contest best bets at SportsLine.