NBA All-Star Game: Odds, MVP bets, and storylines

The NBA’s midseason league celebration caps off on Sunday evening when All-Stars square off for bragging rights at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. This year marks the event’s return to the classic East versus West format. The NBA also opted to forego the Elam Ending gimmick and resumed the traditional scoring setup with four 12-minute quarters.

Explore the best NBA betting sites ahead of All-Star weekend to lock in your bets before you enjoy the fun!

The NBA shifted back to the traditional East versus West showdown for this year’s annual event. After six seasons with specific player drafts among the All-Star pool, in Indianapolis, the conferences will square off for bragging rights. Overall, the Eastern Conference sports 37 victories, while the Western Conference has won 29 times.

Eastern starters include Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), Damian Lillard (Bucks), and Jayson Tatum (Celtics). Reserves include Bam Adebayo (Heat), Paolo Banchero (Magic), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), and Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers).

Joel Embiid (76ers) and Julius Randle (Knicks) will not play due to injury and have been replaced on the roster by Scottie Barnes (Raptors) and Trae Young (Hawks).

Western starters are Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Kevin Durant (Suns), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), LeBron James (Lakers), and Nikola Jokic, (Nuggets). Reserves include Devin Booker (Suns), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Anthony Davis (Lakers), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Paul George (Clippers), Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), and Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves).

• Prior to the format shift in 2018, the West won seven of the 10 All-Star Games between 2008-2017.
• The West won those seven games by an average of 11.1 points per game.
• The average margin of victory for the last six All-Star Games (non-conference format) was 8.5 points per game.
• The winner would have covered a 2.5-point spread in 12 of the last 13 years.
• The Over has hit in 12 of the last 18 All-Star Games.
• A Total set at 365.5 would have hit the Under in eight of the last 10 years, including the last six in a row.

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The game’s MVP will receive the Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player trophy. Last year, Boston’s Jayson Tatum earned the honor after scoring an All-Star game-record 55 points. Only twice in league history has a player repeated as All-Star MVP, Bob Pettit (1958, 1959) and Russell Westbrook (2015, 2016).

Bryant and Petit share the distinction for most MVP awards (4), and if LeBron James earns another this year, he will tie them for most wins all-time.

• A forward has won MVP honors in six of the last seven years.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (+600) would be the league’s 15th multi-time All-Star MVP.
• At 39 years old, James (+700) would be the oldest All-Star MVP in history. He’s already the league’s youngest winner (21).
• Tatum (+900) would be just the third repeat winner ever.
• Tyrese Haliburton (+1600) would be the first Indiana Pacer to ever win MVP.
• Luka Doncic (+1900) would be just the second foreign-born player to win MVP, after Antetokounmpo (2021).
• Nikola Jokic (+5000) would be the first center to win MVP since Shaquille O’Neal did so in 2004.

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