NBA All-Star Weekend: Preview and betting odds

The NBA pauses its regular season each year to celebrate some of the best players in the game in what might be the best All-Star activities in professional sports. The State Farm All-Star Saturday Night provides the game’s biggest stars a wonderful platform to perform, flashing those enviable skills that elevate the NBA.

The 2024 NBA All-Star Saturday Night festivities continue the fun in Indianapolis this weekend with memorable events, including a new one that appeals to crossover fans of the league’s sister organization, the WNBA. All-Star Saturday Night events will feature an innovative LED court, projecting animations, a dynamic three-point line, court graphics and more.

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The first event of All-Star Saturday Night is the Kia Skills Challenge. Last year’s Utah Jazz team won the contest, which features a relay, passing challenge, shooting challenge, and half-court shot. This year, three teams will vie for this championship.

• Team Top Picks: Palo Banchero (Magic), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) +140
• Team All-Stars: Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Trae Young (Hawks) +160
• Team Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), Bennedict Mathurin (Pacers), Myles Turner (Pacers) +210

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Saturday night’s biggest field comes with the 3-Point Contest, where Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard will look to become the event’s first back-to-back winner since Jason Kapono accomplished the feat in 2007 and 2008.

The field includes Lillard’s teammate, Malik Beasley (44.9 percent from three), Jalen Brunson (40.6), Tyrese Haliburton (39.6), Lauri Makkanen (40.6), Donovan Mitchell (36.3), Karl-Anthony Towns (43.6), and Trae Young (37.3).

• Lillard, despite shooting just 34.1 percent from three this season, sees +475 odds to repeat.
• Haliburton will have crowd support, although no player has ever won this event shooting at home (+550).
• Beasley is fifth in the league in three-point shooting (+600).
• Young has made the most threes (165) among those in the competition (+600).
• Towns won this event in 2022 (+600).

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The third event of All-Star Saturday night is a first of its kind. Steph Curry squares off against WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty. This challenge will follow traditional 3-Point Contest rules with added shots of a “Starry Range Ball,” deep 3-pointers from 29.9 feet away. Every made basket earns a donation to the star’s charity of choice.

• Curry enters as the favorite, -265.
• Ionescu, the WNBA’s single-season 3-point record holder, sees +200 odds.
• Prop bets include:
  • To Make Both Shots from Starry Range, Curry (+320) and Ionescu (+650)
  • To Make 10+ Shots in a Row, Curry (+460) and Ionescu (+650)

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The headline event on NBA All-Star Saturday Night remains the Slam Dunk contest. This year’s field features two G-Leaguers, including the event’s defending champion, a rookie, and an All-Star. Mac McClung is looking to become the first back-to-back winner since Zach LaVine in 2015 and 2016.