NBA 2022 All-Star Game Odds and Predictions
Team LeBron is a 5.5-point favourite on the NBA odds against Team Kevin Durant with a mammoth total of 321 points.
Raptors’ VanVleet Joins Rare Company
There were no Raptors selected for the 2021 All-Star Game, but guard Fred VanVleet was named as a reserve to this year’s team – Pascal Siakam might have been as well had he not missed the start of the season recovering from surgery.
Despite a stellar career at Wichita State, VanVleet was not selected in the 2016 NBA Draft and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dinos. He is the fifth undrafted player in NBA history to earn All-Star recognition, joining Ben Wallace, Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins (he would have been drafted but there were some off-the-court reasons not of his doing for why not), John Starks and Brad Miller. No Raptors player has won All-Star Game MVP – the winner receives the Kobe Bryant Trophy.
The Lakers’ LeBron James could tie a record by winning MVP a fourth time Sunday and this is his record-tying 18th All-Star Game. VanVleet is on Team LeBron.
Unique Format For All-Star Game
A reminder on the All-Star Game format: Each of the first three quarters is its own “game” of usual quarter length. A large donation is made to the winning team’s charity of choice. For the fourth quarter, the point totals of each team are cumulated, and a final score target of plus-24 (24 in honor of the jersey number of the late Kobe Bryant) is added to the team with the most points. There is no clock.
For example: If Team LeBron James totaled 100 points through three quarters and Team Kevin Durant had 96, the first team to 124 points in the untimed fourth quarter wins – the game will end on either a made basket or free throw. The thinking is that players will actually try hard and play defence in the fourth quarter.
As the player with the most fan votes for the All-Star Game, LeBron picked first among All-Star starters and chose Giannis Antetokounmpo, who made all 16 shots (many dunks) on the way to 35 points and All-Star MVP honours last year in Team LeBron’s 170-150 victory over Team Durant. Team LeBron has won all four All-Star Games under this captains’ draft format. Giannis could join Russell Westbrook (2015 & ’16) as the only players to repeat as All-Star Game MVP.
Also starting for Team LeBron: Golden State’s Steph Curry, Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan (former Raptor) and reining league MVP Nikola Jokic of Denver. LeBron also got Luka Doncic among his reserves; his team is absurdly stacked.
Durant chose current MVP favourite Joel Embiid of Philadelphia as his first choice in the draft and Embiid will start alongside Memphis’ Ja Morant, Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins (Toronto native), Atlanta’s Trae Young and Boston’s Jayson Tatum – Tatum is starting because Durant can’t play due to injury.
Team Durant is coached by Miami’s Erik Spoelstra and Team LeBron by Phoenix’s Monty Williams.
At halftime, the NBA will honour members of the league’s 75th Anniversary Team. There are six All-Stars on that list: LeBron, Giannis, Curry, Durant, Phoenix’s Chris Paul (might not play due to injury) and Philadelphia’s James Harden (will not play due to injury; has been replaced by Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen).
NBA All-Star Game Expert Prediction
Team LeBron 159, Team Durant 156