The NBA All-Star Game is full of the best players in the world, but there is also an event beforehand giving a peek at the next batch of stars. The NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge will showcase big-time talents such as the 76ers duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as well as talented rookies like Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum.
The teams will be broken up into one with United States players and the other featuring players born outside the country. Each team has its fair of share of talent so this could be stacking up as a fun showdown.
Team World is the defending champion, as it strung together a 150-141 win when the Rising Stars Challenge was held in 2017. Several rookies from that game will be back to partake in another contest.
The 2018 NBA Rising Stars Challenge will go down Friday, February 16, 2018, at 9 p.m. ET at the Staples Center. The game will be televised live on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Friday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Team World is listed as a slight favorite in this contest. It won last season and is led by stars like Embiid and Simmons, who are from Cameroon and Australia, respectively. It is hard to accurately peg a game like this because the defense is often optional but it’s always smart to go with the more talented team and the oddsmakers have deemed Team World the favorite.
The scoring total is going to be very high as all exhibition games like this tend to be. The teams combined for 291 points last season and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the total is near 300 as these games seem to keep adding more and more offense.
Team Breakdown
Embiid and Simmons lead the way for Team World, but there is a lot of fellow talent on the squad. Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic is on the team, as is Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks, Kings guard Buddy Hield, Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina, Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and 76ers forward Dario Saric.
Team USA has Mitchell and Tatum as well as some others. Mavericks guard Donovan Smith, Jr. is on the team, as are Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, Hawks forward John Collins, Bulls guard Kris Dunn, Lakers forward Brandon Ingram, Hawks forward Taurean Prince and Kings guard De’Aaron Fox.
Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, was slated to play in the game but will be out due to injury. Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon is another player who had to pull out due to injury. Fox and Prince were the replacements.
Player To Watch
Murray — The Denver guard was fantastic in this game last season as a rookie. He had 36 points and 11 assists to help lead his team to the victory. Murray has put together a really good season in his second year in the NBA.
Murray is averaging 16.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest. He is shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from three-point range.
Murray’s numbers are up across the board this season and seems poised for another big game in the Rising Stars Challenge.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Embiid didn’t play in last year’s game despite being invited and he is a huge piece for Team World. Between Embiid, Simmons and Murray, the team has a lot of talent. Guards like Mitchell and Smith should excel in a situation like this were there isn’t much defense, and they could both have big games.
However, Team World has the superior team and should come away with another victory in this matchup. Even though the scoring total is going to be extremely high, the “over” should still be considered.
NBA Odds: Team World 153, Team USA 145
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