NBA Betting Online: Basketball fans who love the NBA All-Star game should thank the gambling gods because it wouldn’t be around without them.
While Canada is best known for its ice hockey, the province of Ontario and city of Toronto will play host to the 65th NBA All-Star game. The entire four-day affair is nothing short of a steady build up to the final event – The Game – that features the best of the East against the best of the West.
There will be no shortage of Raptors fans in the stands this weekend. The Toronto faithful will be watching the franchise’s backcourt tandem of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan make their second all-star appearances.
Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh returns to Ontario and will represent the East on his old home court alongside former teammate and 12-time all-star LeBron James. New York Knicks shooting forward Carmelo Anthony received a late push from the voters this past month to overtake Andre Drummond for the third frontcourt spot and Kyle Lowry snagged Kyrie Irving’s backcourt position – and possibly Irving’s sole chance at making the All-Star team – to join Paul George, Dwayne Wade, and James as Eastern Conference starters.
This 2015-16 Association campaign has been dominated by headlines covering two Western Conference teams, the world champion Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs.
Save the shooting guard position, the West has the better five-man lineup, and in truth the comparison, the stats, and most NBA pundits have spoken out saying the two starting five from both conferences don’t compare.
When breaking down the East starting five against the West starting five, on paper, there isn’t a player from the Eastern Conference starters that can defend Curry, though Lowry will give it his best college try for his hometown faithful. In truth, Curry has embarrassed Lowry and the Raptors this season averaging 41 points, eight assists and seven three-pointers in two head-to-head matchups this season.
Westbrook vs. Wade is the second biggest mismatch in favor of the West. Wade doesn’t have a chance at stopping Westbrook from getting to the rim or creating space for assists and easy-look jump-shots, and when asked, Westbrook can not only defend the Miami shooting guard, he can frustrate Wade in this exhibition affair.
Whomever Bryant defends will have a significant advantage. The most likely scenario is Kobe and Melo square up and defend each other as the weak links in their respective starting five.
Neither one is healthy enough to defend the other, but Anthony is the younger and more effective scorer nowadays, so give Carmelo the edge in the two soft spots from each of the two starting rotations.
The remaining two matchups between Durant/Leonard vs. James/George can go either way. Either duo can defend their opponent and, in truth, Leonard is as close to a “LeBron stopper” as there is on the West roster, while Durant and LeBron have a long-standing history despite having limited head-to-head matchups in the past due to playing in opposing conferences.
Western Conference All-Stars
Starters
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Stephen Curry, Golden State
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
Reserves
Draymond Green, Golden State
Klay Thompson, Golden State
Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers
James Harden, Houston
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento
LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio
Anthony Davis, New Orleans
Eastern Conference All-Stars
Starters
Carmelo Anthony, New York
Paul George, Indiana
LeBron James, Cleveland
Kyle Lowry, Toronto
Dwyane Wade, Miami
Reserves
Pau Gasol, Chicago
John Wall, Washington
Andre Drummond, Detroit
Chris Bosh, Miami
DeMar DeRozan, Toronto
Paul Millsap, Atlanta
Isaiah Thomas, Boston
Now that the essentials are out of the way, let’s delve into the betting angles of the 2016 NBA All-Star Game.
The Eastern Conference holds a 37-27 all-time advantage in the contest, but the West won last year’s event and has taken four of the last five. The teams combined for the most points in All-Star Game history last season, with the West posting a 163-158 win at Madison Square Garden.
The games are routinely close. The average margin over the last five has been 4.7 points, but occasionally you get the rout like we had in 2009 when the West won 146-119. But that game was an aberration and we don’t see that occurring.
Defense is optional in the All-Star Game and the score will soar. West coach Gregg Popovich likes defense, but good luck getting that group to serve up stops in a glorified exhibition. Besides, with the offensive weapons at his disposal, why not try to run up the score.
The average point total from the last four games has been 305.3 and most bettors rush to take the over. But keep in mind that over the last six games the over/under is 3-3.
And as one Las Vegas oddsmaker said, “Typically the NBA All-Star Game is a coin flip game.”
Don’t blindly bet the over. The bookies are very aware of the “over” trend and will inflate the total as much as possible. All it takes is one bad offensive quarter and it will go under.
The three-point shot has become such a strategic weapon in the NBA game that for some teams it’s like shooting a layup. Three players from the West have dropped 146 or more threes on the season with Steph Curry tossing in a ridiculous 233. We’ll see plenty of threes launched and the more made the higher the score.
Both squads are loaded with elite backcourt players but the West has more of the hybrid-type Kevin Durant, James Harden player; a bigger man who can play like a guard. Coaches have more flexibility with their rotations with these types of players and also more scoring options.
The West has three of the elite teams in the NBA and the All-Star squad is well represented with seven players from the Warriors, Spurs and Thunder. That should be enough to get the West another win in the mid-season classic.
The NBA spread for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game will be available to bet on at BookMaker.eu on Friday. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for the game by using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker sportsbook! The 65th NBA All-Star Game will start at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 14, 2016, at the Air Canada Centre. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
