The NBA All-Star Break is full of fan-friendly events which showcase some of the most athletic players in the world. One of the marquee events is the Taco Bell Skills Challenge in which eight players face off for the title.
The defending champion is Minnesota Timberwolves forward Karl Anthony-Towns but he won’t be participating in this year’s event, so a new champion will be crowned. The contestants try to compete in the fastest time in head-to-head matchups, with the field getting whittled down in half until the finals decides the champion.
Even though a big man won a year ago, the guards are the smart play to emerge victorious.
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Isaiah Thomas made it to the finals of the Skills Challenge a year ago, and with Towns out of the picture, he is listed as the favorite to win. Thomas is an elite shooter and ball-handler and a good passer, so it makes sense that he is the player to beat. Thomas’ odds are listed at +236 to capture the event.
His main competition could be another point guard. The Wizards’ John Wall has been invited to the event and he is another player who fits in well for this event. His speed may even be better than Thomas’, and getting through the obstacles quickly is key. Wall is listed at +292 to win the event.
The Suns’ Devin Booker has the next best odds. He is listed at +402 as the other guard in the event. Booker is one of the best shooters of the Skills Challenge so that could pay dividends, although he won’t be as strong in some of the other areas as Wall and Thomas.
One big man is guaranteed to make the finals, which helps their cause and was a big reason why Towns came away with last year’s title. Kristaps Porzingis has the best odds among the big men in large part because of his shooting touch. Porzingis’ odds are listed at +870.
Gordon Hayward has the worst odds among the smaller guys at +922. While he should be better than the big guys, he has to go up against the guards in the first couple of rounds, which won’t be an easy task.
Anthony Davis is listed at +922. While he’s not an elite shooter, Davis is super talented and wouldn’t be a bad choice at such great odds. DeMarcus Cousins is listed at +1027 and is another longshot that would pay off handsomely. A big man winning last year has to give guys like Davis and Cousins confidence.
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Joel Embiid was scheduled to participate and he was listed as the biggest underdog. However, he has been having knee trouble and has had to pull out of the competition to rest it over the break.
Nikola Jokic has been tabbed to replace him. Jokic is a decent three-point shooter so he may actually have better odds than Embiid was originally slated to have. He may be affected by the bright lights of the event as he is a stranger to the competition. However, if the odds are really good, he may be worth a flier.
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Anthony-Towns was the first big man to win this event in its history last year, buoyed by the fact that one forward or center was going to make the finals no matter what. This year, the title should go back in the hands of the guards.
Thomas and Wall should face off in the semifinals which will decide the champion. Thomas has good experience and is tailor-made for this event. He’s been having a banner regular season and Thomas will add Skills Challenge champion to his resume when this one is over.
NBA Skills Champion: Isaiah Thomas
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