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WHAT ARE THE NEW NBA ALL-STAR GAME RULES?
The first three quarters will begin with the score of 0-0 and runs the standard NBA 12 minutes with each team playing for a Chicago-based charity. The winner of each quarter will receive $100,000 to donate to their respective charity.
The clock will be turned off for the fourth quarter with the teams playing to a final target score. The final target score will be set by taking the leading team’s cumulative score through the first three quarters and adding 24 points. So, for example, if Team LeBron is leading Team Giannis 100-95 after three quarters the target score would be 124. Meaning Team LeBron would need to score 24 points before Team Giannis scores 29 points (and vice versa) to win.
The 24 points target score is a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.
All of this will make wagering on this game very difficult for bettors and oddsmakers alike. (Checkout the article below from our Patrick Everson on how sportbooks plan on handling the situation), but we’re giving it our best shot and give our best picks and predictions for the NBA All-Star Game.
QUICK HITTER
Team Giannis will roll out a starting lineup of himself, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, Kemba Walker and Trae Young. While LeBron will open the game alongside teammate Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Luka Doncic, and James Harden. (Put it this way, LeBron has three more all-star appearances than all of the Team Giannis starters). Now, that may seem like a mismatch on paper, but that is just the way Giannis likes it.
Giannis may have drafted the “all-fun” team, not to mention an all-time “smiles” team. But they are also full of young competitors. And that’s why we like them early in this game. They have two guys in Siakam and Young, making their first All-Star Game appearance, who will be motivated to show they belong.
Team Giannis also features three starters from last year’s squad which got out to a 53-37 lead after one quarter in last year’s game. There’s just too much value with Team Giannis to take the first mini-game.
Pick: Team Giannis 1st Quarter Moneyline (+125)
TOTAL BET
Oddsmakers agreed that the new format would make for a more competitive NBA All-Star game, opening the total at 285. That’s lowest it’s been in the last five years. That said it was quickly bet up to 300.5 and currently sits at 303.5. And even at the current number only one of the last five All-Star games would have fallen Under that number.
Obviously, the final quarter being untimed has an affect on this number, because hypothetically, as few as 24 points could be scored in the fourth quarter. But that is traditionally the quarter where players turn up the intensity anyways. The average combined score over the last five All-Star games has been 339.8. Even with the new rules we’re betting this goes Over.
Pick: Over 303.5
SIDE BET
The best part about the final target score is that no matter what, we get a game winning shot. So, that’s kind of cool. But who will cover?
As mentioned before, Team Giannis got off to a good start last year, taking a 95-82 lead into halftime before Team LeBron stormed back in the second half on their way to a 178-164 victory. James improved to 2-0 SU/ATS and we can see more of the same happening this time around. Just like last year, it appears LeBron’s fantasy draft skills are better than Giannis’.
Giannis once again filled his roster with first-time All Stars in the hope that they will “play harder.” It also seems like he has too many centers. And while LeBron has some first year all-stars as well, his seem more dynamic like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. He also seems to have all the player-makers. Doncic, Kawhi, Paul, Jokic, himself. It could be a lot of fun watching Team LeBron move the ball around. And in the end their depth will be the difference.
Pick: Team LeBron -6
The first three quarters will begin with the score of 0-0 and runs the standard NBA 12 minutes with each team playing for a Chicago-based charity. The winner of each quarter will receive $100,000 to donate to their respective charity.
The clock will be turned off for the fourth quarter with the teams playing to a final target score. The final target score will be set by taking the leading team’s cumulative score through the first three quarters and adding 24 points. So, for example, if Team LeBron is leading Team Giannis 100-95 after three quarters the target score would be 124. Meaning Team LeBron would need to score 24 points before Team Giannis scores 29 points (and vice versa) to win.
The 24 points target score is a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.
All of this will make wagering on this game very difficult for bettors and oddsmakers alike. (Checkout the article below from our Patrick Everson on how sportbooks plan on handling the situation), but we’re giving it our best shot and give our best picks and predictions for the NBA All-Star Game.
QUICK HITTER
Team Giannis will roll out a starting lineup of himself, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, Kemba Walker and Trae Young. While LeBron will open the game alongside teammate Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Luka Doncic, and James Harden. (Put it this way, LeBron has three more all-star appearances than all of the Team Giannis starters). Now, that may seem like a mismatch on paper, but that is just the way Giannis likes it.
Giannis may have drafted the “all-fun” team, not to mention an all-time “smiles” team. But they are also full of young competitors. And that’s why we like them early in this game. They have two guys in Siakam and Young, making their first All-Star Game appearance, who will be motivated to show they belong.
Team Giannis also features three starters from last year’s squad which got out to a 53-37 lead after one quarter in last year’s game. There’s just too much value with Team Giannis to take the first mini-game.
Pick: Team Giannis 1st Quarter Moneyline (+125)
TOTAL BET
Oddsmakers agreed that the new format would make for a more competitive NBA All-Star game, opening the total at 285. That’s lowest it’s been in the last five years. That said it was quickly bet up to 300.5 and currently sits at 303.5. And even at the current number only one of the last five All-Star games would have fallen Under that number.
Obviously, the final quarter being untimed has an affect on this number, because hypothetically, as few as 24 points could be scored in the fourth quarter. But that is traditionally the quarter where players turn up the intensity anyways. The average combined score over the last five All-Star games has been 339.8. Even with the new rules we’re betting this goes Over.
Pick: Over 303.5
SIDE BET
The best part about the final target score is that no matter what, we get a game winning shot. So, that’s kind of cool. But who will cover?
As mentioned before, Team Giannis got off to a good start last year, taking a 95-82 lead into halftime before Team LeBron stormed back in the second half on their way to a 178-164 victory. James improved to 2-0 SU/ATS and we can see more of the same happening this time around. Just like last year, it appears LeBron’s fantasy draft skills are better than Giannis’.
Giannis once again filled his roster with first-time All Stars in the hope that they will “play harder.” It also seems like he has too many centers. And while LeBron has some first year all-stars as well, his seem more dynamic like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. He also seems to have all the player-makers. Doncic, Kawhi, Paul, Jokic, himself. It could be a lot of fun watching Team LeBron move the ball around. And in the end their depth will be the difference.
Pick: Team LeBron -6
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