NBA ALL STAR GAME: Team Giannis VS Team LeBron Pick and Predictions 02/19/2023

Game: 7:30 PM ET,  Sunday, February 19th, 2023

Venue:  Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah

TV:  ESPN

BetMGM:  Point Spread: N/A

PointsBet: Point Spread: N/A

Fanduel: Point Spread:  N/A

Draft Kings: Team LeBron -3, O/U 325

William Hill: Team LeBron -3, O/U 324.5

Team Giannis: Unknown

Team Lebron: Unknown

The NBA have ruined MOST of the gambling fun for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.  You can still bet it… of course… but you will mostly be betting it blind.  Why?... The NBA front office thought it would be extra fun a few years ago instead of having East VS West… they would switch to Captains.  Those Captains would be the two players who garnered the most votes for the All-Star team… as a result it has been Team Giannis VS Team LeBron for several seasons in a row.  The Captain then would “select” their teams from the remaining all-stars playground style… “I’ll take Embiid”... “I’ll take The Joker” type stuff.  They did it live on TNT for a few years and it was a lot of fun and made a great little TV show.  However THIS YEAR… the Captains will be selecting their squads in TRUE PLAYGROUND style… right before the Game.  Why does this SUCK?... well… we can lay bets for Team Giannis VS Team LeBron but we don’t actually know what players will be on either squad until right before the game.  What if one of the Captains makes a bizarre mistake… like not getting enough shooting… or failing to secure a big man before all of the good ones are taken?... It could spell disaster for your bet.

The NBA All-Star game is supposed to be for fun… it also raises money for Charity…, There is usually almost no defense played until the 4th quarter begins.  Some players (like LeBron, possibly Giannis, KD) will sit out because of nagging injuries… but still if you want to pick up some coin before the regular season resumes on Thursday?... You and I still want to bet it. 

For history’s sake… The only All-star results that matter are the results for the past 3 seasons since they switched to this format.  For 3 years in a row Team LeBron has won the NBA All-Star Game.  Going 2-1 ATS.  That is why Team LeBron is favored by -3 at all the sites that have betting lines listed.  It is wise to get your bet in now… cause after the selection the line could move either direction really really fast.

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Our prediction for Sunday, February 19th is…. Team Giannis 170 - Team LeBron 161

Bet on Team Giannis.  LeBron is most likely not playing because of his knee, or is not playing a full spate of All-Star minutes.  Giannis may not play because of his wrist, but he is more likely to play than LeBron and likely for more minutes if he does.

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There are no significant betting trends that affect this game since it is no longer East VS West AND the rosters could go either way based on a pre-game selection. Theoretically Team LeBron could be made up of all East Coast players while Team Giannis could be all West Coast players?

PG Ja Morant:  The Grizzlies point guard is one of the selected “starters” for the All-Star game… Those guys always have a leg up on the MVP award since they will play the most minutes.  Ja is a full barrel of energy and athleticism.  In a game that LOVES dunks Ja can deliver.  He more than anyone wants to take over the league in the next season or two… He could very well see this as his chance to put his stamp on the NBA.

PG Shai Gilgeous Alexander: The OKC Thunder point guard has been named to his first ever NBA All-Star game as a reserve.  Since Shai plays in Oklahoma City a lot of casual fans have very little idea of who he is… but he is a true NBA all-star.  His play this season (30 ppg) has settled the argument of who won the Paul George trade with the Los Angeles Clippers a few years back. Oklahoma City did.  Shai has become (seriously) one of the 12 best players in the league and he will be coming off of one of these teams' benches.

SF Jayson Tatum:  Jayson is the best player on the East’s 1st place Boston Celtics.  He is often not thought of on the same level as LeBron, Giannis, Joker, KD… but his stats and winning percentage says that he is.  Plus he will have some extra chances to go after an All-Star MVP with LeBron, Zion, KD possibly missing the game entirely. I do not think his game is flashy enough to win MVP… but he has the best chance he has ever had now that he is a 4X all-star Starter and will be given a defenseless first quarter to accumulate some numbers.

The coaches will be Joe Mazulla of the Boston Celtics and Mike Malone of the Denver Nuggets… The coaches of the teams with the NBA’s best records get the nod every season… Except when the Riley Rule is in play. During the 80’s Laker coach Pat Riley got the nod 8 times… The NBA established a rule where no coach can do it in consecutive seasons.  The reason for this is that for coaches it is an honor sure, but it is also prime networking time.  Also it is pretty wonderful how Joe Mazzula’s life has been working out since taking over for the disgraced Ime Udoka.  Wow.. a first job with the best team and an immediate All-Star nod.  Pretty great stuff.