Game Time: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, February 19th, 2021

Venue:  Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio

Where to Watch:  TNT

 

 

US Sportsbooks do not take action on the NBA dunk contest during the all-star break.  Since the judges are celebrities and not credentialed, licensed, vetted sports judges, they are not covered under the NBA’s betting integrity policy.   Still many online Sportsbooks will host betting lines for the event.     

Houston Rocket rookie Jalen Green is favored to win the NBA Dunk Contest with posted odds of +150.  Jalen was the #2 pick of the NBA Draft and unfortunately landed on the Houston Rockets… a team that has perfected losing this season.  It is a rough place for a rookie who wants to shine in the NBA to be.  Other rookies like #3 pick Evan Mobley and #4 pick Scottie Barnes are being talked about for the ROY award.  Jalen is not getting that sort of attention.  In fact Jalen was the highest ever pick to join the G-League instead of attending college in the year between high school and the draft… so he doesn’t have a wealth of fans from college hoops who even recognize his name.  The Dunk Contest is very strategic.  The world does not know Jalen Green… if he ever wants to be in the limelight he needs the dunk contest… and he NEEDS the win.

New York Knick backup power forward Obi Toppin is known first and foremost for the dunks he pulled off in game action in college!  Not many Dayton Flyers get NBA draft attention… Obi was different.  He was a two year college player, after a redshirt freshman season, who grew by leaps and bounds.  He was taken in the 2020 NBA draft with the 8th overall pick.  Basketball fans are more apt to remember Obi’s ESPN highlights from college than to specifically know which NBA team he plays for.  At 6’9 with a burly frame… even the nimble dunks seem like power dunks.  He is no stranger to dunk contests having won several in college. He also finished in 2nd place in the 2021 NBA Dunk Contest.  That does not make him a favorite though.  The Dunk Contest is not about “who’s turn is it?”.. Like the NBA MVP award has become.  Obi will have to nail some dunks creative enough to get the judges to look past his height and size.  

Orlando Magic SG Cole Anthony is along for a really fun ride this season.  The Magic are a bad team.  Cole Anthony is the son of a former NBA player Greg Anthony.  Cole chose the North Carolina Tar Heels for his college and quickly stood out as a great scorer.  Cole was the 15th pick in the 2020 draft by the Orlando Magic.  Cole Anthony has yet to light the league on fire, but is hoping fans will notice that he can score.  He is only a second year player.  The most noticeable thing about Cole will be on full display in the Dunk Contest… Cole plays with all his emotion on his face… his most frequent emotion is an infectious joy.  He smiles and has fun.  He can’t not be a fan favorite.  At 6’3 he will look like the smallest guy because he will be… That is always the formula for any dunker to have the crowd on their side! He is third in the odds… but I bet you will hear the loudest cheer of the night if he lands the first try of a difficult dunk.  

Golden State Warrior Juan Toscano Anderson has the worst odds to win.  Sure, but Juan has been fighting against long odds in his own career.  He is the oldest in the Dunk Contest and the only Mexican American.  Juan played for Marquette from 2011-2015.. He then went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft.  What was left for the 6’6 wing was a long winding road through international play, the G-league, and finally landed on the Golden State Warriors in 2020.  The thing that stands out immediately with Juan is his otherworldly athleticism.  He jumps for real! My “ups” owe his “ups” lunch money!  He is a long shot.  He is the first player of Mexican descent to ever participate in the NBA Dunk Contest.  It was only at the beginning of this season that his two-way contract was converted to a full time contract.  He is the least known player probably at all of all-star weekend.  If you only put $20 on a prop bet… he would pay the best return… still he’s a longshot.

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Jalen Green:  14.4 ppg, has played in 42 games for Houston this season.  Will be a Houston starter for the remainder of the year.

Obi Toppin: 7.3 ppg, has played 54 games for the Knicks this season. Will remain a backup as long as Julius Randle is available.

Cole Anthony: 17.7 ppg, has played in 46 games for the Magic this season.  Will remain the starter even if Markelle Fultz makes it back from injury.

Juan Toscano Anderson: 4.5 ppg, has played in 56 games for the Warriors this season.  Juan’s position on the team is to rest the starters briefly and come in during garbage time.  He will remain on the bench for his entire career… but he is a quality bench player.

The last 3 winners of the NBA Dunk Contest:  Anfernee Simons, Derrick Jones JR, and Hamidou Diallo all have one thing in common… complete anonymity.  Winning the dunk contest has not produced fame and fortune.  This year’s contest at least has Jalen Green and Cole Anthony… two guys who will be starters for bad teams when they go home.  Jalen Green will be the highest draft pick to even do it since 2011’s Blake Griffin.

 

Our prediction for Saturday, February 19th is…   Cole Anthony. 

The reason you should bet on Cole Anthony is… Jalen Green is the favorite, but he is a shortcut taker.  Jalen jumped to the G-League over college to get paid now.  He is a fine athlete and player… but has demonstrated an inability to bet on himself and wait.  Those are both needed traits in dunking.   Obi Toppin lost last year and in doing so… already showed his best dunks.  If he has many more experimental dunks this season he will be more likely to miss the first few attempts which always bothers the judges.  Juan Toscano Anderson is a wonderful dark horse, but will remain the dark horse.   Cole Anthony will have the advantage of being the smallest which is a huge advantage!  Cole Anthony will have the advantage of having had his dad play with several of the judges.  Cole Anthony will have a crowd pleasing smile whether he tries to hide it or not.  Hit a good dunk and Cole wins.  Also a bet for Cole pays better… and among prop bets… the better paying is worth the risk of the chance.

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