NBA All-Star Game MVP Betting Guide: LeBron James a Hometown Favorite
The 2022 edition of the NBA All-Star weekend festivities conclude tonight with the All-Star Game between Team LeBron and Team Durant. With it comes a variety of wagering options, including MVP futures voting. Team LeBron enters the contest as -6 favorites, so it’s not surprising to see six of the eight top MVP candidates coming from his team. We’re running through a few of our favorite candidates to take home the Kobe Bryant Trophy.
Stephen Curry +900
Stephen Curry has been one of the most distinguished NBA Players over the past decade. Curry is a three-time Champion, two-time MVP, seven-time All-NBA Team, two-time scoring champion, and eight-time All-Star, but never an All-Star Game MVP. Curry is the starting point guard on Team LeBron and will have plenty of opportunities to distribute the ball to three other former MVPs and still have ample time and space to drain buckets. In last year’s game, Curry dropped 28 points with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. A similar stat line will put him in the conversation for the Kobe Bryant Trophy.
Zach LaVine +6000
We’re looking way down the board for our next pick, highlighting Zach LaVine as a dark horse to keep an eye on. If Team Durant exceeds expectations, it will likely be because of depth scoring off the bench, and LaVine has the right combination of high-flying antics and precision shooting that makes him a threat to take home the award. LaVine is one of a handful of NBAers to compete in the dunk and three-point contests, giving him a unique edge in Cleveland. Overall performance counts for a lot; we can’t overlook LaVine’s entertainment value on a breakaway to throw down, which would count for a lot after Saturday night’s underwhelming performances. Team Durant features several inexperienced players, and somebody will have to take the lead.
At +6000, LaVine is a value play to elevate Team Durant and walk away as the MVP.
LeBron James +500
LeBron James has done many things in Cleveland, but he’s never played an All-Star Game there, let alone winning the All-Star Game MVP in front of the home crowd. Since the NBA adopted the new captains’ format five years ago, King James is the only player to captain a team all five times. More impressively, James has won all four previous contests. We’re expecting a bounce-back performance from James after last season’s disappointing four-point effort. He has an outstanding supporting cast around him, featuring the last two MVPs, who can elevate James’s performance. There would be something poetic about James hoisting the Kobe Bryant Trophy in the autumn of his career on the court where he started it all.
All NBA predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid.
