2021 NBA All-Star Game Rosters, Odds, Betting Picks
The 2021 NBA All-Star Game rosters —and betting odds—are set following Thursday night’s draft between team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
James tipped things off by selecting Milwaukee Bucks star and defending NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Durant, who will miss the game with a hamstring injury, responded by using his first pick on Nets teammate Kyrie Irving.
LeBron also snagged Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, and Nikola Jokic to complete his starting five, while Durant added Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, and Jayson Tatum.
Take a look at the rosters for Team LeBron and Team Durant below, plus the opening All-Star Game odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.
[Read More: Picks for NBA Skills Challenge & 3-Point Contest]
2021 All-Star Game Odds & Rosters
| Team LeBron | Team Durant | |
|---|---|---|
| Spread: -3.5 | Total: 317 | |
| LeBron James | Kyrie Irving | |
| Stephen Curry | | |
| Luka Doncic | Kawhi Leonard | |
| Nikola Jokic | Bradley Beal | |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Jayson Tatum | |
| Reserves | Reserves | |
| Damian Lillard | James Harden | |
| | | |
| Chris Paul | Zion Williamson (now starting) | |
| Jaylen Brown | Zach LaVine | |
| Paul George | Julius Randle | |
| Domantas Sabonis | Nikola Vucevic | |
| Rudy Gobert | Donovan Mitchell | |
| Nikola Vucevic |
Interestingly, the new MVP betting favorite, Joel Embiid, will play against last year’s award winner and James.
Before Wednesday, it was James who was the betting favorite for most of the season until Embiid led the Sixers to a win against the Utah Jazz with a 40-point, 19-rebound performance.
UPDATE: Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will not play.
Speaking of the Jazz — James and Durant left the pair of Utah players, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, for the final two picks. Um, I smell collusion and a bit of shade toward the team with the league’s best record.
2021 All-Star Game Betting Picks
Last season marked the first All-Star game played in the current format, which has the two teams, drafted by their respective captains rather than East vs. West, compete to win each of the first three quarters.
Essentially the first three quarters are 12-minute mini-games, each with its own final scores. The fourth quarter, however, is untimed.
With the cumulative points added up from the first 36 minutes, the target score is set by adding 24 points (for obvious reasons) to the leading team’s score.
For example, last year Team Giannis scored 41, 51, and 41 points through the first three quarters, totaling 133 points, so the Target Score was 157 in the final quarter.
In that game, Team LeBron overcame a 9-point deficit starting the 4th quarter, winning the game 157-155.
Team LeBron won outright, but it wasn’t good enough to cover the 6.5-point spread.
This year, oddsmakers at online sportsbooks have shortened the spread, making Team LeBron -3.5, and raised the Over/Under to 308.5.
Like last year, I think the play is to bet on the Underdog — in this case, Team Durant +3.5. I also like Under 308.5 as I think there the lack of fans, not to mention the rivalries between LBJ-Kyrie and Giannis-Harden, will actually increase the defensive intensity between the two squads.
Against The Spread: Team Durant +3.5 (Now +4)
Over/Under: Under 313.5 Points at BetMGM
Note: This bet was originally made when the total opened 308.5. You can now bet Under 317 points at BetMGM
Image: Imagn