2018 NBA All-Star Props
- Will the NBA’s new All-Star format result in a more competitive game?
- Will Larry Nance Jr. follow in his father’s footsteps and win the NBA Slam Dunk contest?
- Will Eric Gordon become the first player since Peja Stojakovic to win consecutive three-point shootouts?
Nobody knows how to throw an all-star weekend like the NBA. The Association’s annual three-day event is taking place in Los Angeles from February 16-18, and it promises to be an off-the-hook celebration with stand-up comedy performances, concerts, skills competitions, and endless late-night parties. Who knows, they might even find time to fit in a basketball game, too.
We’ve taken a deep dive into the schedule and have the odds for every hype-worthy event happening all weekend long.
NBA ALL-STAR GAME
After years of lackluster games and ballooning scores, the NBA has wisely tinkered with its All-Star Game format. Gone is the traditional East vs West teams; in their place are a pair of squads handpicked by LeBron James and Steph Curry, the league’s two leading vote-getters. It remains to be seen if the game itself will be any more competitive, but it should be fascinating theater. Will Kyrie Irving pass to LeBron? Will Russell Westbrook go supernova and score 50 points? Will anyone play a lick of defense?
NBA All-Star Game MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Russell Westbrook (Team LeBron) | 4/1 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo (Team Stephen) | 6/1 |
| LeBron James (Team LeBron) | 8/1 |
| Anthony Davis (Team LeBron) | 9/1 |
| James Harden (Team Stephen) | 11/1 |
| Kevin Durant (Team LeBron) | 12/1 |
| Steph Curry (Team Stephen) | 15/1 |
| Kyrie Irving (Team LeBron) | 20/1 |
| Paul George (Team LeBron) | 25/1 |
| Damian Lillard (Team Stephen) | 40/1 |
| FIELD | 8/1 |
- Over/Under number of dunks in the NBA All-Star game: 40.5
- Over/Under number of minutes Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook play together for Team LeBron: 10.5
- Over/Under number of minutes LeBron James and Kyrie Irving play together for Team LeBron: 12.5
- Over/Under number of minutes all four Warriors are on the court together: 7.5
- Odds to start in place of injured DeMarcus Cousins
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Russell Westbrook | 2/1 |
| Victor Oladipo | 3/1 |
| Paul George | 4/1 |
| Bradley Beal | 5/1 |
| OTHER/FIELD | 20/1 |
- Odds Draymond Green gets a technical foul in the All-Star Game: 100/1
- Over/Under length of longest shot made by Stephen Curry: 46.5 feet
- Odds on how Kevin Durant and Steph Curry will greet each other at the opening tip-off
| Greeting | Odds |
|---|---|
| Hug | 1/1 |
| High Five | 3/1 |
| Handshake | 4/1 |
| No Contact | 25/1 |
| Kiss | 75/1 |
- Odds of a public anti-Trump protest by a player during an All-Star Weekend competition: 10/1
Most dunks during the NBA All-Star Game
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Anthony Davis | 5/2 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 7/2 |
| Russell Westbrook | 5/1 |
| LeBron James | 6/1 |
| Kevin Durant | 9/1 |
| FIELD | 10/1 |
VERIZON SLAM DUNK CONTEST
Larry Nance made All-Star Weekend history in 1984 when he won the NBA’s inaugural Slam Dunk contest. Now, 34 years later, Larry Nance Jr. has a shot of following in his old man’s footsteps. It won’t be an easy task as Victor Oladipo, Dennis Smith Jr., and Donovan Mitchell are all phenomenal leapers in their own rights, but Nance should be considered the favorite based on his pedigree and the fact that he’ll be performing in front of his former home-town fans in LA. Could we see an homage to the “High-Ayatollah of Slamola.”
Odds to win the Verizon Slam Dunk contest
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Larry Nance Jr. (Cavs) | 3/2 |
| Victor Oladipo (Pacers) | 7/3 |
| Dennis Smith Jr. (Mavs) | 17/3 |
| Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) | 17/3 |
- Over/under longest take-off for successful a dunk: 15’5″
- Odds Victor Oladipo sings as part of a dunk: 4/1
- Odds Larry Nance Jr’s father participates with him on a dunk: 1/1
- Odds Larry Nance Jr. wears a vintage Cavaliers or Suns jersey in homage to his father: 1/3
- Odds one of the contestants uses a cell-phone as a prop: 20/1
- Odds a player jumps over an object other than a person or a mascot: 5/1
JBL THREE-POINT CONTEST
Eric Gordon will have a chance to become just the sixth player to win consecutive Three-Point Contests this year. The 6-foot-4 marksman came within two baskets of an all-time record last year, but will face some heavy competition in former champion Klay Thompson and elite gunners Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Odds to win the JBL Three-Point Contest
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Klay Thompson (Warriors) | 7/3 |
| Eric Gordon (Rockets) | 4/1 |
| Devin Booker (Suns) | 6/1 |
| Bradley Beal (Wizards) | 7/1 |
| Paul George (Thunder) | 10/1 |
| Kyle Lowry (Raptors) | 14/1 |
| Wayne Ellington (Heat) | 15/1 |
| Tobias Harris (Clippers) | 50/1 |
- Odds one of the previous winners (Thompson 2016) and Gordon (2017) repeat: 1/1
- Over/Under most consecutive makes in one round: 10.5
- Over/Under most consecutive misses in one round: 7.5
- Odds one of the players shoots an air ball on his first shot: 50/1
MTN DEW KICKSTART RISING STARS GAME
Rising Stars MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Joel Embiid (World Team) | 4/1 |
| Ben Simmons (World Team) | 5/1 |
| Jamal Murray (World Team) | 7/1 |
| Brandon Ingram (U.S. Team) | 8/1 |
| Jayson Tatum (U.S. Team) | 10/1 |
| Dennis Smith Jr. (U.S. Team) | 12/1 |
| Lauri Markkanen (World Team) | 15/1 |
| Jaylen Brown (U.S. Team) | 20/1 |
| De’Aaron Fox (U.S. Team) | 30/1 |
| Buddy Hield (World Team) | 50/1 |
| FIELD | 15/1 |
ALL-STAR WEEKEND PARLAYS
Several players will be doing double duty on All-Star Weekend. Victor Oladipo will be in both the game, itself, and the Slam Dunk Contest, while fellow All-Stars Klay Thompson, Paul George, Bradley Beal, and Kyle Lowry take part in the Three-Point Contest. Then there’s Joel Embiid who, ironically, can barely play back-to-back games in the regular season, but is participating in the All-Star Game, Rising Stars Game, and Skills Competition next weekend. We were going to set odds on him getting injured, but thought it a little morbid, and honestly, a little too plausible.
- Odds Victor Oladipo wins both the Slam Dunk Contest and All-Star Game MVP: 130/1
- Odds Klay Thompson wins both the Three-Point Contest and All-Star Game MVP: 140/1
- Odds Paul George wins both the Three-Point Contest and All-Star Game MVP: 199/1
- Odds Bradley Beal wins both the Three-Point Contest and All-Star Game MVP: 299/1
- Odds Kyle Lowry wins both the Three-Point Contest and All-Star Game MVP: 499/1
- Odds, Lowry, Beal, Thompson or George win both the Three-Point Contest and All-Star Game MVP: 54/1
- Joel Embiid Double: wins MVP award in Rising Stars and All-Star Game: 1000/1
- Joel Embiid Triple: wins Skills Competition and both MVPs: 5000/1
ALL-STAR CELEBRITY GAME
The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game will feature some added intrigue as former players like Paul Pierce, Tracy McGrady, Jason Williams, and Nate Robinson all join the fray. Most of the aforementioned stars will be content to set up their celebrity teammates, but don’t be surprised if Robinson uses the game as a platform to get back into the league. The 5-foot-9 point guard has openly lobbied for one more shot in the NBA and is still an elite athlete even at 33. We hope Jamie Foxx likes getting dunked on!
All-Star Celebrity Game MVP Odds
| Celebrity | Odds |
|---|---|
| Nate Robinson (Team Lakers) | 7/2 |
| Brandon Armstrong (Team Clippers) | 4/1 |
| Paul Pierce (Team Clippers) | 7/1 |
| Tracy McGrady (Team Lakers) | 8/1 |
| Jason Williams (Team Clippers) | 10/1 |
| Candace Parker (Team Lakers) | 15/1 |
| Stefanie Dolson (Team Clippers) | 18/1 |
| Win Butler (Team Clippers) | 20/1 |
| Terence Crawford (Team Lakers) | 25/1 |
| Jamie Foxx (Team Clippers) | 30/1 |
| FIELD | 50/1 |
- Over/Under air balls in the Celebrity Game: 6.5
- Odds of an event winner (or presenter) dropping their trophy during the presentation: 14/1
ALL-STAR WEEKEND PERFORMANCES
LeBron and Steph won’t be the only stars in L.A. All-Star Weekend will also feature performances by Fergie, Pharrell, and Kevin Hart. The four-time Celebrity Game MVP should have players rolling in the aisles as he performs a short comedy set and playfully introduces the All-Stars before the game.
- Odds Fergie is seen in TNT’s broadcast removing throat lozenge, gum, etc. before her national anthem performance: 15/1
- Odds Rihanna appears during Pharrell’s halftime performance: 30/1
| Song | Odds |
|---|---|
| Happy | 1/4 |
| Come Get it Bae | 2/5 |
| Frontin’ | 1/1 |
| Freedom | 3/2 |
| Neon Guts | 20/1 |
| Lemon | 25/1 |
Odds Kevin Hart makes a joke about _______ during his pregame introductions:
| Topic | Odds |
|---|---|
| Eagles post-game celebration/being drunk at the Super Bowl | 1/9 |
| Patriots losing the Super Bowl | 12/1 |
| Shaquille O’Neal | 1/3 |
| Charles Barkley | 10/1 |
| President Trump | 25/1 |
| Justin Timberlake | 75/1 |
FIRST COACH FIRED AFTER ALL-STAR GAME
You didn’t expect all positive props, did you? We hate to bring this party to an end, but several NBA teams will spend All-Star Weekend evaluating the performances of their head coaches. That’s especially bad news for Dave Joerger, who has guided the Kings to a dismal 17-36 record and has the team playing at a plodding pace. Frank Vogel’s seat is also heating up as the Magic are 18-36 and have limped through a pair of nine-game losing streaks. Things won’t get any easier for him during the second half of the season after Orlando jettisoned starting point guard Elfrid Payton to the Suns.
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dave Joerger (Kings) | 4/1 |
| Frank Vogel (Magic) | 5/1 |
| Jeff Hornacek (Knicks) | 7/1 |
| Tyronn Lue (Cavs) | 10/1 |
| Steve Clifford (Hornets) | 11/1 |
| Doc Rivers (Clippers) | 12/1 |
| Alvin Gentry (Pelicans) | 15/1 |
| Michael Malone (Nuggets) | 17/1 |
| Luke Walton (Lakers) | 20/1 |
| Scott Brooks (Wizards) | 30/1 |
| Brett Brown (76ers) | 40/1 |
| FIELD | 25/1 |
Ryan worked as an Editor and resident Lead NBA and MLB Writer for SB from 2017-19. He has authored his own weekly columns for Fox Sports and AskMen, and has created successful campaigns for the WWE, the NHL, and the NFL. Ryan's critically acclaimed stories have been published in 20 books.
