NBA All Star Game Free Pick

Posted by Eric Williams on Thursday,February 11, 2016 4:17, EDT in

When the annual NBA all-star game gets underway on Sunday, the Eastern Conference will be looking to get back in the win column after suffering a heartbreaking loss last season that is part of a 4-1 run by their Western Conference counterparts over the last five all-star matchups, dating back to the start of this decade.

Nevertheless, the Western Conference could turn this affair into a ‘Black Mamba’ affair thanks to the impending retirement of longtime Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. Now, let’s find out which team of superstar performers will cover the NBA online spread in this yearly, defenseless shootout.

NBA All-Star Game Odds

When: Sunday, February 14 at 8:00 PM ET
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Canada
TV: TNT
NBA Odds: West -4.5

Why bet the Eastern Conference Odds at +4.5?

I believe the Eastern Conference is a great wager this year for one simple reason…they’re tired of losing to their counterparts and will come out with a more ‘realistic’ effort in order to get the win in this affair. While the West has won four of the last five meetings, they hold a narrow 6-5 lead over the last 11 games. Last but not least, I also like the fact that the Eastern Conference has several players competing in their first all-star affair and that they’ll want to show just how good they are a bit more than some of their perennial Western Conference all-star counterparts.

East Starters

PG Kyle Lowry TOR
SG Dwyane Wade MIA
SF Carmelo Anthony NY
SF Paul George IND
SF LeBron James CLE

East Reserves

C Andre Drummond DET
SG Jimmy Butler CHI
SG DeMar DeRozan TOR
PF Paul Millsap ATL
PF Chris Bosh MIA
PG John Wall WAS
PG Isaiah Thomas BOS

Why bet the Western Conference Odds at -4.5?

The No.1 reason to bet the Western Conference is because they’ve got the better roster! Look, it’s not hard to envision this team beating anyone with a roster that includes Steph Curry and Kevin Durant first and foremost. When you add in elite scorers like James Harden, Klay Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins – and the fact that the Western Conference all-stars will definitely try to win this one for Kobe Bryant, and it gets even tougher to picture the East winning.

West Starters

PG Stephen Curry GS
PG Russell Westbrook OKC
SF Kobe Bryant LAL
SF Kevin Durant OKC
SF Kawhi Leonard SA

West Reserves

PF Draymond Green GSW
SG Klay Thompson GSW
SG James Harden HOU
PG Chris Paul LAC
PF Anthony Davis NOR
C DeMarcus Cousins SAC
PF LaMarcus Aldridge SAS

Series Record: East 37 West 27

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Expert Analysis and Free Pick

Last season the Western Conference narrowly managed to cover the spread as a 4-point favorite in their high-scoring 163-158 win.  The last two points of the game came on a pair of meaningless free throws and cost bettors who backed the Eastern Conference big time. Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook finished the game with 41 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals to win the MVP award despite starting the game on the bench.

This year, I’m going with the superior Western Conference to get another spread-covering victory as they go all-out for Kobe Bryant, well, as much as anyone does in an all-star contest. The fact of the matter is that several of the players on the Eastern Conference roster wouldn’t be all-stars at all if they were playing in the West. Put on your best tuxedo NBA betting enthusiasts, because Steph Curry and Kevin Durant will turn the 2016 NBA All-Star game into a ‘Black Mamba’ affair.

My final score prediction is West 155 East 148