Tag: NBA All-Star Game 2021

2021 NBA All-Star Game: Giannis MVP, Dame hits game winner as Team LeBron wins again

Giannis Antetokounmpo won the game’s MVP award with 35 points for Team LeBron in the blowout win over Team Durant.

When it comes to picking the best team among the 24 best players in the NBA, LeBron James is undefeated. He added to his perfect record as an All-Star captain on Sunday night in dominant fashion as Team LeBron dominated a Team Durant missing Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid, 170-150.

Team LeBron wasted no opportunity on Sunday, winning the first three quarters of Sunday’s game before reaching the target score in the 4th quarter thanks to a near half-court 3-point shot from Damian Lillard. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the game’s MVP, scoring 35 points and going 16-for-16 from the field, setting a new All-Star Game record for the most attempts without a miss.

Lillard, who was also a contender for MVP, had 32 points and Steph Curry had 28 points. Both players had a great time extending their range from the 3-point line and LeBron was part of the group pushing the two to extend their range.

Team LeBron is now 4-0 since the NBA eliminated the traditional conference format in 2018.

Team Durant vs Team LeBron: Betting odds, point spread on BETMGM for Mar.7

Team Durant takes on Team LeBron tonight so here are your betting odds and point spread to prepare for the game.

Team Durant plays Team LeBron on Sunday, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, moneyline odds and over-under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet on BetMGM.

The game tips off at 8 PM ET and can be seen on TNT.

The lines, courtesy of BetMGM

  • Point spread: Team LeBron -4
  • Money line: Team LeBron -175 / Team Durant +145
  • Over-under: 317.5

Place your legal, online sports bets in VA, CO, IA, IN, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.

Advice and prediction

Team Durant will be playing without their captain, who happens to be their best player despite this being a star-studded matchup. On paper, Team LeBron has the advantage considering the talent LeBron James picked up for his squad going into this game but anything can happen knowing that Team Durant is also full of the NBA’s best talent.

Team LeBron has the better starting lineup; however, it’s the bench of Team Durant that is better than Team LeBron. This game can go both ways and it’s definitely going to be close towards the end when things heat up. This is a hard one but expect Team LeBron to still come out on top.

Prediction: Team LeBron 161 – Team Durant 154

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire. Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

2021 NBA All-Star Game: Lineups, broadcast info for Sunday

Team Durant takes on Team LeBron in the 70th annual NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta.

In the 70th annual NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Team Durant takes the court to face Team LeBron in Atlanta.

Unfortunately, several players who were selected as All-Stars won’t be playing due to injury. Those players are: Kevin Durant (hamstring), Anthony Davis (achilles tendonosis) and Devin Booker (knee), Joel Embiid (health and safety protocol) and Ben Simmons (health and safety protocol). Devin Booker was supposed to be Anthony Davis’ All-Star replacement but now that spot has been given to Mike Conley. Domantas Sabonis, on the other hand, replaces Kevin Durant for the game due to his injury.

Here’s when you can tune into the All-Star Game.

  • Date: Sunday, Mar.7
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: TNT

Probable starting lineups

Team Durant

  • Kyrie Irving
  • Bradley Beal
  • Kawhi Leonard
  • Jayson Tatum
  • Zion Williamson

Team LeBron

  • Stephen Curry
  • Luka Doncic
  • LeBron James
  • Giannis Antetokounpo
  • Nikola Jokic

The Bulls surprised Zach LaVine with a Zoom that was actually filled with his loved ones

This is so sweet.

Zach LaVine is officially an All-Star for the first time in his career, and it’s been a long time coming for the Bulls guard.

Four years ago, he tore his ACL as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Today, he’s the 7th leading scorer in the NBA averaging 28.6 points per game and is one of the best shooting guards in the league. It’s a well-deserved All-Star nod.

And, as these things go, when a player gets an All-Star nod typically the media wants to ask about it. So, naturally, the Bulls set a Zoom press conference up for LaVine.

But it turns out it wasn’t actually a press conference. It was actually a meeting filled with his family and his friends. And it was so incredibly touching to watch.

LaVine’s parents, his sister, his best friends as well as current teammates like Thaddeus Young and former teammates like Jamal Crawford all showed up to support him.

LaVine loved it.

“Appreciate y’all being on here. You know, obviously with everything we’ve gone through and…you know how much of a family guy I am. So, I’m not going to stop. I’m going to continue to try to make you guys proud. I appreciate y’all always helping me.”

This was so great, man. It’s always nice to see moments of appreciation like this — especially after seeing LaVine’s journey to get to this point. Hopefully, there are many more moments like this to come.

https://youtu.be/e2ocoIZSIyY

LeBron James calls All-Star game proposal a ‘slap in the face’

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is just the latest and biggest star to object to the NBA’s decision to have an NBA All-Star Game.

Earlier this week some of the league’s biggest names, such as Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Houston’s John Wall, voiced their concern and displeasure with the league and the player’s union’s reported decision to move forward with an NBA All-Star Game, scheduled for March 7 in Atlanta. On Thursday night, LeBron James added his voice to the chorus of players who are upset that there will be an All-Star Game.

Following LeBron’s monster game of 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win over the Denver Nuggets, James was asked about the All-Star Game and said he doesn’t have the energy for it while going as far as to say the push to have an All-Star Game is a “slap in the face.”

The league has yet to officially announce the date and location of the All-Star Game but put multiple reports have already leaked the league’s plays, which include having a 3-point shootout and a dunk contest on the same night as the game, rather than spreading the events out over several days. Still, it begs the question of whether it’s a good idea to send 24 of the league’s best players to a central location, not to mention the coaching staffs of the two best teams in the league, in the middle of a pandemic.

While the league and its partners, including the player’s union, want to have the All-Star Game happen to add more money to their financial pile. Having the league’s best and most popular players say the move is a slap in the face may force the league to reconsider.

This post originally appeared on LeBron Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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