NBA All-Star Game 2018: Prediction, Odds, Rosters For Team LeBron vs. Team Stephen

With so little defense being played, the NBA All-Star Game hasn’t been much more than a glorified pickup game in recent years. The league essentially embraced that idea this year, allowing two team captains to choose their own rosters instead of pitting the best players from each conference against one another.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry were the leading vote-getters, allowing them to pick the 12-man teams. Team LeBron is widely considered to be the superior collection of players, though a rash of injuries to the favorites has prevented Team Stephen from becoming heavy betting underdogs.

Team LeBron is a 3.5-point favorite, according to OddsShark. The over/under is 346.

James and Kyrie Irving were supposed to start in the backcourt with Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins in the frontcourt. That was until a ruptured Achilles ended Cousins’ season and he was replaced on the roster by Paul George.

Kristaps Porzingis, John Wall and Kevin Love will also sit out because of injuries. They’ve been replaced by Andre Drummond, Goran Dragic and Kemba Walker.

LaMarcus Aldridge, Bradley Beal and Victor Oladipo make up the rest of the Team LeBron reserves. Head coach Dwane Casey will decide which player takes Cousins’ spot in the starting lineup.

Curry selected James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid to start alongside himself. He made Klay Thompson and Draymond Green two of his reserve picks. Jimmy Butler, Al Horford, Damian Lillard, Kyle Lowry and Karl-Anthony Towns make up the rest of the Team Curry bench.

You can bet there will be plenty of points scored Sunday night at Staples Center. The final total seems to rise each year, and the teams set a record in 2017 when the West defeated the East 192-182. The previous year, the West beat the East 196-173.

Both teams have scored at least 139 points in every All-Star Game since 2010. The West is 6-1 during that stretch with their only loss coming in 2014.

Anthony Davis was named last year’s MVP. Russell Westbrook won the award in both 2015 and 2016.

Davis set a record in 2017 with 52 points, and he has the highest scoring average in All-Star Games with 28.7 points per game. Bob Pettit set the rebounding record in 1962 with 27 boards, and Magic Johnson set the assist record with 22 dimes in 1984.

Prediction: Team LeBron over Team Stephen, 174-169