This week in the NBA: Team LeBron win high-scoring All-Star contest in Charlotte
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Odds and review of NBA action
After a weekend of All-Star action in Charlotte, the NBA takes a four-day hiatus before returning early Friday morning with six games.
LeBron James and his compiled All-Star side ran out 178-164 over Giannis Antetokounmpo and his side in the attacking showpiece. Lebron picked James Harden for his team, but they’ll be against each other when action returns as the Los Angeles Lakers host Houston Rockets.
The All-Star game wasn’t the only spectacle of the weekend, and we’ll be looking back over the rest of the action as well as providing a look ahead on the games to come…
Durant the All-Star MVP
With Team LeBron picking up the win in the curtain-closer of All-Star weekend, it had to be one of their stars that shone the brightest to pick up the MVP award.
This year saw Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors pick up his second All-Star MVP award, seven years after his first in Orlando 2012.
Durant finished the game as the sides’ top-scorer with 31 points, also managing to pick up seven boards, two assists and two blocks.
Opposition captain Giannis Antetokounmpo felt a little hard done by after his game but acknowledged that you couldn’t have an MVP on the losing side.
The Greek Freak notched an All-Star double-double, netting 38 points, 11 boards and five assists. Joel Embiid was the only other star to get a double-double in the game, with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Seth takes the Curry family-ticket tab
In the three-point contest on Saturday night, Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry came up against a familiar face in Portland Trail Blazers guard Seth Curry.
For these two, it wasn’t only the chance to become the three-point contest champion on the line, they’d made a wager that whoever lost between the pair would have to pick up the tab for family tickets to their games for the rest of their careers.
In the first round, Seth Curry scored 16 from a possible 34, which saw him slump to third last in the standing. Only Kemba Walker (15) and Khris Middleton (11) failed to top his score. Seth was eliminated in round one.
More importantly, Steph Curry finished with a score of 27, putting him through to contest the final, but also winning the wager with his brother.
Steph didn’t have enough to become three-point champion. He finished runner up behind Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets.
Knicks end franchise-record slump
The New York Knicks have finally won a game. While it may sound unbelievable, the Knicks actually headed into the All-Star break on the back of a road W against the Atlanta Hawks.
Before the win in Atlanta, the Knickerbockers had gone on an 18-game losing streak, taking their record from 10-29 to 10-47.
Head coach David Fizdale and the entire Knicks roster maintain they’re not tanking for a better draft pick, and this victory may have put a temporary halt to the tanking accusations.
They no longer boast the league’s worst record. That’s currently being held by the Phoenix Suns at 11-48, but the Knicks aren’t actually far off. They have a game in hand, and hold a record of 11-47.
Upcoming Games
Selected NBA action on Friday morning
Phoenix Suns @ Cleveland Cavaliers – Cavs to beat the Suns in the Land – 20/29
Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers – Sixers to tame Miami’s Heat – 2/9
Portland Trail Blazers @ Brooklyn Nets – Blazers to pick up the W in Brooklyn – 20/23
Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks – Bucks to down the C’s in The Mil – 10/23
Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors – Warriors to win at home – 1/12
Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers – Lakers to beat H-town at home – 10/11
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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
