NBA All-Star Weekend 2023 Prediction, Tips & Odds
NBA All-Star Weekend will be held this upcoming weekend. The venue will be the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
On Friday, the first day of the weekend, the Celebrity Game and Rising Star Challenge will be held, while on Saturday we will see the Skills Challenge, Slam Dunk Contest, and 3-point Contest. This event will be completed on Sunday when the All-Star game will be played between the Eastern and Western Conference teams.
Traditionally, the Saturday part of the program attracts the most attention. Basketball fans enjoy the dunk and quick three-point shooting contests the most. Therefore, we will try to predict who will win these two competitions and thus try to help our website readers earn money by watching this spectacular event.
Slam Dunk Contest
This year’s Slam Dunk Contest will feature Jericho Sims (New York Knicks), Kenyon Martin Jr (Houston Rockets), Mac McClung (Philadelphia 76ers), and Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans).
It is very ungrateful to predict the winner of this competition because there have been many surprises in the past. Also, it is never known with what amount of enthusiasm and energy the competitors prepare for this event.
As far as suggestions for this year’s Slam Dunk Contest go, our pick is Mac McClung. The 187-centimeter-tall guard of the Philadelphia 76ers has made only two appearances in the NBA this season but has been known for his breathtaking dunks since his college days.
He has announced several times through social networks that he has a great desire to win this competition. He emphasized that he prepared two dunks that have never been seen before at this event. We believe that McClung will delight the entire basketball public with his moves, so we suggest you put your money on this player.
NBA All-Star Game, Slam Dunk Contest, Matthew McClung Wins – Yes / 2.5
Three-Point Contest
The rules for the three-point shooting contest have evolved a bit in the last few years. Two additional shots were taken, which are valued at three points each, and the time was extended from 60 to 70 seconds.
Eight players will participate this year: Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Kevin Huerter (Sacramento Kings), Tyler Herro (Miami Heat), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Buddy Hield (Indiana Pacers), Julius Randle (New York Knicks) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz).
All eight players are fantastic shooters and this will be a very uncertain and exciting competition. Last season’s winner, Karl-Anthony Towns, will not participate due to injury.
Although the bookies favor Damian Lillard as the early favorite to win, our pick is Buddy Hield. This great shooting guard of the Indiana Pacers is the only participant this year who has previously won this competition. He succeeded in this in 2020.
What is the key virtue of this basketball player throughout his entire career is precise shooting. It would not be wrong to say that he is the only pure shooter among the eight participants in this year’s competition. During the season, all other players rely on some of their other qualities, and Hield’s primary weapon is long-range shots.
NBA All-Star Game, Three-Point Contest, Buddy Hield Wins – Yes / 5
All picks are from Sportsbook 22bet
