The 2020-2021 NBA All-Star Game and All-Star Contests

Introduction

The 2020-2021 NBA All-Star Game and all of the traditional All-Star contests and competitions were held on Sunday, March 7th, 2021 from the State Farm Arena located in Atlanta, Georgia. Since the NBA All – Star Game was reformatted in 2018 there are two captains who draft their All – Star team from the pool of available players regardless of which NBA conference they play in.

The two captains this year were LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, both of the players representing Philadelphia 76ers, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, were ruled out of the game due to coming in contact with a barber who later ended up testing positive for COVID-19. Team LeBron won the 2020-2021 NBA All-Star Game with a final score of 170 to 150.

Team LeBron

Giannis Antetokounmpo plays forward for the Milwaukee Bucks. He scored 35 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and was a perfect 16 for 16 shooting from the field (100%).
Jaylen Brown plays guard for the Boston Celtics. He scored 22 points, pulled in 5 rebounds, and hit 5 of his 7 three – point shot attempts.
Stephen Curry plays guard for the Golden State Warriors. He scored 28 points, dished out 4 assists, and hit 8 of his 16 three point shot attempts.
Luka Doncic plays guard for the Dallas Mavericks. He scored 8 points, secured 3 rebounds, and passed off 8 assists to his teammates.
Paul George plays guard for the Los Angeles Clippers. He scored 17 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and hit 5 of his 7 three – point shot attempts.
Rudy Gobert plays center for the Utah Jazz. He scored 10 points, pulled down 7 rebounds, and dished out 1 assist.
LeBron James plays forward for the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 4 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists.
Nikola Jokic plays center for the Denver Nuggets. He scored 6 points, had 7 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists.
Damian Lillard plays guard for the Portland Trail Blazers. He scored 32 points, pulled down 2 rebounds, and hit 8 of his 16 three – point shot attempts.
Chris Paul plays guard for the Phoenix Suns. He scored 6 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and passed out 16 assists to his teammates.
Domantas Sabonis plays forward for the Indiana Pacers. He scored 2 points, grabbed 1 rebound, and dished out 1 assist.

Team Durant

Bradley Beal plays guard for the Washington Wizards. He scored 26 points, dished out 4 assists, and hit 6 of his 12 three – point shot attempts.
Mike Conley plays guard for the Utah Jazz. He scored 3 points, grabbed 1 rebound, and dished out 2 assists.
James Harden plays guard for the Brooklyn Nets. He scored 21 points, dished out 4 assists, and hit 7 of his 13 three – point shot attempts.
Kyrie Irving plays guard for the Brooklyn Nets. He scored 24 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and passed out 12 assists to his teammates.
Zach LaVine plays guard for the Chicago Bulls. He scored 13 points, retrieved 4 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists.
Kawhi Leonard plays forward for the Los Angeles Clippers. He scored 8 points, scooped up 9 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists.
Donovan Mitchell plays guard for the Utah Jazz. He scored 15 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and assisted on 4 baskets for Team Durant.
Julius Randle plays forward for the New York Knicks. He scored 4 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and dished out 2 assists.
Jayson Tatum plays forward for the Boston Celtics. He scored 21 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists.
Nikola Vucevic plays center for the Orlando Magic. He scored 5 points, pulled down 7 rebounds, and dished out 1 assist.
Zion Williamson plays forward for the New Orleans Pelicans. He scored 10 points, scooped up 1 rebound, and he shot 5 for 9 on his field goal attempts.

The 2020-2021 NBA All-Star Game MVP

The big man for the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2020 – 2021 NBA All – Star Game in Atlanta last Sunday, March 7th, 2021. This was his first NBA All – Star Game MVP award. He was pretty much unstoppable all game as he scored a game high 35 points, and he shot a perfect 16 for 16 from the field. Giannis even banked in a couple three – point shots during this wild and crazy game.

Antetokounmpo’s performance completely destroyed the previous NBA All – Star Game record of most makes without a miss set by Hal Greer in 1968 when Greer shot 8 for 8 from the field. The trophy for the NBA All – Star Game MVP is now called the Kobe Bryant Trophy in honor of the late great basketball superstar that passed away in a horrific helicopter crash in February of 2020.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Career Achievements, Honors, and Awards

2 Time NBA Most Valuable Player (2019, 2020)
5 Time NBA All – Star (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
NBA All – Star Game MVP (2021)
2 Time All – NBA First Team (2019, 2020)
2 Time All – NBA Second Team (2017, 2018)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
2 Time NBA All – Defensive First Team (2019, 2020)
NBA All – Defensive Second Team (2017)
NBA Most Improved Player (2017)
NBA All – Rookie Second Team (2014)
Euroscar Player of the Year (2018)

Odds to Win the 2020 – 2021 NBA Regular Season MVP

According to Intertops sportsbook these are the odds as of Monday, March 8th, 2021 to win the 2020 – 2021 NBA regular season MVP outright.

Player Odds
LeBron James +190
Joel Embiid +200
Nikola Jokic +450
Giannis Antetokounmpo +1100
Luka Doncic +1100
James Harden +1400
Stephen Curry +1600
Damian Lillard +2000
Kawhi Leonard +2500
Kevin Durant +2500
Donovan Mitchell +3300
Jayson Tatum +8000
Paul George +8000
Zion Williamson +8000
Devin Booker +10000
Anthony Davis +15000
Russell Westbrook +15000
Trae Young +15000
Kyrie Irving +15000
Bradley Beal +15000
Ja Morant +15000
Jaylen Brown +15000
Nikola Vucevic +15000
Rudy Gobert +25000

The Dunk Contest

This year the NBA Dunk Contest was held at halftime of the 2020 – 2021 NBA All – Star Game. It featured three of the best young high – flying athletes in the National Basketball Association including Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers, Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks, and Cassius Stanley of the Indiana Pacers. Simon ended up winning the NBA Dunk Contest on a “kiss the rim” dunk in which Anfernee displayed his vertical jumping ability as he blew a kiss to the rim while being as level with it as possible.

Simons’ Career Achievements, Honors, and Awards

NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion (2021)

The 3-Point Contest

The NBA 3 – Point contest involved 6 excellent shooters in the National Basketball Association including Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz, Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. LaVine, Mitchell, and Brown were all eliminated after the first round, and Tatum was eliminated after the second round.

This left Curry and Conley to battle it out for the win. It ended up being extremely close but Curry won the NBA 3-Point contest by hitting the last shot of the competition to beat out Mike Conley. If Stephen had missed that last shot Conley would have been crowned the 2021 NBA 3-Point Contest champion. This is the second time Curry has won the NBA 3 – Point Contest.

Curry’s Career Achievements, Honors, and Awards

3 Time NBA Champion (2015, 2017, 2018)
2 Time NBA Most Valuable Player (2015, 2016)
7 Time NBA All – Star (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)
3 Time All – NBA First Team (2015, 2016, 2019)
2 Time All – NBA Second Team (2014, 2017)
All – NBA Third Team (2018)
NBA Scoring Champion (2016)
NBA Steals Leader (2016)
NBA’s 50 – 40 – 90 Club (2016)
2 Time NBA Three – Point Contest Champion (2015, 2021)
NBA Sportsmanship Award (2011)
NBA All – Rookie First Team (2010)
AP Athlete of the Year (2015)
Consensus First – Team All – American (2009)
Consensus Second – Team All – American (2008)
NCAA Season Scoring Leader (2009)
2 Time So – Con Player of the Year (2008, 2009)

The Skills Challenge

The NBA Skills Challenge featured 2 guards and 4 forwards/centers. The participants included Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns, Robert Covington of the Portland Trail Blazers, Julius Randle of the New York Knicks, Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers, and Nikola Vucevic of the Orlando Magic. The 2 guards had a bye in the first round, but that was as far as they were able to make it as the big men of the NBA Skills Challenge dominated the event. Sabonis and Vucevic faced off in the finals of this competition with Sabonis barely squeaking out the win by hitting the last shot of the event before Vucevic could do so after they both missed their first two attempts at hitting that 3-point shot.

Domantas Sabonis’ Career Achievements, Honors, and Awards

2 Time NBA All -Star (2020, 2021)
NBA Skills Competition Champion (2021)
AP Honorable Mention All – American (2016)
Second – Team Academic All – American (2016)
First – Team All – WCC (2016)
Second – Team All – WCC (2015)
WCC All – Freshman Team (2015)

Odds to Win the 2020-2021 NBA Championship

According to Intertops sportsbook these are the odds as of Monday, March 8th, 2021 to win the 2020-2021 NBA championship outright.

Team Odds
Los Angeles Lakers +275
Brooklyn Nets +300
Los Angeles Clippers +500
Milwaukee Bucks +700
Utah Jazz +700
Philadelphia 76ers +1400
Denver Nuggets +2500
Boston Celtics +3300
Miami Heat +3300
Toronto Raptors +3300
Phoenix Suns +3300
Dallas Mavericks +4000
Indiana Pacers +5000
Portland Trail Blazers +6000
San Antonio Spurs +6600
Golden State Warriors +7000
New Orleans Pelicans +8000
Atlanta Hawks +10000
New York Knicks +10000
Memphis Grizzlies +12500
Washington Wizards +15000
Charlotte Hornets +20000
Orlando Magic +25000
Oklahoma City Thunder +25000
Sacramento Kings +25000
Chicago Bulls +25000
Houston Rockets +30000
Cleveland Cavaliers +30000
Minnesota Timberwolves +50000
Detroit Pistons +50000