2021 NBA All Star Game Predictions & Storylines

The time is finally here: All Star Weekend. A weekend of NBA festivities bringing together some of the league’s top talent all in one place to compete and celebrate reaching the midway point of the regular season.

Despite all the regulations regarding Covid-19 and all the controversial discussions regarding having this illustrious event, the league has been able to properly set things in a manner where we as fans can still enjoy all the fun things that come with All-Star Weekend. This includes the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, the 3-Point Contest, the Slam Dunk Contest and of course the NBA All-Star Game.

As we celebrate the climax of the 2021 NBA regular season, here are my predictions for the winners of each event with support based on how each player is performing this season and the running history winners that have come before them. Let’s get right into it!

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NBA Taco Bell Skills Challenge

Participants:

·         Robert Covington (Portland TrailBlazers)

·         Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)

·         Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns)

·         Julius Randle (New York Knicks)

·         Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers)

·         Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic)

Winner Prediction: Julius Randle (New York Knicks)

Although this may come off as an upset pick, history may actually suggest otherwise. From the origination of the Taco Bell Skills Challenge when Jason Kidd became the first ever Skills Challenge Champion in 2003 all the way up to 2015 when Patrick Beverley won the award, this event was dominated by the guard position.  But as of the last five seasons, the big man has begun to take charge and assert themselves as real competitors in this challenge. Four of the last five champions have been forwards/centers including the likes of Karl Anthony-Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo who is currently the reigning champion.

As the game has shifted to positionless basketball, these big guys continue to develop their overall package as passers, shooters, and playmakers. Julius Randle is a prime example of this evolution. As a top prospect out of Kentucky, Randle was once viewed as a guy who relied heavily on his 6-foot-8, 250-pound frame to play bully ball inside and win with his physicality. But this season he has really expanded his game as an interesting point-forward type who can step away from the basket and hit jumpers, knockdown threes and even facilitate at an adequate level.

Julius Randle is averaging career highs in points (23.2), assists (5.5) and rebounds (11.1) on 48.3% shooting from the floor and a career-high 40.8% from three which is a huge jump from 27.7% last season. Despite the early dominance by the guards in this challenge, the big men are slowly cutting down the score deficit and Julius Randle has the chance to add one more tally in the win column for the big guys.

In a season where the New York Knicks have been a pleasant surprise at 19-18 (5^th in the East), Julius Randle has a legitimate case for winning the Most Improved Player of the Year trophy at the end of the season. But as of right now, his eyes are on the Skills Challenge trophy and he has a real shot at taking it home to a New York fan base that is quietly basking in the glory of the Knicks underrated ascension this season.

NBA 3-Point Contest

Participants:

·         Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

·         Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)

·         Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)

·         Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls)

·         Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz)

·         Mike Conley (Utah Jazz) – Replacing injured Devin Booker

Winner Prediction: Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls)

As a die-hard Chicago Bulls fan this may be a little biased, but there are a few things that may play in LaVine’s favor.

The first thing is that the shooting numbers actually do point to LaVine as the best three-point shooter in this crop or at least he is so far this season. Of these six, LaVine leads the way shooting 43.5% from three followed by fellow first time All-Star Mike Conley at 42.2% and then the 2015 3-Point Contest Champion Stephen Curry at 41.1% from behind the arc. The other thing is that there is potential history to be made. Along with LaVine, Donovan Mitchell is the other participant in this contest who is also a former Dunk Contest champion. Between these two, one of them has the chance to become the first player in NBA history to win both the Dunk Contest and a 3-Point Contest.

Now this combination does not suggest that LaVine should be the favorite because at the end of the day, Curry is still one of if not the best shooters in NBA history both statistically and according to current/former players. But it should incite that especially with Devin Booker (2018 3-Point Contest Champion) out of the running, LaVine may be the biggest threat to Curry while also having the chance to make history in the process.

Zach LaVine this season is averaging career-highs in points (28.7), assists (5.1) and rebounds (5.2) while becoming a first-time All Star this season. LaVine has the Chicago Bulls at 16-18 going into the break (9^th in the East) which is in position to make the Play-In tournament if the season ended today. But they are also just two games back of the 4^th seed. With the way LaVine has been playing thus far, the combination of being voted as an All-Star along with potentially being named the 2021 NBA 3-Point Contest Champion could be just the boost he needs to help him elevate his game even more in the second half the season. He has a chance to lead the Bulls to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Participants:

·         Cassius Stanley (Indiana Pacers)

·         Obi Toppin (New York Knicks)

·         Anfernee Simons (Portland TrailBlazers)

Winner Prediction: Cassius Stanley (Indiana Pacers)

Definitely not the most exciting names in this year’s Dunk Contest. We unfortunately have to miss out on watching top talents like Aaron Gordon or even up and coming guys like Zion Williamson and Ja Morant who could have really ignited another one of those dynamic rivalries that the Dunk Contest thrives on. And to make matters worse, the Dunk Contest is randomly taking place during Halftime of the All-Star Game which is pretty unconventional and may be a little forced.

Nonetheless, Cassius Stanley just seems like the best pick. Most would consider Obi Toppin to be the frontrunner, but we cannot forget that the 8^th overall pick in the 2020 pick is coming off of injury. Not to mention that also history is not on his side as a big man has not won a Dunk Contest since 2011 when former All-Star forward Blake Griffin famously jumped over a Kia.

Stanley also has a very notable track record as a freakish athlete who put on a dunk clinic during his time in high school at Sierra Canyon where he most notably hit a few big-time dunks in front of the Kardashians. Not to mention a handful posterizing dunks in his one season as a Duke Blue Devil. So clearly this guy is not afraid of the bright lights. But do not just take my word for it. Stanley has openly expressed that he is ready to pull out all the stops as all of his basketball life, he has been working up to a moment like this.

“Dunking on a little rim or a big rim, it didn’t matter, I just started doing crazy things that I knew I couldn’t do,” Stanley told the Los Angeles Times. “But sometimes, progressively they would just go in. And I kept trying crazy things and I started to make them. I kept trying crazy stuff and we’re here now.”

Considering the fact that Stanley recorded a 44-inch vertical at the NBA Combine, the potential 50 dunks is limitless for this young guy who is trying to make a name for himself in the league with a coming out party on one of the NBA’s biggest stages.

Stanley has not gotten a lot of run with the main roster in Indiana, but he is playing well in the G-League for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He is averaging 12.7 points, 3.3. rebounds and 1.7 assists on 41.3% shooting from the floor. There is no guarantee that winning the 2021 Dunk Contest will get him called up to the main roster, but it sure will boost his confidence as a first-year player looking to put his name on the map. He has already gotten to benefit from this opportunity as he recently signed a shoe endorsement deal with Puma, which was announced yesterday. Now he has the chance to etch his name in the history books alongside some of the greatest dunkers in NBA history.

NBA All Star Game

Participants: Team LeBron vs. Team Durant

Winner Prediction: Team LeBron

All Star MVP Prediction: Damian Lillard (Portland TrailBlazers)

Starting with the actual game itself, Team LeBron has a few things leaning it its favor that are just mind blowing.

First is that since the implementation of the NBA All Star Draft method back in 2018, LeBron James has always been a captain of one of the teams and his teams have won all three matchups. The second thing is that unfortunately Kevin Durant (the other Team Captain) will only be available to lead his team from the sideline as he will miss this game with a left hamstring strain. And last but not least is Team LeBron’s crazy starting five consisting of two-time league MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry as well as Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic who are both arguably Top-10 MVP candidates this season.

 Not to mention he has guys like Damian Lillard, the one of the league’s top rim defenders in Rudy Gobert and a rising star in Jaylen Brown all coming off the bench. Team Durant definitely has some topflight talent as well with guys like MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid, former MVP James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. But unfortunately, without Durant on the floor, Team LeBron just looks far more superior on paper.

Now in terms of selecting Damian Lillard as the All-Star Game MVP, it may not be a sure-fire pick, but he should at least be considered as a Top-3 candidate in the running. Lillard has been one of the hottest players in the NBA in the month of February. Lillard has scored 30+ points in 8-of-the-13 games played in February and capped off the first half of the season with a 44-point outing against the Sacramento Kings to continue a three-game winning streak for the Trailblazers heading into the All-Star break.

Between being snubbed for a starting spot in the West and coming into the game on one of the hottest scoring streaks in the NBA, Lillard seems primed for a real shot to dominate the All-Star game with a few amazing Logo Launches. If Team LeBron wins this game, it feels safe to say that the three-point shooting of Lillard and Curry will play a large part in their success. Lillard is already an underrated league MVP candidate this season. No better way to snatch some of that respect than to come out and ball out on the big stage and win the All-Star MVP.