NBA All-Star Game 2017: Latest Rosters, TV Schedule and MVP Odds for Sunday
With all the familiar NBA superstars making another All-Star Game appearance, this year's festivities offer scarce new blood.
The Eastern and Western Conference will each roster two first-time participants. While the West finally welcomes perennial snubs Gordon Hayward and DeAndre Jordan, the East features two rising stars in Kemba Walker and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Sunday's exhibition, however, revolves around a fresh storyline in danger of quickly going stale. Taking a break from averaging a triple-double, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook will once again team up with Kevin Durant, who is joined by three other Golden State Warriors players in New Orleans.
Westbrook showed no interest in broaching the topic during Friday's press conference:
The narrative of Westbrook's revenge tour is nevertheless shifting the MVP odds heavily in his favor. Given his tendency to play every possession at full throttle, OddsShark lists the back-to-back All-Star Game MVP as the considerable favorite ahead of his temporary allies.
Let's examine those odds, along with the exhibition game's schedule and updated rosters, to see if anyone can challenge the betting favorite.
2017 NBA All-Star Game
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans
When: Sunday, February 19, at 8 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Rosters
| FC | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| FC | Jimmy Butler | Chicago Bulls |
| FC | LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| BC | DeMar DeRozan | Toronto Raptors |
| BC | Kyrie Irving | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| FC | Carmelo Anthony* | New York Knicks |
| FC | Paul George | Indiana Pacers |
| FC | Kevin Love+ | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| BC | Kyle Lowry | Toronto Raptors |
| FC | Paul Millsap | Atlanta Hawks |
| BC | Isaiah Thomas | Boston Celtics |
| BC | Kemba Walker | Charlotte Hornets |
| BC | John Wall | Washington Wizards |
| FC | Anthony Davis | New Orleans Pelicans |
| FC | Kevin Durant | Golden State Warriors |
| FC | Kawhi Leonard | San Antonio Spurs |
| BC | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors |
| BC | James Harden | Houston Rockets |
| FC | DeMarcus Cousins | Sacramento Kings |
| FC | Marc Gasol | Memphis Grizzlies |
| FC | Draymond Green | Golden State Warriors |
| BC | Gordon Hayward | Utah Jazz |
| FC | DeAndre Jordan | Los Angeles Clippers |
| BC | Klay Thompson | Golden State Warriors |
| BC | Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder |
MVP Odds
| Russell Westbrook | 7-2 |
| Stephen Curry | 6-1 |
| Anthony Davis | 13-1 |
| Kevin Durant | 7-1 |
| James Harden | 7-1 |
| LeBron James | 7-1 |
| Kyrie Irving | 15-2 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 11-1 |
| Kyrie Irving | 15-1 |
| Isaiah Thomas | 15-1 |
| Jimmy Butler | 22-1 |
| Paul George | 25-1 |
| DeMar DeRozan | 28-1 |
| John Wall | 45-1 |
| Carmelo Anthony | 45-1 |
| Kyle Lowry | 45-1 |
| Klay Thompson | 45-1 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 55-1 |
| Draymond Green | 55-1 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 65-1 |
| Kemba Walker | 65-1 |
| Gordon Hayward | 70-1 |
| Marc Gasol | 80-1 |
| Paul Millsap | 80-1 |
There's no question who the oddsmakers expect to emerge victorious. Five Western Conference players boast equal or greater MVP odds than LeBron James, a two-time winner who hasn't received the accolade since 2008.
The West has regained exhibition supremacy by claiming five of the past six contests. Yet only last year's 196-173 triumph—defense is for role players—ended in a margin above five points.
An important factor to consider: The glorified pick-up game's most valuable player may not win the MVP trophy. Voters eschew defense and efficiency, often in favor of the winning side's top scorer.
Westbrook earned 2015's honor by posting 41 points on 16-of-28 shooting. Nobody else on his team attempted more than 16 shots. What are the chances he'll pass to any Golden State guys?
Last year, he once again led a stacked squad with 23 field-goal attempts. He questionably received the prize for a second straight year over other deserving choices:
| Paul George, G, East | 26 | 41 | 16-26 | 9-19 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Russell Westbrook, G, West | 22 | 31 | 12-23 | 7-17 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
| Chris Paul, G, West | 19 | 15 | 5-7 | 4-6 | 4 | 16 | 1 |
| Anthony Davis, F/C, West | 15 | 24 | 12-13 | 0-0 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Paul George duplicated Westbrook's 2015 scoring performance, but his side didn't win. Chris Paul unselfishly set the table for his fellow stars, and Anthony Davis missed just one shot over a dominant 15 minutes.
As a starter and member of the hosting New Orleans Pelicans, the Unibrow should receive more playing time to again bully an undersized opponent. The 6'8" Paul Millsap is the closest player the East has as a center, so Antetokounmpo might need to pull a Magic Johnson and play more in the frontcourt.
There's one stud noticeably missing from the MVP favorites. As usual, Kawhi Leonard isn't receiving enough mainstream attention.
According to Basketball Reference, his 28.2 player efficiency rating ranks second behind Westbrook. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has seamlessly assumed the mantle from Tim Duncan, morphing into an elite scorer for the San Antonio Spurs.
Without sacrificing efficiency, Leonard is averaging a career-high 25.9 points per contest. ESPN Stats & Info illuminated the 25-year-old's enhanced scoring prowess:
He's got to enter the arena dressed as a photographer or heave shots six steps behind the three-point arc for kicks to get attention. Leonard is a wonderfully boring superstar who may even give a defensive effort above 10 percent in this game.
Will it be enough for him to seize the spotlight? Probably not. He's not brash enough to take 15-20 shots while sharing the floor with Durant, Davis, Stephen Curry and James Harden. But true hoops fans will realize he belongs in that elite tier.
On the other hand, anyone hopeful of an East upset should consider John Wall, who registered 22 points off the bench last year. The last four winners all played the point, so any aggressive floor general belongs in the discussion.
That also makes Isaiah Thomas intriguing as someone who, on volume alone, could shoot his way to the postgame recognition.
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