Luka Doncic and Trae Young will accomplish a rare feat when they take the court in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game at United Center in Chicago on Sunday. Doncic, who leads the Dallas Mavericks in scoring (28.9 points), and Atlanta Hawks guard Young, who is third in the league at 29.7 points, will be in the starting lineup for Team LeBron and Team Giannis, respectively. It will mark the first time multiple second-year players start an All-Star Game since Grant Hill and Jason Kidd did so in 1996.
Tip-off for the 69th extravaganza that will pay tribute to Kobe Bryant by having the teams wear the jersey numbers of the late superstar and his daughter and instituting a Final Target Score that includes his No. 24 is set for 8 p.m. ET. The 2020 NBA All-Star Game odds list Team LeBron as a 4.5-point favorite, while the over-under is set at 303.5. Before making any 2020 NBA All-Star Game picks, be sure to see the predictions from SportsLine’s elite NBA handicapper, Mike Barner.
Barner is a respected NBA Fantasy expert, both season-long and DFS, whose work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He has also been featured on ESPN Radio. Barner digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes.
With his unmatched analysis, Barner spots opportunities against the spread as well as on totals. Barner’s expertise has been on full display lately. He is on a 78-47 run in against-the-spread NBA picks, returning over $2,600 to $100 players.
Now he has zeroed in on Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game 2020. He has analyzed the rosters and matchups for this contest and released a confident against-the-spread pick. Head to SportsLine now to see it. Here are the lines and what you need to know for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game:
- Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis spread: Team LeBron -4.5
- Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis over-under: 303.5
- Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis money line: Team LeBron -200, Team Giannis +170
- LEBRON: Portland G Damian Lillard (groin) was replaced on the roster by Phoenix G Devin Booker
- GIANNIS: Toronto G Kyle Lowry leads the team with six All-Star Game appearances
Why Team LeBron can cover
Barner knows that LeBron James has gotten the hang of the current team-drafting format as he utilized this method and guided his squad to victory in each of the previous two NBA All-Star Games, including a 178-164 triumph over Team Giannis last year. A three-time All-Star MVP, the 35-year-old has assembled a roster that has a total of 67 All-Star Game appearances under its belt, as opposed to 30 for Team Giannis.
James has put together a squad that features two of the NBA’s top duos in himself and Lakers teammate Anthony Davis, who scored an All-Star Game-record 52 points in 2017, and the Houston Rockets‘ one-two punch of James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Harden leads the league in both points per game (35.3) and 3-pointers made (234), while James is first in assists per contest (10.8).
Why Team Giannis can cover
Even so, LeBron’s squad isn’t a lock to cover the Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis spread. Reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who recorded a team-leading 38 points while serving as captain in last year’s All-Star Game, is second in the league in scoring this season at 30 per contest. The “Greek Freak” has been impressive on this stage, as he has averaged 28 points and eight rebounds over his first three All-Star appearances.
Despite the fact he’s playing in this event for the first time, Young will not let his nerves get the best of him. The 21-year-old, who appeared in the Rising Stars game in 2019 and 2020, and also participated in the 3-Point Contest on Saturday before taking the court with the league’s elite on Sunday.
How to make 2020 NBA All-Star Game picks
Barner has studied both lineups in depth and found a crucial stat that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can find out what it is, and which side he’s backing, only over at SportsLine.
Who wins the NBA All-Star Game 2020? And what crucial stat has Barner all over one side of the spread? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side is a must-back on Sunday, all from the SportsLine expert on a massive 78-47 NBA run, and find out.
