NBA Betting Preview: East v West on All-Star weekend

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 13 February 2009 / Leave a Comment

Basketball celebrates this weekend as East meets West in the 2009 NBA All-Star game in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. The annual event is one of Nick Shiambouros' favourite weekends of the season as stars from all over the league gather to take part in a wonderful spectacle.

The All-Star game's long history dates back to 1952 when the first game was played at the Boston Garden.

The game is played between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference and players are selected by fan ballot and coaches. This current voting system has come under scrutiny in the past but overall it has been well received by the public.

The Western Conference has some foreign players in the team and Yao Ming from China is scheduled to start for the West. In addition, Tony Parker, Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitski from Europe are in the reserves but should see some playing time.

The influx of foreign players has definitely helped the NBA in terms of global appeal and I think it is only a matter of time before an expansion team surfaces abroad. One could argue the Toronto Raptors are a foreign team but they somehow do not count. Kobe Bryant also plays for the west and his boss at LA Phil Jackson has the enviable task of coaching these superstars.

The Eastern Conference is an all American affair with a mouth watering line up which includes LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Allen Iverson. Mike Brown from the Cleveland Cavaliers coaches.

The game is always very entertaining and is played in a good spirit but I think this year could be a little different. The healthy rivalry between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James is very much a good thing for the game but these two always want to win. In recent games Bryant has raised his intensity, this has coincided with the Lakers' superb form and on Sunday he will want to send a message to James stating that he is still a force to be reckoned with.

James has had most of the publicity this year and Kobe will make sure LeBron does not hog all the headlines this weekend. I think the Western Conference will win a high scoring affair on Sunday.

The All-Star weekend has some other very interesting and entertaining events taking place, notably the Slam Dunk competition and the three point shoot out on Saturday night.

I don't know what Dwight Howard has in store for us this year but his winning Dunk in a Superman outfit will be tough to top. Having said that I think Howard will win this competition again with his huge strength and innovation

The three point shoot out should be very interesting with a host of very talented shooters from behind the line. I like the look of Mike Bibby in this one as he has made no secret that he really wants to win this coveted prize. The Atlanta point guard has put in plenty of practice and must have a decent chance.

The All-Star weekend is great entertainment for players and fans alike who gather once a year to celebrate this great game. I hope everyone enjoys this very special weekend.

Recommendations:

Saturday Slam Dunk Contest, back Dwight Howard
Saturday Three point shoot out, back Mike Bibby
Sunday All-Star Game back Western Conference