The NBA schedule just wrapped up its first half of the season, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are making our All-Star Game predictions for which man will beat the odds to win the MVP of the All-Star Game in Houston on Sunday night.

There really are only a handful of players that we think can legitimately win this award, and we would have no problem backing these four men that we are going to highlight against the field without hesitation. The man in the West that is going to be the most likely hero is the man that won the MVP award in the All-Star Game last year, Kevin Durant (Current All Star Game MVP Odds: 11 to 2 at Bovada Sportsbook). Durant never has fear putting the ball up, and he is one of the most respected shooters in the game. We’re inevitably going to see the Oklahoma City standout throw down some dunks and jack up tons of threes, and in the end, we expect to see him score somewhere in the neck of the woods of the 36 points that he had in last year’s game in Orlando to take the honor.

Next in line in the Western Conference is clearly going to be Kobe Bryant (Current Odds To Win All-Star Game MVP: 15 to 2 at Bovada Sportsbook). Kobe is the vet of this game, and he has made a tremendous habit out of being the man of the hour when push comes to shove. The argument could have been made last year for him to be the MVP of this game for the second straight season, as he scored 27 points and knocked down some huge shots. Bryant not only was the MVP in 2011, but he was the co-MVP in 2009 and the MVP in 2007. (For the record, Bryant won his first All-Star Game MVP award in 2002.) If you just keep following the “every other year” thing, Kobe could be in for a big time performance. If the Western Conference wins this game, it’s tough to see how either Durant or Bryant won’t ultimately win the MVP award.

List Of Past NBA All-Star Game MVPs (Since 2000)
2012 – Kevin Durant
2011 – Kobe Bryant
2010 – Dwyane Wade
2009 – Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant
2008 – LeBron James
2007 – Kobe Bryant
2006 – LeBron James
2005 – Allen Iverson
2004 – Shaquille O’Neal
2003 – Kevin Garnett
2002 – Kobe Bryant
2001 – Allen Iverson
2000 – Tim Duncan/Shaquille O’Neal

Shifting our attention to the Eastern Conference, it is clear again, that there should only be two teammates that have a chance at claiming glory. LeBron James (Up To Date All Star Game MVP Bettng Lines: 6 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook) is the obvious choice. He scored 36 points in last year’s All-Star Game, and he would have been the MVP had he stepped up and knocked down the three-point shot at the end of the game instead of dishing it off and watching as a teammate failed at a last ditch effort instead. The bottom line with James right now is that he is on such remarkable fire, it’s not even funny. He has seven straight games with at least 30 points scored, and he is shooting the daylights out of the basketball. If the basket keeps looking like a beach ball could fit through it, we wouldn’t put it beyond James to put up 40, or even maybe 50 points in this one in spite of the fact that his teammates are inevitably going to have to score a ton of points as well.

With Head Coach Erik Spoelstra calling the shots though, we know that we have to give at least a little bit of play to Dwyane Wade (All-Star Game MVP Odds: 12 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). There are others such as the hometown hero, James Harden and Russell Westbrook that have a shot on the Western Conference team, but if Carmelo Anthony really is slowed by a hand injury or cannot play in the game, we just don’t know where the scoring is coming from on the Eastern Conference team. Last season in the All-Star Game, Wade almost quietly had a triple-double in defeat, putting up 24 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists. He has the ability to do it all, just like LeBron does. We really do believe that a split MVP would be about as good of a chance as Wade has against his teammate from South Beach, but we still think that there has to be better than a one in 12 chance that the man from Marquette walks away with the MVP trophy from this game in the Lone Star State.

Odds to Win 2013 All Star Game MVP @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 2/14/13):
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Kevin Durant 11 to 2
LeBron James 6 to 1
Kobe Bryant 15 to 2
Blake Griffin 14 to 1
Carmelo Anthony 9 to 1
Dwyane Wade 12 to 1
Chris Paul 15 to 1
James Harden 9 to 1
Kyrie Irving 15 to 1
Dwight Howard 18 to 1
Russell Westbrook 18 to 1
Kevin Garnett 20 to 1
Tony Parker 20 to 1
Jrue Holiday 25 to 1
Brook Lopez 25 to 1
LaMarcus Aldridge 25 to 1
Chris Bosh 30 to 1
Paul George 35 to 1
Zach Randolph 35 to 1
David Lee 45 to 1
Luol Deng 45 to 1
Tyson Chandler 50 to 1
Joakim Noah 50 to 1
Tim Duncan 60 to 1

The story for the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Lakers was supposed to be one of redemption and success. The team brought in arguably the most talented center in the league in Dwight Howard, and also added a future Hall of Fame point guard in Steve Nash, who is still chasing that illustrious first NBA title. Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace, Jordan Hill… It was all supposed to come together for a title in Tinseltown. However, as of February 3rd, the Lakers are just 21-26. They’re five games below .500 and are four games out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.

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Obviously, these NBA odds are showing just how bad of shape that the men in purple and gold really are. They went from a team that was once upon a time nearly the odds on favorite to win the Western Conference to a team that is -220 to miss the playoffs! Even if they do get in, the insinuation is there that -600 or so says that LA doesn’t get past the first round of the postseason. Getting in as one of the bottom seeds likely sets up a showdown with the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Los Angeles Clippers, all of which have played significantly better ball than the Lakers have this year.

So what’s the problem for the Lakers? Kobe is doing his scoring for sure. He is putting up 27.9 points, 5.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game, and he is knocking down a healthy 46.6 percent of his shots from the field. Over the course of the last several games, Bryant has proven that he can put the ball in his hands and get the job done as a distributor as well, something that Nash just hasn’t done this season. Granted, the numbers for Nash do look reasonable at 11.7 points and 7.7 assists per game, but the numbers just don’t tell the whole story of how he is really playing on the court, especially on the defensive end where he is truly a liability at this point in his career.

The numbers too, don’t suggest terrible things about D-12. It’s not like we didn’t know that he couldn’t shoot free throws before, though his 49.6 shooting percent from the charity stripe is just pathetic. However, what more could the Lakers ask for? Howard is averaging 16.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. The numbers just don’t show what he has really done on the court though, as he hasn’t come up with the big baskets when need be, and he clearly has gotten into it over and over again with Bryant, the undisputed leader of the team.

F Pau Gasol has basically been benched at this point by D’Antoni. He just doesn’t fit the high octane system, and F Earl Clark has replaced Gasol in the fold. Of course, with Howard out of the lineup injured, Gasol is playing the center position, where he is probably better served to play in D’Antoni’s system, just as F Amare Stoudemire did for years in Phoenix. The proof is in the pudding though, and the trade rumors have gotten to Gasol. He needs to be moved and moved for some younger pieces to the puzzle. The problem is that the market just isn’t entirely there for him, and trading Gasol will come at a discounted price for sure.

Now add into there that F Antawn Jamison has been spot, Hill is out for the year injured, and the rest of the bench features stiffs like Darius Morris, Steve Blake, and Chris Duhon, all of which are just terrible, and the equation just isn’t good for the Lakers.

We do ultimately think that they are going to get into the playoffs, as some of the teams that are holding onto spots right now just aren’t all that great. However, there is a clear divide between the Lake Show and the great teams in the Western Conference, and there is no doubt whatsoever that this team probably isn’t getting out of the first round of the playoffs, if it gets there at all.

The NBA All-Star Game tips off on Sunday night at the brand new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in “Big D.” Basketball’s brightest stars all come together in this fantastic spectacle between the best in the Eastern Conference and the best in the Western Conference. Bankroll Sports takes a moment to look at the odds for and predict the All-Star Game MVP, which is a job that has become a lot harder since last year’s winner and three-time All-Star Game MVP, G Kobe Bryant won’t be playing in the game. Last season’s co-MVP C Shaquille O’Neal didn’t make the Eastern Conference roster.

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I know we have not even hit the All-star break which will take place this weekend, but it is not too early to kick-start the MVP talk for the NBA. Especially with all the spectacular performances over the past week or so between the two leading candidate Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, it brings a great debate into full focus. Despite their being nearly 30 games or more left in the season, we will take a look at what to expect for the rest of the season along with how things are shaping up with the most prestigious title in the NBA which is the MVP Award.

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Nearly no less than a week ago, many people would have given the edge to Lebron James considering he had been one of the primary reasons the Cleveland Cavaliers were one of the best teams in the East while sporting a perfect home record. However, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers have had a really strong start to February with some important victories. Bryant initiated all the madness when he broke the Madison Square Garden record for points scored inside the historic building with an amazing 61 points against the Knicks back on February 2nd. While many consider that to be the standout performance in all the Bryant uproar, I believe the Lakers big victories over Boston and Cleveland which were both on the road against the two best teams in the league at home was the biggest shocker in this insane stretch of basketball. The Lakers win over the Cavaliers ended the amazing home run Cleveland had been on with a perfect 23-0 start that ranked as one of the top 5 best starts in NBA history. It would be hard to give anybody the edge over Kobe at this point in the season considering the huge performance and wins he has lead the Lakers to over the past 2 weeks of basketball. Hard to imagine that with all the Championships and all the considerable achievements in Bryant’s career that last season was his first and only MVP Award. However the 30 year old is the prime candidate to repeat his title this season even if there is a long way to go.

Lebron James really highlighted the two standouts battle for league supremacy last week when he backed up Kobe Bryant’s performance at Madison Square Garden with an electrifying performance of his own. In only two days after Bryant broke a Madison Square record with 61 points, James made a huge impact for the Cavaliers in their win over the Knicks. Lebron was given credit for a triple-double with an outstanding 52 point performance to go along with the stats for the night. Cleveland won the game 107-102 and James finished with 52 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assist. The game would have been the only triple-double in Madison Square Garden history that included 50 or more points. However, the NBA reversed the ruling a few days after the event claiming Ben Wallace tapped the 9th rebound that was recorded to Lebron giving Wallace the rebound instead. Still, Lebron ended with a huge night and quite possibly if the night had not been so big there would probably never have been a review on that rebound. Instead when you are in the spotlight, everything goes through the microscope. While King James declared that his performance was no attempt to match Kobe’s 61 in the garden, Lebron definitely wanted to make a statement that night. James who was an MVP finalist last season will be the most likely candidate with the chance of stealing the hardware away from Kobe in search of his first MVP Award.

Outside of the undeclared two horse race that many perceive the MVP race will come down to there are still a few others with a shot at the MVP even though the odds will be stacked against them. Dwayne Wade leads the NBA in scoring with 28.3 points over James and Bryant. Wade is also posting a solid 7 assist per game, but the problem is that the Miami Heat is mediocre at best right now. Not to mention MVP Awards are usually handed to individuals that really make a huge impact for their team. While Wade’s numbers are impressive, he has not led the Heat to the success that they need at this point in the year. Dirk Nowitzki is another player having a big year with a long shot to make a run at an MVP trophy. Nowitzki won the 2007 MVP Title and is having a solid season trying to give the Mavericks a boost to get them back in the playoff race. Fresh off a 44 point night against Chicago, Nowitzki is 4th in the NBA in scoring while adding a little over 8 rebounds per night. Chris Paul was a leading MVP Finalist last season and is posting strong numbers again this year with double-double averages 21.5 points and 11 assist per outing. However, the Hornets have been struggling and Paul has been battling a groin injury. Still Paul is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league and it will be interesting to see if he can turn it on during the latter part of the season.

Kobe Bryant has been known for outstanding performances of the past and for his ability to take control over in games over the best the NBA has to offer. Last night was not any different as Bryant lit up the scoreboards again posting a 61 point performance in Madison Square Garden. The Los Angeles Lakers had a solid night as they held of a New York Knicks team who had won 6 of their last 7 by a score of 126-117. Lakers power forward Pau Gasol had an excellent night in a double-double performance knocking down 31 points and pulling down 14 boards. However, it was Bryant that stole the spotlight as he dropped 60 plus points for the 5th time in his career.

Kobe Bryant is no stranger to huge performances as he quite possibly is the best scorer of the modern era. Of course Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points back in 1962 is a feat that will likely never be broken considering how evolved and competitive the NBA has become. However, Bryant has made a few runs and big performances that rank as high as Wilt’s 100 point performance. Last night, the Lakers franchise player posted 50 or more points for the 25th time in his career. The performance took place in the historic and majestic Madison Square Garden where Kobe surpassed Michael Jordan as the highest scoring game ever for an opponent ever at the Garden. The 61 points also ranked 1st all time at Madison Square Garden for any player as Bryant edged out Bernard King’s 60 points back in 1984.

Kobe’s 25 50 point games ranks 3rd all-time behind Wilt Chamberlain who had 118 50 point nights back before there was a shot clock and the great Michael Jordan who posted 31 50 point games. The miraculous night still fell short of Kobe Bryant’s career best when he drained 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in January of 2006. Bryant performance last night was led by a 61% shooting performance from the floor (19-31), 50% shooting from behind the arc (3-6), and Bryant capped all of it off by not missing a single free throw in 20 attempts from the stripe. The performance along with the 31 points from Pau Gasol marked the highest scoring game all-season by two teammates as they nearly got to the century mark between the two as they ended up with 92 points combined.

The Lakers win moved them to a 38-9 record on the year that ranks the 2nd best in the NBA. Los Angeles has now won their last 3 games including the last 6 of 7. The game was the 3rd of six straight road games. Los Angeles will now get one night off before two hectic back to back games with Toronto and the highly anticipated showdown with the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. The Celtics own the best record in the NBA at 40-9 barely ahead of the Lakers and the showdown will represent last year’s Finals re-match and also represents the two best teams in the NBA at this point in the season. The Lakers won the first meeting this season inside the Staples Center when Bryant led the team with 27 points as they took down the Celtics 92-83. However, the Celtics will likely be in better position to get some revenge this time around. Boston not only will host the meeting which is huge considering Boston owns a 24-2 home record after sporting the best home record in the league last season at 34-6 in the NBA. The Celtics will also get the slight advantage heading into the contest considering they will be on a little fresher legs as the Lakers battle the Raptors on Wednesday night. However, Bryant has a tendency to have some of his biggest nights on the biggest stages and the Lakers will look for him to have another big performance when they travel to Boston on Thursday.