Farmer’s prediction: International stars rule Los Angeles.
Photo By – Reuters Connect. Victor Wembanyama dunking, just as he should in the All-Star Game.
The NBA’s newest attempt at “fixing” the All-Star Game now means you need to ponder a futures bet for Sunday night.
Three teams playing a round-robin tournament before a title game creates a unique gambling perspective in my NBA All-Star Game predictions.
Find out more in our NBA picks for Sunday, February 15.
NBA All-Star Game odds
Who will win the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?
My best bet
World (+165 at bet365)
Of the top-six players in the regular-season MVP odds, four of them are international players.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not playing this weekend due to an abdominal injury, the “World” team has to lean on only Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Victor Wembanyama.
Their shared playmaking should be delightful, the kind of joy designed for an All-Star Game.
The U.S. “Stripes” team has similar top-end talent in Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Kawhi Leonard. However, which trio is more likely to push the pace out of pride, the trio of international stars or the NBA’s oldest guard?
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NBA All-Star Game format
The NBA All-Star Game will kick off with the “World” facing the USA Stars; to keep things simple, view the Stars as the younger U.S. team and the Stripes as the more veteran squad.
Winners of that matchup move on to play the USA Stripes, while the first game’s loser also takes on the Stripes to complete the round-robin portion of the All-Star Game.
After the round-robin, the top two teams meet again in the title game, with point differential serving as the first tiebreaker if all three teams finish 1-1.
All four games will be just 12 minutes long.
NBA All-Star Game best bets
USA Stars vs World
| USA Stars | World | |
|---|---|---|
| +120 | Moneyline | -140 |
| +2.5 (-110) | Spread | -2.5 (-110) |
| Over 81.5 (-110) | Total | Under 81.5 (-110) |
My best bet
Luka Doncic 2+ threes (+145 at bet365)
Doncic is not one to throw down highlight-reel dunks. His All-Star Game joys will come from either absurd passes or threes taken from downtown Los Angeles.
Note: The Intuit Dome is 11 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
Even in a 12-minute game, the exhibition that it is, Doncic may take four 3-pointers, likely all uncontested. In that case, betting on him to make multiple shots from beyond the arc should not be at plus-money.
USA Stars vs USA Stripes
| USA Stars | USA Stripes | |
|---|---|---|
| +110 | Moneyline | -130 |
| +2.5 (-115) | Spread | -2.5 (-105) |
| Over 81.5 (-110) | Total | Under 81.5 (-110) |
My best bet
Stripes -2.5 (-105 at bet365)
Much of an All-Star Game comes down to motivation.
Some piece of LeBron and Durant refuses to relinquish their standing in the NBA hierarchy. Given the chance to beat Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Maxey, expect the old guard to do so.
There may be some variance worry in a 12-minute game, but that should also allow the veterans to play more aggressively without getting winded.
Frankly, the younger roster may have more worry about getting worn out; who is more likely to over-enjoy LA nightlife this weekend, the young players reaching their first All-Star Game, or players who have done this for more than a decade?
USA Stripes vs World
| USA Stripes | World | |
|---|---|---|
| -110 | Moneyline | -110 |
| -1.5 (+100) | Spread | +1.5 (-120) |
| Over 81.5 (-110) | Total | Under 81.5 (-110) |
My best bet
Under 81.5 (-110 at bet365)
This may come as a shock, but game it out. The World is favored to beat the USA Stars, and if doing so, it would face the USA Stripes in the second game of the day.
A win would propel the World into the title game, while the Stripes would advance if they merely beat the Stars in the final game.
The Stripes may conserve their energy to then beat the young’uns, setting up a more earnest rematch between the World and the Stripes for the All-Star Game championship.
This matchup could become plodding, at least by All-Star Game standards.