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The NBA All-Star 2021 weekend is finally upon us. All 30 teams will get a week's rest after having gone through 36 games in the 2020-2021 NBA season's first half. The complete All-Star action will take place in the span of a single night instead of being spread out over the course of a few days.
Fans will get to witness the spectacle in a bubble at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday night. The gripping action will include the Skills Challenge, the 3-point contest, the Slam-Dunk contest, and the Team LeBron vs Team Durant All-Star game.
NBA All-Star 2021 Weekend Predictions: Skills Challenge
The Skills Challenge will have the same format as always. Players taking part will have to dribble the ball down the court and around obstacles, complete a pass, and then go to the other end of the court for a 3-point shot. This event requires swift ball-handling, precision, and most of all, a little bit of luck. Last year's Skills Challenge winner Bam Adebayo will not take part this time around.
The winners of the NBA All-Star Skills challenge of the past have not followed any pattern whatsoever. Since the event's format was changed back in 2015, bigs and guards have dominated all the same.
However, out of the players taking part in the Skills Challenge 2021, our bet is on Luka Doncic and Chris Paul. Both have great handles, vision, and shooting. Luka 'Magic' has averaged nine assists and a 3-point accuracy of 35.7% this season. On the other hand, the "floor-general", as LeBron likes to call Chris Paul, has shot 39.1% from beyond the arc with 8.8 assists.
NBA All-Star 2021 Skills Challenge Winner Prediction: Luka Doncic
NBA All-Star 2021 Weekend Predictions: 3-Point Contest
Rules of the 3-Point contest will be the same as last year. The players will shoot from five locations outside the arc, with four 1-point balls and a 2-point moneyball on each rack. Last year, two racks were added to the long-range, called the 'dew balls', worth three points each.
Players will also get to choose a money-rack out of the five on the arc, which will only have 2-point balls.
Picking out the winner of the NBA All-Star 2021 3-Point contest is a little tricky. With Steph Curry, Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Zach LaVine and Donovan Mitchell in the mix, it's going to be a 3-point clinic on display.
While one can easily think of "Chef" Curry as the winner, Zach LaVine poses a great threat too. LaVine is shooting with an unreal 43.5% accuracy this season from the 3-point line as opposed to Curry's 41.1%.
Zach LaVine also has the highest catch-and-shoot percentage this season at 48.3%, which is why he is our predicted winner of the 3-Point Contest.
NBA All-Star 2021 3-Point Contest Winner Prediction: Zach LaVine
NBA All-Star 2021 Weekend Predictions: Slam Dunk Contest
The NBA All-Star 2021 will see three new names participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, which will take place during the half-time of the All-Star game.
Each player will be given two dunks each, based on which they will be awarded points. Two shortlisted players will move on to the final round, where they will have one dunk each.
None of the three participants play as starters in their teams and are mostly unheard of. Ardent NBA fans will know that a taller height does not equate to creative dunks, and creative dunks is what the panel would want to see.
Portland Trailblazers guard Anfernee Simons has a crazy vertical that could give him the air-time needed for some crazy slam-dunks.
NBA All-Star 2021 Slam Dunk Winner Prediction: Anfernee Simons
NBA All-Star Game 2021 - Team LeBron vs Team Durant: Prediction
Team LeBron has players who can dominate the court in size with the 'Greek Freak' Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron as forwards and Nikola Jokic at center. However, most of the picks on Team LeBron have been successful with their respective NBA teams dominating the ball.
Team Durant clearly has more quick-hitting shooting power with Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, Jason Tatum and James Harden. Durant also made sure to pick Joel Embiid and Zion Williamson to make up for the lack of size.
LeBron James has been drafting for his All-Star team for more than a couple of years now and knows what it takes to win. With big men, forwards and point-guards, his team will come out on top in the All-Star 2021 game with an equal mix of shooting, play-making and alley-ooping.
All-Star 2021 Winner Prediction: Team LeBron
All-Star 2021 MVP Winner Prediction: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
