Best bets for Skills Challenge at 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend

The 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend continues from Salt Lake City with a trio of events on Saturday, Feb. 18. It all starts with the Kia Skills Challenge, which will take place at 8 p.m. ET while airing on TNT.

Below, we’ll run through our best bets for this competition with respect to the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Favorite Pick: Team Rooks (+140)

The “Rooks” appear to be one of the most well-rounded teams in this competition. Remember, the Kia Skills Challenge is a timed relay that focuses on passing, dribbling, and shooting. Speed is important as the participants will be dribbling down the court and back in one phase. When you put all of that together, the group of Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, and Jabari Smith Jr. stand out as the strongest trio in all of those categories.

Darkhorse Pick: Team Antetokounmpo (+475)

Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his wrist against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, so we aren’t sure if that will have an impact on his passing and shooting ability. Let’s face it, his brothers — who will serve as his teammates for this challenge — aren’t as skilled as the other participants in this competition. Still, we are catching favorable odds at DraftKings Sportsbook in a competition that could be decided by a ball ricocheting the wrong way.