2016 NBA All-Star Game: East vs West, Kobe’s Swan Song

The NBA All Star Game will tip off Sunday night when the Eastern Conference hosts the Western Conference, at Air Canada Center in Toronto, Canada home of the Toronto Raptors. The current line has the West favored by 5.5 points with the over/under point total sitting on 318.5.

This is the showcase of the biggest stars in the league. It will be the first time in the 65 years of the NBA All-Star Game that it will be staged outside the U.S. This is the swan song for Kobe Bryant the 18-time NBA All-Star from the Los Angeles Lakers who is retiring at season’s end.

However, he will share the stage with the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and more of the best players in the world. The annual game is not known for its defense.

The offense is always on display and even more so the past two years. Over the past two games, an average of 319.5 points has been scored in the game. In 2014, the East won 163-155 while last season the West rallied to pull off a 163-158 victory.

It was the fourth win for the West in the past five years. While the Western Conference might not be the dominant force it has in the past few years, the depth of star power and the significance of Kobe being in the game has the West favored.

The West will appear to be all about Kobe, but it is more about the conference’s three top teams and the players that make them so good. Golden State’s Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, the Thunder’s Durant and guard Russell Westbrook and San Antonio’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard.

The East will be led by the usual names of James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwayne Wade. All have played in the All-Star games 9 times or more.

The East will also get much needed help from two players from Toronto DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, who will play in front of their home fans.

All-Stars making their debut that should also impress will be Andre Drummond and Isaiah Thomas.

This matchup if close could come down to the West giving the ball late to Kobe for him to win another MVP award.

Prediction: These games are difficult to predict. Some players will want to see Kobe go out in style and feed him the ball, while others will be a bit more competitive and want to win it themselves. I lean toward the West here.