The three-point competition is already one of the more intriguing events to take place during the NBA All-Star weekend, so when an absolutely stacked group of contenders was announced for this year’s event, it became clear that we are in for a show.
The 2015 three-point competition will be one of the most highly anticipated NBA All-Star weekend as it features two former winners (Marco Belinelli and Kyrie Irving) as well as a man who is on pace for a historically good three-point shooting season in Kyle Korver. And if you think this is all just fun and games, remember that there’s money on the line here with the winner taking home $35,000, second-place collecting $22,500, and third getting $15,000. Here is a quick look at the odds for all eight shooters as well as the the best bets.
Three-Point Shooting Competition Odds
- Steph Curry (GS) +320
- Kyle Korver (ATL) +370
- Klay Thompson (GS) +400
- Kyrie Irving (CLE) +600
- J.J. Redick (LAC) +600
- Westley Matthews (POR) +700
- Marco Belinelli (SA) +700
- James Harden (HOU) +800
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Best Bet – Kyle Korver (ATL) +370
Solely based on the ridiculous shooting numbers that he has put up this season, there is absolutely no way that Korver doesn’t deserve to be the best bet here. Korver is shooting an outstanding 52 percent from downtown this season and that number rose to a nearly unbelievable 57 percent for the month of January. Korver already holds the all-time record for best three-point shooting percentage in NBA history set back in 2009-10 with the Utah Jazz and now he has an opportunity to add to his list of accomplishments. Curry might be the public favorite based on his appeal as a player but Korver undoubtedly deserves to be considered the best bet to win this year’s event.
Next In Line – Klay Thompson (GS) +400
Golden State Warriors fans have a 25 percent shot at seeing one of their own take home the three-point competition title as both Splash Brothers will compete in this year’s event. The odds are certainly in their favor and it’s no surprise that both Thompson and Curry are listed among the favorites, but the former gets a slight edge based on the statistics. Thompson ranks in the top-five in three-point shooting percentage and was the NBA’s second leading scoring in the month of January (25.9 points per game) as he sank a ridiculous 49 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. He’s a bit of a Wild Card entering his first three-point competition but considering his recent numbers and the fact that Curry has struggled in previous three-point competitions, the nod goes to Thompson as most likely to win if Korver somehow struggles.
Sleeper Pick – James Harden (HOU) +800
Irving has the potential to get hot in flashes and Matthews has been very consistent all season, but the best value for a potential sleeper pick belongs to Harden at +800. Harden isn’t an elite three-point shooter at the same level as Korver or Thompson, but he has proved his detractors wrong throughout his entire career and always seems to step up when the doubters are their loudest. He is fifth in the NBA in three-pointers made this season with 140 and his 2.6 per game are also fifth in the league.
Harden’s three-point field goal percentage has improved monthly from November to January, and he’s connecting on 37.1 percent from three in February. At +800 odds, he is worth taking a flier on as a sleeper pick that could deliver a massive payday if he finds a way to silence his critics this All-Star weekend.
Who’s Hot Right Now
One of the ways bettors will be handicapping this competition is seeing who’s hottest right now. As we all know, the game of basketball is about streaks, so the players who were shooting best going into the game could be reasonable bets to win the competition. So far in February, Redick leads the way with a 50.0 percent three-point field goal percentage mark. That’s followed by Belinelli at 45.0%, who is the defending champion, Irving at 44.4%, Curry at 41.9% and Korver at 41.7%. The remaining three contestants are all shooting below 39% this month.
