Odds on the Foot Locker Three-Point Shooting Contest

Want to make some fun bets during this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities? Well, there aren’t just odds on the game. Maybe the best way to make a few bucks is on the Foot Locker Three-Point Shooting Contest, held Saturday night.

Let’s start with the favorite, rookie Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Curry has been a favorite of many basketball fans since his days at Davidson College, when he led the small school in North Carolina to the Elite Eight in 2008. He has since emerged as a bona-fide star in the NBA as well, as he is not only competing in this 3-point shootout, but the Rookie-Second Year Game as well.

Here are the nba odds heading in:

• Stephen Curry (Golden State) +175
• Daequan Cook (Miami) +275
• Chauncey Billups (Denver) +300
• Danilo Gallinari (New York) +400
• Paul Pierce (Boston) +400
• Channing Frye (Phoenix) +550
  

Curry has one of the smoothest strokes in the game, which was honed while practicing with his father, former Charlotte Hornet Dell Curry. On the season, Curry has hit 43 percent of his 3-point attempts in 2010, totaling 89 on the season. However, what most endears Curry to bettors is his most recent game, in which he went 7-11 behind the arc against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Moving on to the others, Daequan Cook is another favorite, in large part because he is the defending champion in this event. However, earlier in the year, he fell out of favor with the Miami coaching staff. He hasn’t played nearly as much in 2010 as he did a year ago, as he’s averaging just 15 minutes a game, compared 24 a contest a year ago.

The one thing Cook has going for him besides experience is a strong showing of late. In his last game Wednesday, he hit three 3-pointers to finish with 12 points against Atlanta. Look for Cook to try and use the 3-point shooting contest as a way to springboard into the second half of the year.

Chauncey Billups will be participating in this event as well as Sunday night’s game. On the season, he is tied for seventh in the league with 101 3-pointers made, shooting over 40 percent from behind the arc.

If you’re looking for a good underdog in this event, the Knicks Danilo Gallinari might be for you. Through the first half of the year, Gallinari has been pleasing the crowd at Madison Square Garden, to the tune of 2.6 3-pointers per game, which is tops in the league. He has also made an NBA high 131 3-pointers total.

Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics certainly brings star power to this event, but at +400 is a gamble in every sense of the word. He is obviously talented, but the big concern is a foot injury that saw him miss two of the Celtics final four games before the break. He is shooting 44 percent from behind the arc this year though.

Finally, the longest of long shots comes to us in the tallest player in the event, 6’9 Channing Frye. Frye is the top 3-point gunner on one of the most explosive offenses in the league, with his 120 total 3-pointers third in the NBA right now. Let’s see if he can keep steady production without Steve Nash passing him the ball.

Aaron’s NBA Free Pick: Stephen Curry +175

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