NBA All-Star weekend is here, and with it comes a handful of events throughout the weekend to watch and wager on. The Skills Challenge remains one of the more exciting events, and this year features three teams of three consisting of some of the league's brightest up-and-coming stars.
The Pacers are represented by their own stars, featuring Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, and Myles Turner. Meanwhile, Team Top Picks features three former first overall picks in Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama, and Paolo Banchero, while Team All-Stars boasts three players that made the All-Star team this year in Trae Young, Tyrese Maxey, and Scottie Barnes.
Who will take home the win on Saturday? Continue reading in our free NBA picks for Saturday's Skills Challenge.
For more All-Star Weekend analysis, make sure to check out our 3-Point Contest picks and Steph Curry vs. Sabrina Ionescu 3-Point Challenge picks!
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NBA Skills Challenge odds
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NBA Skills Challenge rules
Round 1 features a team relay, Round 2 involves passing, and Round 3 is "Team Shooting". The team with the most "Challenge Points" following the three rounds will be crowned the winner. If tied at the end of three rounds, a half-court shootout will determine first place.
For a full breakdown of the event check out the page at NBA.com.
Skills Challenge participants
Team Top Picks (+140)
This team will likely be the fan favorite, featuring some of the biggest names to come through the draft in recent years. That includes this year's first overall pick Victor Wembanyama, as well as fan-favorite Anthony Edwards, and reigning Rookie of the Year and first-time All-Star Paolo Banchero.
Wembanyama's shooting is going to be the soft spot on this team, which is a shame given that the shooting event is worth twice as much as either of the other two events. The hope would be for Edwards (38% from deep) to make up for any lost ground on that front.
Team All-Stars (+180)
This trio consists of Trae Young, Tyrese Maxey, and Scottie Barnes. The latter two are making their first All-Star appearance, and they round out a team that is strong in passing and shooting.
Trae Young currently ranks second in the league in assists per game and is in the midst of one of his best seasons from 3-point range(37.1%). Maxey is shooting even better at 37.8%, while Barnes rounds out the squad at a respectable 35.3%.
Team Pacers (+190)
The runner-ups of the In-Season Tournament will look to take home the championship on Saturday, led by first-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton leads the league in assists per game (11.7) and also boasts a 40.0% 3-point percentage.
Bennedict Mathurin is no slouch in that department either, shooting to a respectable 36.6% clip. The Pacers are rounded out with Myles Turner, who is a better shooter than most would assume with 35.1% efficiency from downtown.
NBA Skills Challenge pick
Team Pacers (+190 at FanDuel)
The All-Star weekend is meant to be a break from the long and grueling 82-game season and many of the participants are there to have a good time. The Pacers are probably no different in that regard but they did prove with their In-Season Tournament performance, a competition many thought would not be taken seriously, that they are a competitive and hungry bunch.
Time and time again we see massive underdogs pull off the "upset" during All-Star weekend, whether it's Mac McClung finishing first in the dunk contest at +400 last year or Karl-Anthony Towns winning the 3-point contest the year prior at +1,000.
Plus, as mentioned previously, they have arguably the most well-rounded shooting trio and they are led by arguably the league's most accurate and talented passer.
Past Skills Challenge Winners
| Year | Team |
|---|---|
| 2023 |  Team Jazz |
| 2022 |  Team Cavs |
| 2021 |  Domontas Sabonis |
| 2020 |  Bam Adebayo |
| 2019 |  Jayson Tatum |
| 2018 |  Spencer Dinwiddie |
| 2017 |  Kristaps Porzingis |
| 2016 |  Karl-Anthony Towns |
| 2015 |  Patrick Beverley |
| 2014 |  Damian Lillard / Trey Burke |
| 2013 | Damian Lillard |
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