Slam Dunk Contest - Preview and Betting Odds
By Jason Green at Predictem.com
In this year's Slam Dunk contest on Saturday during the NBA All Star weekend Dwight Howard will try to become the first repeat champion since Jason Richardson (2002-2003) to win back-to-back titles. He will be competing against 2006 winner Nate Robinson (New York Knicks), J.R. Smith who is stepping in for the injured Rudy Gay and rookie Rudy Fernandez (Portland Trailblazers), who beat out fellow rookies Joe Alexander and Russell Westbrook to compete in the event.
Howard is the odds on favorite at Bodog to win the Slam Dunk contest at 1.67/1 followed by Rudy Fernandez (4/1), J.R. Smith (3.5/1), and Nate Robinson (5.5/1)
Dwight Howard - 1.67/1
Howard won a sweet competition last year when he donned a Superman cape for one of his first round dunks, which garnered a perfect score of 50 from the judges. He will have to come up with another innovative dunk in order to bring some new life to the event. He has to do this, as he is a big man and does not fly through the air like other smaller competitors. Howard is vying to become only the third repeat champion, as Jason Richardson and a decent dunk artist by the name of Michael Jordan are the other two.
Rudy Fernandez - 4/1
Can the Spanish rookie from Portland beat out 3 seasoned competitors in the Slam Dunk contest? He has already shown he can throw down with the best of them by beating out Alexander and Westbrook, but beating 2 former champions and the high-flying Gay is something else. Fernandez is vying to become the first foreigner to ever with the event.
J.R. Smith - 3.5/1
Smith is participating in this year's Slam Dunk contest because Rudy Gay went down with an injury and lemme tell ya, he can flat out sky. Still, to win this event he will have to step it up and wow the crowd because you just know Howard is going to show up with some sort of "prop" costume that is going to electrify the crowd. Smith is more of a game time dunker and pulling something out of the hat may be a little more difficult for him.
Nate Robinson - 5.5/1 Robinson gives us little guys hope, as the guard from the Knicks is only 5'7". He won the Slam Dunk contest in 2006 by leaping over fellow little guy and 1986 champion Spud Webb, which made the crowd go nuts. Since he is a little guy he gets more props for dunks that are not so special for guys who can really get above the rim. He will have to create something crazy like he did in 2006 to win again, as even though he is a fan favorite he also has the worst odds.
Here are the odds at Bodog to win the 2009 NBA Slam Dunk Contest:
Dwight Howard 1.67/1
Nate Robinson 5.5/1
Rudy Fernandez 4/1
J.R. Smith 3.5/1
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