Part two of our All-Star Weekend guide focuses on State Farm’s All-Star Saturday Night. This is a crowd favourite during All-Star weekend and the most varied event of all the lineup. It features three different spectacles aimed at capturing the finest points of basketball. It begins with the Taco Bell Skills Challenge follows up with the JBL “Steph Curry” contest and concludes with the high-flying dunks of the Verizon Slam Dunk contest.
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
This event test the all-around ability of a basketballer as particpants are required to pass, dribble and shoot while completing the course. The format was reviewed before last year’s challenge and now features guards against bigmen.
The first two rounds feature the guards going up against one another for a chance to compete in the final with the same going for the bigmen. This culminates in a big versus small showdown in the final that’s definitely one to watch.
Last year’s surprise winner, Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t back to defend his title but runner-up Isaiah Thomas will be hoping to claim the honors and erase last year’s [word].
When: 8 p.m. ET (2 A.M. WAT) – first event
Where: Smoothie King Center
TV: TNT
Participants:
- Devin Booker (Suns)
- DeMarcus Cousins (Kings)
- Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
- Gordon Hayward (Jazz)
- Nikola Jokic* (Nuggets)
- Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks)
- Isaiah Thomas (Celtics)
- John Wall (Wizards)
* injury replacement for Joel Embiid
JBL Three-Point Contest
So maybe the name’s a little different from what I called it earlier but with the way Steph has revolutionised 3-point shooting and how we view it, it’s only apporpriate this event be named in his honor.
Steph himself won’t be participating in this year’s contest after winning it in 2015 but teammate and Splash brother, Klay Thompson is back once again and hopes to pick up where he left off last year in what a mesmerizing display of pure shooting.
He’s averaging 3.3 makes at .418 clip this season and some hot shooting at All-Star weekend just might be the kickstart he needs to close out the season in sizzling shooting form. 2013 winner, Kyrie Irving will be hoping to provide the stiffest competition but this competiton is sometimes full of suprises and we just might get a surprise winner like Belinelli in 2014.
When: 8 P.M. ET (2 A.M. WAT) – second event
Where: Smoothie King Center
TV: TNT
Participants:
- Eric Gordon (Rockets)
- Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers)
- Kyle Lowry (Raptors)
- Wes Matthews (Mavericks)
- CJ McCollum (Blazers)
- Klay Thompson (Warriors)
- Kemba Walker (Hornets)
- Nick Young (Lakers)
Verizon Slam Dunk Contest
The final and feature event of the night is the slam dunk contest. This competition has produced some of the most spectacular dunks in basketball history and you definitely don’t want to miss it.
Another runner-up from last year’s Saturday night show is back and looking to right last year’s wrongs. Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon might feel like he was robbed of the title last year but with Zach Lavine now out of the picture, it looks like it might be hsi for the taking.
Clippers’ Deandre Jordan will be challenging with his quirky personality and monster jams and the NBA leader in dunks will want to show he can add a little more flair to his throwdowns when he needs to.
Little known air specialists Derrick Jones Jr (Suns) and Glenn Robinson III (Pacers) will also be hoping to shock the packed crowd and judges when they hit the floor on Saturay. This four man lineup is expected to thrill and one of them will walk home crowned King of Dunk.
When: 8 P.M. ET (2 A.M. WAT) – second event
Where: Smoothie King Center
TV: TNT