NEWSLETTER
LET THE NON-GAMES BEGIN!
I know it might sound kind of lame, but this is one of my favorite nights of television every year. The NBA does an outstanding job of making these three events feel like an absurdly big deal, which remains an impressive feat in an era where every single star is allergic to the dunk contest and no one could care less about the skills challenge. The best of the best are courtside. Legends are strolling the building. Over-the-top theatrical dunks are attempted. For a couple of hours, it feels like an NBA playground where smiles are as plentiful as Jordans,
The whole thing becomes that much better when you have a superstar representative, and the Chicago Bulls will have just that when Zach LaVine competes in his third-straight 3-point contest. ICYMI: We talked a little more about that this morning …
Zach LaVine’s Up Next, 3-Point Shootout Odds, Ayo Dosunmu’s Thumb, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/6y0PiODDdT
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 19, 2022
Anyway, here’s a look at the festivities planned for tonight and who we can expect to see on the floor.
Skills Challenge
Unlike in previous years, this season’s Skills Challenge will be a three-team competition. Each team will participate in a series of three events (shooting, passing, team relay) where they will earn “challenge points.” The two teams with the most “challenge points” at the end of the first three rounds will move on to a final round, which will be a half-court shot contest.
Here are the teams …
Cavs: Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley
Antetokounmpos: Giannis, Alex, Thanasis
Rookies: Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham, Josh Giddey
3-Point Contest
You know the rules: Make a lot of threes.
Participants …
Zach LaVine (39.9%)
Fred VanVleet (40.1%)
Trae Young (38.3%)
CJ McCollum (38.9%)
Desmond Bane (41.9%)
Karl-Anthony Towns (40.9%)
Luke Kennard (44.3%)
Patty Mills (41.3%)
Slam Dunk
DUNK HARDER, FASTER, BETTER, STRONGER!
This year’s dunkers include …
Jalen Green (Rockets)
Cole Anthony (Magic)
Obi Toppin (Knicks)
Juan Toscano-Anderson (Warriors)
For a complete look at tonight’s rules, check out the page on NBA dot com here.
The show starts at 7:00 p.m. CT on TNT!
