Which NBA players could replicate Damian Lillard’s 2014 All-Star Saturday Night?

1. Paul George

Paul George is actually one of the few — 11, to be exact — players to have competed in both the 3-point and slam dunk contest, just not both in one season.

In 2014, he competed in the awkward team formatted version of the dunk contest nobody likes to talk about. He didn’t win, but given how poorly the event was received — it was trashed a year later — nobody else did either.

He competed in the 2013 3-point contest in Houston, but didn’t do much with 10 points.

In an attempt at a bounce-back effort in his hometown of Los Angeles, PG put forth a laughable showing at the 2018 3-point contest, bowing out in the first round after mustering just nine points.

So, yeah, PG doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to these environments, but he certainly has the game to change that.

The last time he shot below 37.0 percent from beyond the arc in a season was 2013-14 and he’s converting 39.5 percent of his 9.2 attempts this season.

Only 29, George’s frame is lanky — he has a 6’11” wingspan — and his hops are legitimate with a 39-inch vertical leap. Several times throughout his career has he busted out some in-game flare that could translate to another crack at the dunk contest crown.

At this stage in his career with the LA Clippers, George seems more interested in championships than the most meaningless of individual accolades.

But as a competitor, some part of his psyche craves a do-over for his lackluster performances at several Saturday nights. More than most, he has what it takes to enact revenge.