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Grading each event from the NBA’s 2020 All-Star weekend in Chicago

By Jono Perilli

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 16: Giannis Antetokounmpo #24 of Team Giannis dribbles the ball while being guarded by LeBron James #2 of Team LeBron in the first quarter during the 69th NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on February 16, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 16: Giannis Antetokounmpo #24 of Team Giannis dribbles the ball while being guarded by LeBron James #2 of Team LeBron in the first quarter during the 69th NBA All-Star Game at the United Center on February 16, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

MTN DEW 3-Point Contest

Next on the All-Star Saturday night agenda was the Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest. This is typically a fun event to watch and has stayed in the All-Star weekend since 1986. The eight best shooters in the league gather together to shoot five shots from five parts of the 3-point arc, with the final shot equalling two points. This year, however, the MTN DEW Zone was added, a one-ball rack which is located six-feet behind the 3-point line. Each of the two pedestals equals three points when made.

This year’s lineup was expected, but fans knew it was going to be fun. There were no complaints in terms of the participants, there weren’t any huge snubs that made the rounds. Anyways, the lineup went like this:

As mentioned in the Tweet, Damian Lillard was originally apart of the lineup but removed himself due to an injury. Lillard was replaced by Suns shooting guard, Devin Booker. This lineup boasted two former winners, Joe Harris and Booker himself. Overall, an impressive lineup that put some of the best 3-point shooters in action.

(Photo by Ivan Shum – Clicks Images/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ivan Shum – Clicks Images/Getty Images) /

How did it go?

The MTN DEW 3-Point Contest was one of the most fun events in years, hands down. Personally, it was an entertaining 3-Point Contest that had some of the best scores in a while. The all-new MTN DEW Zone was a perfect addition that complimented some of the long-range shooters, such as Trae Young. It was a good adjustment that switched up the contest a lot. The NBA also adjusted the time to shoot from sixty seconds to seventy seconds, meaning competitors weren’t running out of time constantly.

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It was a successful attempt to bring in a more exciting experience for the fans and shooters alike. Unlike the Rising Stars Challenge, the 3-Point Contest doesn’t need to adjusted in a huge way, it works the way it is, it’s entertaining 100 percent of the time. In all honesty, this year’s 3-Point Contest was the most entertaining in a while, even if it didn’t boast any record-breaking scores.

In the end, Buddy Hield outlasted the rest of the competitors, winning on the final shot to score a total of 27 points out of a possible 40 points. The favorite of the contest, Trae Young, was unfortunately underwhelming, only scoring 15 points, finishing dead last.

To conclude, the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest was a successful attempt to revive the event and boy was it fun to watch. There weren’t any issues with the whole contest, it was genuinely impressive to watch. There were some great moments, including Hield’s final shot to win the contest.

Overall, it was the most stable and enjoyable 3-Point Contest in a while and the addition of the MTN DEW Zone was perfect. It was one of the best 3-Point Contests in the past decade, even though it didn’t boast any super-impressive scores.

Grade: A+