The excitement and energy levels among the die-hard basketball fans all over the US and the entire globe soared to tectonic levels to watch their NBA favourite stars put on a scintillating display in what they are best at and entertain them to the hilt in All Star Saturday event - Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest which serves as the build up to the star studded All Star Game scheduled to take place later in the evening at the United Center in Chicago.
Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Wins Skill Challenge
Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo was crowned the 2020 Skills Challenge champion after he took down Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis in the final round of the event. Adebayo became the first Miami Heat player to win the Skills Challenge since Dwyane Wade in 2007.
Adebayo had stunned Pascal Siakam in the second round, knocking down the triple on the second try to advance, while Sabonis got the edge on Middleton to make it an all big man final.
As always, All-Star Saturday Night opened with the Skill Challenge -- a three-round, bracket-style contest where players will compete head-to-head in an obstacle course featuring checkpoints that test their dribbling, passing and shooting. The bracket pits guards against big men, and surprisingly, the big men won all four first-round matchups.
Sacramento Kings Buddy Hield Edges Devin Booker To Win 3-Point Contest
After the Skill Challenge, the action turned to another eye catching event 3-Point Contest where the most adept and skilful long range shooters were pitted against each other to come out as the best 3-point shooter award for the season.
Last year's champion Joe Harris was part of the 8-man field to defend his crown against seven others in a slightly altered event. While Harris bowed out of the first round; Davis Bertans, Devin Booker and Buddy Hield reached the final round, which included one of the most exciting finishes in the contest's history.
In the final round, Booker was on fire notching up a score of 26 on board but Hield was up to the task in matching his feat. With the contest on the line, Hield made four of his five attempts from the money rack, including his final shot which pushed his score up to 27 to beat Booker.
NBA All-Star Saturday: Bam Adebayo Wins Skill Challenge, Hield Crowned 3-Point Contest Champ
Gautam Lalotra
Updated at:
16 Feb 2020 09:48 AM (IST)
As always, All-Star Saturday Night opened with the Skill Challenge -- a three-round, bracket-style contest where players will compete head-to-head in an obstacle course featuring checkpoints that test their dribbling, passing and shooting. The bracket pits guards against big men, and surprisingly, the big men won all four first-round matchups
Photo: Getty Images, NBA (You Tube)
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