Miami Heat: Taking a slightly deeper look at All-Star Saturday night
Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest
This contest is what it says it is. It is a long-range competition to see who can shoot the best when given an equal amount of time and opportunities to make them.
This year has a bit of a twist to it though, as they have added an even deeper shot attempt(s) worth three points to the standard shots (one point) and five money balls (two points). This shouldn’t be a problem for Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat though because he has in the gym range, meaning from anywhere “in the gym”. He has fierce competition, but there is no one better, although there may be someone who can match.
Lineup-Odds
- Davis Bertans– Washington Wizards +425
- Devin Booker– Phoenix Suns +475
- Devonte’ Graham– Charlotte Hornets +1000
- Joe Harris– Brooklyn Nets +525
- Buddy Hield– Sacramento Kings +500
- Zach LaVine– Chicago Bulls +1000
- Duncan Robinson- Miami Heat +350
- Trae Young– Atlanta Hawks +475
Take
The oddsmakers have spoken. Duncan Robinson is the favorite here according to the numbers and rightfully so.
Honestly speaking though, these are all great shooters, although some have a slight advantage due to either successful shooting naturally from a position that plays well with pulling balls from a rack or being able to just flat out shoot it, as opposed to those guys whose motion and/or mechanics don’t jive well with pulling the balls from the rack. Anybody can win this competition as well, although as mentioned some have a better shot than others, but Duncan Robinson is in that number no matter how you slice it.
AT&T Slam Dunk
This is the jewel of the entire weekend when it’s done right. This year features a quartet of aerial assault artist, some of the best athletes in both the NBA and the entire world. It needs to elaborate introduction as it speaks for itself, here is everything else to know.
Lineup-Odds
- Pat Connaughton– Milwaukee Bucks +375
- Aaron Gordon– Orlando Magic +140
- Dwight Howard– Los Angeles Lakers +550
- Derrick Jones Jr.- Miami Heat +135
Take
The Miami Heat guy is the favorite here too, although not by much at all. This high-flying competition features three returning competitors and a champion or two.
The Miami Heat guy is more explosive than any of them, although they are all elite athletes with enough bounce to get the crowd on their feet. Can Derrick Jones Jr. be creative enough to avenge his loss in the competition a few years back? We don’t know, but we sure hope so and will definitely enjoy watching him try.
Next. Early All-Star Weekend returns and more to look forward to. dark
The All-Star Saturday night events have tried to make a resurgence in recent years after being down for so long. We will see if they can keep up with the trend in 2019-20.